Photo by: SMC Athletics / Piper Westrom
Kroner's Corner Vol. 11: Bouncing Back
3/14/2025 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS – Disappointed but not discouraged, the Saint Mary's Gaels returned from Las Vegas to the East Bay on Wednesday morning, intent on using the days before Selection Sunday as time to improve ahead of their NCAA Tournament opener next week.
The Gaels (28-5) lost 58-51 to Gonzaga in an odd WCC Tournament final at the Orleans Arena on Tuesday night. SMC went 0-for-16 from 3-point range; according to ESPN Research, it was the first time in Randy Bennett's 24 seasons as head coach that the Gaels failed to connect on a trey.
The Zags were only marginally better from beyond the arc (1-for-15). The game turned on turnovers. The Gaels committed 18; they had averaged 9.5 per game before Tuesday. Gonzaga converted those 18 turnovers into 20 points, and the Zags had just four giveaways, which resulted in three SMC points.
"We've got to flush this one fast, get it out of our system," center Mitchell Saxen said. "Take it personal that we lost it like this, that we did in this manner playing that bad offensively and know we've got to get better in those areas."
Saxen poured in a game-high 20 points, his highest total of the season. Forward Luke Barrett and backup center Harry Wessels each had a game-high nine rebounds as the Gaels owned a 43-28 edge on the glass.
"We guarded pretty well, we rebounded pretty well again, but we can't win when we play that bad offensively," Barrett said. "Just clean that up, get hungry and stay on our front foot offensively."
Guard Augustas Marciulionis and Barrett noted that though the Gaels won the conference-tournament title last season by beating Gonzaga 69-60, they fell 75-66 to Grand Canyon in their NCAA Tournament opener.
Barrett said Tuesday night's loss "hurts, but what's fueled us for the last year is what we left on the table in March last year." He said he has thought about the loss to the Lopes every day for the past year.
Ending last season that way "didn't really sit well with us," Marciulionis said. "It didn't feel like we finished the season well. We don't how much time we have (left) as this group, so we're just going to give it all we've got in practices in preparing for whoever is coming up."
Marciulionis had 12 points and a game-high eight assists Tuesday. He, Barrett and Saxen have played in a combined 400 games.
"You can't underestimate how important experience is," Bennett said. "The guys who showed up and played well for us were our three seniors. … They're pretty dependable. They're a special group. …
"I just told our guys in the locker room: I can count on those three guys every game – every day – to bring it. And we need to move some other guys (in) that direction … so that we can be good in the future."
The Gaels' short-term future will be determined Sunday when the NCAA Tournament field of 68 is announced.
"Our biggest goals, our most important games, are still to come," Barrett said.
Said Marciulionis: "We'll try to still accomplish our goals and play as best as we can for as long as we can."
Relishing the rivalry: The Gaels won the regular-season conference title, in large part because they beat Gonzaga in Moraga (62-58) and in Spokane (75-67). Over the past two decades, the Saint Mary's-Gonzaga rivalry has become among the best – if not the best -- on the West Coast.
The Zags will leave the WCC to join the reconstituted Pac-12 for the 2026-27 season. In Tuesday night's postgame news conference, a reporter asked Bennett how much he'll miss facing the Zags and if he might enjoy not having to face them.
"We'll miss 'em," Bennett said. "As a competitor, you want to play against the best – and they're one of the best. They've helped us get to the level we're at. Iron sharpens iron. We've been going at it for a long time. So, yeah, we'll totally miss 'em."
Selection Sunday festivities: SMC again will hold a watch party at UCU Pavilion for Selection Sunday. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m., with the CBS selection show scheduled to begin at 3.
The Gaels have earned a 5-seed in each of the past three seasons. Through Wednesday, they were at 21 in the NET rankings and 22 in KenPom. A semi-educated guess for their seed this season: 6 or 7.
Note: Steve Kroner has covered Bay Area sports for more than four decades, mainly for KPIX-TV and the San Francisco Chronicle. He has begun working alongside Brian Brownfield on the Gaels' men's basketball telecasts on ESPN+.
