Saint Mary’s Gaels
West Coast Conference (27-5, 14-2)
Saint Mary’s has had another great season, but skeptics can look at their non-conference schedule and again say that this is a team that has not been thoroughly tested. There may not be any big named victories in the non-conference portion of the Gaels schedule, but there are some decent wins over teams like Northern Iowa, Weber State and Missouri State. As usual Coach Randy Bennett has a couple stars to rely on, but players like three-point specialist Jorden Page and up and coming talent Stephen Holt have taken Saint Mary’s to the next level. Holt missed the end of the regular season with a knee injury and did not make it back in time for the WCC tournament either. He should be cleared to play in the NCAA Tournament, but how effective he will be is a big question.
Big Wins: 1/12 Gonzaga (83-62), 1/28 at BYU (80-66), 3/5 vs Gonzaga (78-74)
Bad Losses: 11/23 at Denver (58-70), 2/9 at Gonzaga (59-73), 2/15 Loyola Marymount (60-75)
Coach: Randy Bennett (11 seasons at Saint Mary’s)
Why They Can Surprise:
While Page and Holt take a backseat, for now, Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones garner all of the attention. Dellavedova is the latest of great guards to grace the campus in Moraga, California. The junior is a great shooter, a better all-around scorer and one of the best passers out West. Jones is a little undersized for a power forward, but he has always been extremely productive. Jones is an amazing rebounder and a great interior scorer who can also step outside and hit the long ball with relative consistency. With that inside-outside duo, the Gaels are a tough team to stop offensively. And thanks to Jones’ ability on the glass, the Gaels limit the opposition on the other end of the floor.
Why They Can Disappoint:
However, when the opposition does get the ball, they usually get a pretty good look at the basket, especially from beyond the arc. The defense is not bad, but the lack of an experienced shot blocker does lead to some open looks. Freshman Brad Waldow was not expected to play much this year, but he has found himself in the starting role under the basket. Waldow has done a great job for a freshman and can play some defense, score in the paint and help out on the glass. His game keeps getting better, but he is still a freshman. With Clint Steindl, Kenton Walker and Mitchell Young also around, Coach Bennett certainly has other options if Waldow is not getting the job done. However, none of those players are major deterrents when the opposition thinks about getting to the basket. When the Gaels matchup with a team that is hot from beyond the arc and have a big man who can collapse their defense, Saint Mary’s season will likely come to an end.
Probable Starters:
Matthew Dellavedova, Junior, Guard, 15.6 ppg, 6.4 apg
Jorden Page, Sophomore, Guard, 8.1 ppg, 2.3 apg
Clint Steindl, Senior, Forward, 7.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg
Rob Jones, Senior, Forward, 14.8 ppg, 10.7 rpg
Brad Waldow, Freshman, Forward, 8.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Stephen Holt, Sophomore, Guard, 10.4 ppg, 3.3 apg, 4.7 rpg
Beau Levesque, Sophomore, Forward, 3.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg
Kyle Rowley, Junior, Center, 1.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg
Kenton Walker, Senior, Forward, 3.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Mitchell Young, Junior, Forward, 4.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 74.8 (35th in nation, 3rd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 62.0 (55, 1)
Field-Goal Percentage: 47.6 (24, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 42.7 (153, 4)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.5 (62, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.0 (138, 5)
Free-Throw Percentage: 72.7 (59, 2)
Rebound Margin: 7.3 (11, 1)
Assists Per Game: 16.1 (13, 2)
Turnovers Per Game: 16 (32, 2)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
St. Mary's 2011 NIT First Round loss to Kent State
St. Mary's 2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over Richmond
St. Mary's 2010 NCAA Round of 32 win over Villanova
St. Mary's 2010 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Baylor
St. Mary's 2009 NIT First Round win over Washington State
St. Mary's 2009 NIT Second Round win over Davidson
St. Mary's 2009 NIT Quarterfinal loss to San Diego State
St. Mary's 2008 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Miami
St. Mary's 2005 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Southern Illinois
*all team stats through 3/4
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
