MORAGA, Calif. — After winning 26 games and making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year, it is officially a new season at Saint Mary's. The Gaels men's basketball program hosted its first official practice of the new year on Monday afternoon, with the season beginning in 41 days on November 7. The season officially kicks off with a 7:00 pm game against Oral Roberts inside University Credit Union Pavilion on the seventh day of November, a Monday night.
 
There is a lot of hype and expectations surrounding the Gaels in 2022-23, after a banner season that ended in the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels were ranked late in the season, as high as No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and made it to the second round in the tournament after beating Indiana 82-53. That win was the largest defeat ever handed to the Hoosiers in the NCAA Tournament, and is the sixth win all-time in the dance for the Gaels.
 
They went a perfect 16-0 at home, the first time inside University Credit Union Pavilion, and defeated No. 1 Gonzaga 67-57 on Senior Night, to close out the regular season, their second-ever win over the top-ranked team in the country. Actively, the Gaels have won 18-straight at home and begin the new season with five-straight home tilts.
 
One of the leaders of this year's team is Kyle Bowen, now in his fourth season. While Bowen has never been a featured scorer, he is one of the best post defenders in the West Coast Conference, and also has a propensity for knocking down a big three-pointer. He brings some intensity to the Gaels, and he says that everyone on the team feels it on the heels of the first practice.
 
"Oh yeah, I can't wait. I think with all the guys, there's a communal buzz of energy around," Bowen says. "We've waited for this time. We were working out in the gym, working hard, but this is a time where we can kind of start forming our team, forming our identity, and it's a very exciting time for us."
 
Bowen will stand up as one of the leaders on this year's team as will Logan Johnson, who returns for a fifth collegiate season. His game has continued to elevate, including leading the WCC in steals last season and finding an improved shooting stroke, while setting a career-best in assists as a senior. If the Gaels are going to do anything in 2022-23, one would figure it runs through Johnson.
 
"Ready to compete again with the fellas," Johnson stated simply about the return of practice. "It's been a long time coming. We go at it every day in shooting drills and in the summertime five-on-five. So now to just kind of put the pieces together, it feels good and everybody's ready and excited to be back."
 
Johnson isn't lying: the Gaels really do go at it hard during every drill and every workout they take part in. Saint Mary's has earned a reputation around the NCAA as one of the more physical teams, and certainly one of the best defensive teams. That stems from the intensity they bring in between games and workouts. It almost feels like you're watching a game when you watch them practice.
 
The transition from postseason to preseason should be smoother this year for the Gaels, as they did have some summer action abroad. The Gaels spent nearly two weeks in Australia for their 2022 Foreign Tour, playing six games against NBL and NBL1 teams. SMC ran the table Down Under, winning all six games on the foreign tour for the first time in program history.
 
That experience is vital for the development of this year's team, and that was noted by head coach Randy Bennett. "For me, one of the keys in coaching is you got to figure out how you're shaping your team, who are you playing with, who's going to have what roles?" Bennett said. "It really helps on that, you get to see guys practicing in the summer and then you get some games. To me, it's a huge advantage."
 
"It also affects how we approach the first practice. We still approach the first practice excited and all that, but you don't have to go back to square one. You can kind of play more the first day. We'll get to things a lot quicker."
 
So what exactly does the first practice entail? There isn't much of a difference from what Saint Mary's did on Monday versus what they did the year before, and the year before that. Consistency is key with this program.
 
"You got to do the fundamental stuff and we have six new guys so sometimes you got to wait for them a little bit, explained coach Bennett. "The rest of the team knows what we're supposed to do, but even they lose the details over a spring and over a summer. So you got to make sure you make them do the little things and be very detailed in the future, but it is the same as it is almost every year. There is so many things you got to cover. You got to get your defense in, your offense in, you got to get them comfortable in the offense, and you got to get them to develop the right habits."
 
Fans will get their first chance to see the Gaels in action on October 15 with the Blue & White scrimmage inside University Credit Union Pavilion. The event is open to the public with free admission, taking place after a volleyball game for the Gaels. The time of the scrimmage will be shared in the near future.
 
Two weeks later, on October 29, is the Gaels Tip-Off Dinner, presented by Diablo Valley Insurance. More information and registration for this year's Tip-Off Dinner will be available in the near future.
 
For information about season tickets and ticket plans for the 2022-23 men's basketball season, click HERE.