Saint Mary’s Gaels: 28-4, 16-2 in the West Coast Conference
Head coach: Randy Bennett (16th season)
Players to watch: Jock Landale (16.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG); Calvin Hermanson (12.9 PPG, 43.7 3PT%); Emmett Naar (9.5 PPG, 5.8 APG)
Season recap: Although it flew under the radar most of the season, Saint Mary's had an excellent regular season, starting the year by knocking off NCAA tournament teams in Nevada and Dayton as part of a 10-1 nonconference slate marred only by a home loss to UT Arlington. Led by star center Jock Landale, the Gaels breezed through conference play, only dropping three games to WCC powerhouse Gonzaga to seal their NCAA tournament berth.
Although Saint Mary's has a top-15 offense in terms of basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy's efficiency metric, its weak strength of schedule has many doubting whether the Gaels can hold their own in the NCAA tournament.
How they make a run: Landale plays like an All-American inside to pummel opposing frontcourts, and Hermanson and Naar light it up from beyond the arc as Saint Mary's proves it's for real.
How they falter: As was the case the three times the Gaels played Gonzaga this season, the difference between a roster loaded with Power-5 conference-caliber talent and head coach Randy Bennett's team is evident. Saint Mary's cannot find meaningful contributions from role players en route to a first-round exit.
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Digital Strategy Director for Vol. 115, Michael was previously Sports Editor for Vol. 114 and Assistant Blue Zone Editor for Vol. 113. Michael is a senior majoring in Statistical Science and is interested in data analytics and using data to make insights.