Monday, November 3
Moraga, CA
7:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
St. Thomas
Mikey Lewis was one of three preseason All-WCC selections for the Gaels
MBB | Gaels Welcome St. Thomas and Chattanooga for Opening Week
10/31/2025 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MORAGA, Calif. — Here…we…go! The 2025-26 Saint Mary's Men's Basketball season is here, and the Gaels will have a couple of early tests out of the gate, hosting the preseason Summit League favorites, the St. Thomas Tommies to UCU Pavilion on opening night, before welcoming the 2025 NIT Champion Chattanooga Mocs back to Moraga on Friday night. With these two teams combining for a 53-19 record a year ago, the Gaels are primed and ready for a pair of dog fights to set the tone early for the 2025-26 campaign.
THE DETAILS
RV Saint Mary's Gaels vs. St. Thomas Tommies
Monday, November 3 at 7:00 PM
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
RV Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Chattanooga Mocs
Friday, November 7 at 7:30 PM
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
EARLY SEASON RECOGNITION
As per usual, Saint Mary's has received some buzz heading into the 2025-26 campaign. The Gaels open the year receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches polls, and find themselves ranked second in the preseason College Insider Mid-Major Top-25, behind only WCC Rival Gonzaga. The Gaels were picked to finish second in the preseason West Coast Conference Coaches Poll, but had the most preseason All-WCC selections, as Mikey Lewis, Paulius Murauskas and Harry Wessels all earned this distinction. As a reminder, Saint Mary's closed out the 2024-25 season ranked 24th in the AP top-25 and 22nd in the Coaches Top-25. The Gaels appeared in at least one of those polls in each of the final six weeks of the season, climbing as high as 19th in the AP and 15th in Coaches. The Gaels also won the WCC Regular Season title outright for the second consecutive year in 2024-25, the first time they've done so in program history. They won the conference by a hefty three game margin, their largest margin ever, besting their 2 game conference regular season title margin from the 1958-59 and 1988-89 seasons. Heading into last season, the Gaels were also picked to finish in 2nd place in the 2024-25 WCC Preseason poll, despite winning both the regular season and tournament titles in 2023-24.
ABOUT THE TOMMIES
A team many long time college basketball followers may not be familiar with, the St Thomas Tommies reclassified from the NCAA DIII ranks to Division I in 2021-22, making 2025-26 their first year of full membership. In their four reclassifying years, the Tommies have gone 73-37, including a stellar 24-10 campaign a year ago. Head Coach John Tauer took the helm when the Tommies were members of the DIII Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the 2011-12 season, and led them to a Division III national championship in 2016. Since the jump to DI in 2021-22, Coach Tauer had a tough first season, with his team going 10-20, but since has won at least 19 games every year. This year, St. Thomas is picked to win the Summit League after finishing second last year. Headlining this group are preseason Summit Player of the Year Nolan Minessale and preseason first team All-Summit honoree Carter Bjerke. Minessale started every game of his freshman campaign a year ago and led the team in steals and blocked shots, while scoring 11.2 points per game and converting on 56.2% of his field goal attempts. Bjerke was the team's best three point shooter, knocking down a team-high 74 with a 41.6% clip. The Tommies did lose both of their all-conference starting backcourt members in Drake Dobbs (graduated) and Miles Barnstable (transfer to Tulsa), but do also retain veteran reserve point guard Ryan Dufault, who may compete to start this year after appearing in 98 games through his first three years at St. Thomas. Notable newcomers include South Carolina transfer guard Austin Herro (younger brother of NBA All-Star Tyler Herro), Miami (FL) transfer forward Isaiah Johnson-Arigu, and true freshman big man Luka Momcilovic. This will be the first all-time meeting between the Gaels and Tommies.
ABOUT THE MOCS
One year to the day after the Gaels bested Chattanooga 86-74, these two will renew hostilities in Moraga for the second straight year. Chattanooga is coming off of an NIT Championship, finishing last year at 29-9, defeating UC Irvine in an 85-84 OT thriller to hoist the NIT trophy. The 29 wins for the Mocs were not only the most in Head Coach Dan Earl's coaching tenure at Chattanooga, but were also tied for the most ever in a single season in program history. While the Mocs did graduate all five of their starters from a year ago, they do return four of their top five bench scorers, headlined by 6-11 sophomore Collin Mulholland. Mulholland demonstrated an ability to score inside and out for Chattanooga a season ago, shooting 48.1% from the field and knocking down 31 threes. Coach Earl also recruited heavily from the transfer portal this offseason, with six coming into this year's team with college basketball experience. One of the most exciting transfers brought onto this year's Mocs squad is Teddy Washington Jr., a first team All-Ohio Valley selection at Southeastern Missouri State last year after averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game. Also bringing intrigue to this roster are Jordan Frison (2025 MIAA Player of the Year at Pittsburgh State) and Jikari Johnson (2025 2nd Team All-Gulf South Conference at Trevecca Nazarene), a pair of explosive scoring guards at the DII level who will now look to make their marks in their first taste of DI hoops. Last year, the Gaels and Chattanooga met for the first time in program history last year, with the Gaels defeating the Mocs 86-74. Returning big man for the Mocs Makai Richards led the way with 19 points on 8-12 shooting, while Paulius Murauskas was the high man amongst returners for the Gaels this year with 23 points (7-11 FG) to go along with 11 boards.
DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME MEN'S BASKETBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE ON SALE HERE.
#GaelsRise
THE DETAILS
RV Saint Mary's Gaels vs. St. Thomas Tommies
Monday, November 3 at 7:00 PM
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
RV Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Chattanooga Mocs
Friday, November 7 at 7:30 PM
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
EARLY SEASON RECOGNITION
As per usual, Saint Mary's has received some buzz heading into the 2025-26 campaign. The Gaels open the year receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches polls, and find themselves ranked second in the preseason College Insider Mid-Major Top-25, behind only WCC Rival Gonzaga. The Gaels were picked to finish second in the preseason West Coast Conference Coaches Poll, but had the most preseason All-WCC selections, as Mikey Lewis, Paulius Murauskas and Harry Wessels all earned this distinction. As a reminder, Saint Mary's closed out the 2024-25 season ranked 24th in the AP top-25 and 22nd in the Coaches Top-25. The Gaels appeared in at least one of those polls in each of the final six weeks of the season, climbing as high as 19th in the AP and 15th in Coaches. The Gaels also won the WCC Regular Season title outright for the second consecutive year in 2024-25, the first time they've done so in program history. They won the conference by a hefty three game margin, their largest margin ever, besting their 2 game conference regular season title margin from the 1958-59 and 1988-89 seasons. Heading into last season, the Gaels were also picked to finish in 2nd place in the 2024-25 WCC Preseason poll, despite winning both the regular season and tournament titles in 2023-24.
ABOUT THE TOMMIES
A team many long time college basketball followers may not be familiar with, the St Thomas Tommies reclassified from the NCAA DIII ranks to Division I in 2021-22, making 2025-26 their first year of full membership. In their four reclassifying years, the Tommies have gone 73-37, including a stellar 24-10 campaign a year ago. Head Coach John Tauer took the helm when the Tommies were members of the DIII Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the 2011-12 season, and led them to a Division III national championship in 2016. Since the jump to DI in 2021-22, Coach Tauer had a tough first season, with his team going 10-20, but since has won at least 19 games every year. This year, St. Thomas is picked to win the Summit League after finishing second last year. Headlining this group are preseason Summit Player of the Year Nolan Minessale and preseason first team All-Summit honoree Carter Bjerke. Minessale started every game of his freshman campaign a year ago and led the team in steals and blocked shots, while scoring 11.2 points per game and converting on 56.2% of his field goal attempts. Bjerke was the team's best three point shooter, knocking down a team-high 74 with a 41.6% clip. The Tommies did lose both of their all-conference starting backcourt members in Drake Dobbs (graduated) and Miles Barnstable (transfer to Tulsa), but do also retain veteran reserve point guard Ryan Dufault, who may compete to start this year after appearing in 98 games through his first three years at St. Thomas. Notable newcomers include South Carolina transfer guard Austin Herro (younger brother of NBA All-Star Tyler Herro), Miami (FL) transfer forward Isaiah Johnson-Arigu, and true freshman big man Luka Momcilovic. This will be the first all-time meeting between the Gaels and Tommies.
ABOUT THE MOCS
One year to the day after the Gaels bested Chattanooga 86-74, these two will renew hostilities in Moraga for the second straight year. Chattanooga is coming off of an NIT Championship, finishing last year at 29-9, defeating UC Irvine in an 85-84 OT thriller to hoist the NIT trophy. The 29 wins for the Mocs were not only the most in Head Coach Dan Earl's coaching tenure at Chattanooga, but were also tied for the most ever in a single season in program history. While the Mocs did graduate all five of their starters from a year ago, they do return four of their top five bench scorers, headlined by 6-11 sophomore Collin Mulholland. Mulholland demonstrated an ability to score inside and out for Chattanooga a season ago, shooting 48.1% from the field and knocking down 31 threes. Coach Earl also recruited heavily from the transfer portal this offseason, with six coming into this year's team with college basketball experience. One of the most exciting transfers brought onto this year's Mocs squad is Teddy Washington Jr., a first team All-Ohio Valley selection at Southeastern Missouri State last year after averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game. Also bringing intrigue to this roster are Jordan Frison (2025 MIAA Player of the Year at Pittsburgh State) and Jikari Johnson (2025 2nd Team All-Gulf South Conference at Trevecca Nazarene), a pair of explosive scoring guards at the DII level who will now look to make their marks in their first taste of DI hoops. Last year, the Gaels and Chattanooga met for the first time in program history last year, with the Gaels defeating the Mocs 86-74. Returning big man for the Mocs Makai Richards led the way with 19 points on 8-12 shooting, while Paulius Murauskas was the high man amongst returners for the Gaels this year with 23 points (7-11 FG) to go along with 11 boards.
DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME MEN'S BASKETBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE ON SALE HERE.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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