Photo by: SMC Athletics / Piper Westrom
Pair of Strong March Madness Performances Earn Mitchell Saxen Final Shamrock Office Student-Athlete of the Week Honors of Basketball Season
3/26/2025 10:30:00 AM | General, Men's Basketball
MORAGA, Calif. — This past weekend, a historic Saint Mary's Men's Basketball season came to an end in Cleveland, Ohio in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels picked up their 29th win of the year, and made their third trip to the second round in four year after defeating Vanderbilt 59-56, before being defeated by second seeded Alabama in the second round. In both of those contests, the Gaels were led by the man who has played more games and won more games than any other student-athlete to don a Gaels uniform, Mitchell Saxen. As such, Saxen has been selected as the Shamrock Office Solutions Student-Athlete of the Week for the second time in his illustrious five year career.
Saxen opened up the tournament with a 12 point, 11 rebound double-double against Vanderbilt, good for his 10th double-double of the season, and the 25th of his career. The big man from Seattle had six points in the Gaels 16-4 run that helped them close a 12 point deficit and seize momentum, ultimately earning the three point victory. Then, in what would prove to be his final game as a Gael, Saxen led all scorers with 15 points against Alabama. In his fourth NCAA Tournament appearance throughout his five year career, Mitchell finished out his Gael career by averaging 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds hin this year's big dance, shooting 60% from the field. He also demonstrated his signature defensive prowess that earned him WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons, with four steals and a block in the two games.
ALSO NOMINATED: Angelina Bour/Nya Crump (BVB), Braxton Brown (SB), Diego Castellanos (BSB), Edie Clarke (WBB), Olivia Rook (WTEN), Rayna Stanziano (WTRK)
#GaelsRise
Saxen opened up the tournament with a 12 point, 11 rebound double-double against Vanderbilt, good for his 10th double-double of the season, and the 25th of his career. The big man from Seattle had six points in the Gaels 16-4 run that helped them close a 12 point deficit and seize momentum, ultimately earning the three point victory. Then, in what would prove to be his final game as a Gael, Saxen led all scorers with 15 points against Alabama. In his fourth NCAA Tournament appearance throughout his five year career, Mitchell finished out his Gael career by averaging 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds hin this year's big dance, shooting 60% from the field. He also demonstrated his signature defensive prowess that earned him WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons, with four steals and a block in the two games.
ALSO NOMINATED: Angelina Bour/Nya Crump (BVB), Braxton Brown (SB), Diego Castellanos (BSB), Edie Clarke (WBB), Olivia Rook (WTEN), Rayna Stanziano (WTRK)
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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