The Gaels (28-5) lost 58-51 to Gonzaga in an odd WCC Tournament final at the Orleans Arena on Tuesday night. SMC went 0-for-16 from 3-point range; according to ESPN Research, it was the first time in Randy Bennett's 24 seasons as head coach that the Gaels failed to connect on a trey.
The Zags were only marginally better from beyond the arc (1-for-15). The game turned on turnovers. The Gaels committed 18; they had averaged 9.5 per game before Tuesday. Gonzaga converted those 18 turnovers into 20 points, and the Zags had just four giveaways, which resulted in three SMC points.
"We've got to flush this one fast, get it out of our system," center Mitchell Saxen said. "Take it personal that we lost it like this, that we did in this manner playing that bad offensively and know we've got to get better in those areas."
Saxen poured in a game-high 20 points, his highest total of the season. Forward Luke Barrett and backup center Harry Wessels each had a game-high nine rebounds as the Gaels owned a 43-28 edge on the glass.
"We guarded pretty well, we rebounded pretty well again, but we can't win when we play that bad offensively," Barrett said. "Just clean that up, get hungry and stay on our front foot offensively."
Guard Augustas Marciulionis and Barrett noted that though the Gaels won the conference-tournament title last season by beating Gonzaga 69-60, they fell 75-66 to Grand Canyon in their NCAA Tournament opener.
Barrett said Tuesday night's loss "hurts, but what's fueled us for the last year is what we left on the table in March last year." He said he has thought about the loss to the Lopes every day for the past year.
Ending last season that way "didn't really sit well with us," Marciulionis said. "It didn't feel like we finished the season well. We don't how much time we have (left) as this group, so we're just going to give it all we've got in practices in preparing for whoever is coming up."
Marciulionis had 12 points and a game-high eight assists Tuesday. He, Barrett and Saxen have played in a combined 400 games.
"You can't underestimate how important experience is," Bennett said. "The guys who showed up and played well for us were our three seniors. … They're pretty dependable. They're a special group. …
"I just told our guys in the locker room: I can count on those three guys every game – every day – to bring it. And we need to move some other guys (in) that direction … so that we can be good in the future."
The Gaels' short-term future will be determined Sunday when the NCAA Tournament field of 68 is announced.
"Our biggest goals, our most important games, are still to come," Barrett said.
Said Marciulionis: "We'll try to still accomplish our goals and play as best as we can for as long as we can."
Relishing the rivalry: The Gaels won the regular-season conference title, in large part because they beat Gonzaga in Moraga (62-58) and in Spokane (75-67). Over the past two decades, the Saint Mary's-Gonzaga rivalry has become among the best – if not the best -- on the West Coast.
The Zags will leave the WCC to join the reconstituted Pac-12 for the 2026-27 season. In Tuesday night's postgame news conference, a reporter asked Bennett how much he'll miss facing the Zags and if he might enjoy not having to face them.
"We'll miss 'em," Bennett said. "As a competitor, you want to play against the best – and they're one of the best. They've helped us get to the level we're at. Iron sharpens iron. We've been going at it for a long time. So, yeah, we'll totally miss 'em."
Selection Sunday festivities: SMC again will hold a watch party at UCU Pavilion for Selection Sunday. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m., with the CBS selection show scheduled to begin at 3.
The Gaels have earned a 5-seed in each of the past three seasons. Through Wednesday, they were at 21 in the NET rankings and 22 in KenPom. A semi-educated guess for their seed this season: 6 or 7.
Note: Steve Kroner has covered Bay Area sports for more than four decades, mainly for KPIX-TV and the San Francisco Chronicle. He has begun working alongside Brian Brownfield on the Gaels' men's basketball telecasts on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballMBB | Highlights vs. Vanderbilt, 11-28-25
Friday, November 28
MBB | Randy Bennett Postgame vs. Vanderbilt, 11-28-25, Presented by University Credit Union
Friday, November 28
MBB | Highlights vs. Virginia Tech, 11-27-25
Thursday, November 27
MBB | Randy Bennett and Andrew McKeever Postgame vs. Virginia Tech, 11-27-25, presented by University Credit Union
Thursday, November 27
