Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
MBB | Saint Mary’s Earns Best NCAA Tournament Bid in School History
3/13/2022 4:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MORAGA, Calif. — Selection Sunday brought a buzz into University Credit Union Pavilion, as Saint Mary's Men's Basketball found out where they will be headed for the NCAA Tournament. It took until the last region, but Saint Mary's was revealed as a No. 5 seed in the East Region, and will be playing the winner of Wyoming and Indiana in a First Four game.
2022 is the first trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Gaels since 2019, though they were a near-lock for the tournament in 2020 before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This marks the 11th time in program history that Saint Mary's will advance to the NCAA Tournament, and the eighth time with Randy Bennett as head coach. Saint Mary's has seen postseason play (NCAA or NIT) for 14-consecutive seasons, the second-longest streak in the WCC.
As a No. 5 seed, Saint Mary's will square off against either Wyoming or Indiana in the First Round on Thursday, March 17. Game times have not yet been announced, but games will begin at 12:00 pm ET across the country. Games in the First and Second Rounds in Portland will be played at the Moda Center, home of the Portland Trail Blazers.
With the Gaels earning a No. 5 seed, this is the best seed that any Saint Mary's team has ever achieved. The previous best was a No. 7 seed, which had happened twice in Gaels history, and most recently in 2017. As a single-digit seed in the tournament, the Gaels are 1-3, with that lone win coming against No. 10 VCU in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Wyoming and Indiana will meet on Tuesday in one of the First Four matchups, with the winner heading from Dayton to Portland to meet the Gaels. Saint Mary's has not played Indiana since 1957 and Wyoming since 1956, making either matchup an unfamiliar one in recent team lore. For Wyoming, it is their first trip to the tournament since 2015 and for Indiana, their first dance since 2016.
Information about tickets for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament can be found HERE. More information about the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament, including a full preview of the first two rounds, will be out on SMCGaels.com later this week.
2022 is the first trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Gaels since 2019, though they were a near-lock for the tournament in 2020 before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This marks the 11th time in program history that Saint Mary's will advance to the NCAA Tournament, and the eighth time with Randy Bennett as head coach. Saint Mary's has seen postseason play (NCAA or NIT) for 14-consecutive seasons, the second-longest streak in the WCC.
As a No. 5 seed, Saint Mary's will square off against either Wyoming or Indiana in the First Round on Thursday, March 17. Game times have not yet been announced, but games will begin at 12:00 pm ET across the country. Games in the First and Second Rounds in Portland will be played at the Moda Center, home of the Portland Trail Blazers.
With the Gaels earning a No. 5 seed, this is the best seed that any Saint Mary's team has ever achieved. The previous best was a No. 7 seed, which had happened twice in Gaels history, and most recently in 2017. As a single-digit seed in the tournament, the Gaels are 1-3, with that lone win coming against No. 10 VCU in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Wyoming and Indiana will meet on Tuesday in one of the First Four matchups, with the winner heading from Dayton to Portland to meet the Gaels. Saint Mary's has not played Indiana since 1957 and Wyoming since 1956, making either matchup an unfamiliar one in recent team lore. For Wyoming, it is their first trip to the tournament since 2015 and for Indiana, their first dance since 2016.
Information about tickets for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament can be found HERE. More information about the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament, including a full preview of the first two rounds, will be out on SMCGaels.com later this week.
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