MORAGA, Calif. — After a 2-0 start in conference play on the road, the Gaels will welcome their first WCC foe into UCU Pavilion for the 2023-24 season, as the Portland Pilots make the trek south to Moraga. That matchup will be followed with a local roadtrip down to Santa Clara to close out the Gaels week of competition. Saint Mary's has won eight of its last nine contests, and looks to keep momentum rolling, as the team searches for their second consecutive 4-0 start in conference play.
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Portland Pilots
Thursday, January 11 at 8:00 PM
UCU Pavilion - Moraga, Calif.
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Saint Mary's Gaels at Santa Clara Broncos
Saturday, January 13 at 4:00 PM
Leavey Center - Santa Clara, Calif.
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MAGNIFICENT MARCIULIONIS
Over the last 10 contests, the Gaels have leaned heavily on their junior point guard,
Augustas Marciulionis, as both a scorer and play maker. Over that stretch, the Vilnius, Lithuania native has averaged over 15 points and 5 assists per contest, headlined by his first career double-double (16 points, 10 assists) at San Diego, and a career-high 22 point outpouring against LMU. Over this ten game stretch, Marciulionis has led the Gaels to an 8-2 record.
LAST WEEK'S BACKCOURT BRILLIANCE
Guards Aidan Mahaney and Augustas Marciulionis each put together an outstanding week of basketball last week, leading the Gaels to their 2-0 start in conference play. Marciulionis scored 38 points on 11-23 shooting, while dishing out 13 assists. Meanwhile, Mahaney scored 39 points on 13-26 shooting and assisted on nine buckets. On Thursday evening against San Diego, the duo combined for 16 of the Gaels 21 assists, while on Saturday against LMU, the two committed just one combined turnover, helping the Gaels to a season low four as a team in the victory.
ABOUT THE PILOTS
The Portland Pilots head to Moraga following their conference opening victory at home over Pacific, 78-64. Overall, the Pilots hold a 7-9 record under the third year direction of Head Coach Shantay Legans. As he did last year, point guard Tyler Robertson runs the show for Coach Legans, averaging a WCC high 35:21 minutes per game. The 6-6 senior out of Melbourne, Australia is averaging 17 points and four assists per game, while shooting over 50% from the field. It is a new cast of characters joining Robertson in the starting five, headlined by 6-8 freshman Tyler Harris (13 PPG, 8 RPG) and 6-5 redshirt sophomore Vukasin Masic (12 PPG, 48% FG, 41% 3pt, sat out last year after transferring from Hofstra). Robertson (PG), Masic (Wing), Chris Austin (Wing) and Harris (PF) have all solidified their starting roles, but the center position has been more of a revolving door for Coach Legans' squad, with Vasilije Vucinic (10 starts, missed last game), Alimamy Koroma (Five starts, missed last four games), and Yuto Yamanouchi-Williams (Made season debut as a starter vs. Pacific) all seeing five starting at the five. Reserve point guard Juan Sebastian Gorosito has been the biggest contributor for the Pilots off the bench, with an ability to light it up from beyond the arc. Everyone on this Portland squad seemingly has the green light from beyond the arc, as the team is averaging a conference high 25.2 three point attempts per game, but hopes to improve on their team perimeter percentage of 32.4%. They have been bitten by the turnover bug on multiple occasions this year, averaging 14 turnovers per game, including eight 15+ turnover games this season. All-time, the Gaels are 72-30 against the Pilots, and have not fallen to the Pilots at home since 2006.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS
Following their home conference opener, the Gaels hit the road again to take on a tough Santa Clara squad. The Broncos will be coming off of hosting Gonzaga on Thursday evening, and enter the week with an 11-6 record after sweeping LMU and Pepperdine on the road to open up conference play. The Broncos went 23-10 a season ago, but this is a brand new team under eighth year Head Coach Herb Sendek, who lost his entire starting lineup from a season ago to either graduation, pro ball or the transfer portal. This year's rendition of the Broncos has been led by 6-7 point guard Adama Bal. The junior out of Le Mans, France spent his first two seasons collegiately in Tucson with the Arizona Wildcats, and, after serving as role player, now has become a star in Santa Clara to the tune of 16 points and three assists per game while shooting 49% from the field and 41% from three. Bal has been complimented nicely on the wing by Carlos Marshall Jr. Marshall appeared in three games a season ago for the Broncos before suffering a season ending injury, but has returned this season as one of Santa Clara's best shooters, scoring 14 points per contest on 51% shooting from the field and 47% shooting from beyond the arc. The duo of Bal and Marshall make up nearly half the Broncos' offense this season, and are shooting a combined 44% from beyond the arc. As a team, Santa Clara is shooting 37.4% from three. The Broncos and Gaels have shared New Mexico and LMU as common opponents this season, with the Broncos falling to New Mexico 93-76 (Gaels defeated UNM 72-58) and defeating LMU 68-57 (Gaels defeated LMU 68-64). All-time, Santa Clara leads the series with the Gaels, 99-140, however, the Gaels have won 13 of their last 16 meetings dating back to the 2015-16 season.
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