MORAGA, Calif. — The regular season was one for the history books for Saint Mary's (27-4, 17-1). Now, it's time for postseason basketball, as the Gaels head to Las Vegas for the Credit Union One WCC Basketball Championship. This rendition of the conference tournament will feature the Gaels, as the top overall seed, looking for their sixth ever WCC Tournament Title, and their first ever back-to-back conference tournament titles.

THE DETAILS
WCC Semifinals
Monday, March 10 at 6 PM
Orleans Arena – Las Vegas, Nev.
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WCC Finals
Tuesday, March 11 at 6 PM
Orleans Arena – Las Vegas, Nev.
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HOW 24-25 STACKS UP
By the eye test, the 2024-25 regular season was one of the best ever by Saint Mary's men's basketball, but let's take a look back at the Gael history books to see just how special this regular season was. The Gaels finished at 27-4 heading into postseason play. This matched their best regular season record from the 2017-18 season in which the Gaels finished with their only 30 win in program history. Their 17-1 conference record was the best in program history both by win volume and win percentage, besting their two 16-2 seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18 for volume, and their 15-1 season last year for percentage. The Gaels won the WCC by three games, their largest margin for a regular season title, besting 1988-89 and 1958-59, when they won the conference by a two game margin.

TO THE VICTORS GO THE SPOILS
For the first time in program history, Saint Mary's earned five different players win WCC Superlative Awards, winning Coach of the Year (Bennett), Player of the Year (Marciulionis), Defensive Player of the Year (Saxen), Newcomer of the Year (Murauskas) and Sixth Man of the Year (Lewis). Twice in the past, the Gaels had three different superlative winners (23-24 and 07-08), but this year's strong performances led to the record breaking five honors. In total, five Gaels earned all-conference honors, as Marciulionis, Saxen and Murauskas earned a first team nod, Luke Barrett garnered honorable mention honors (as well as first team All-Academic honors), and Mikey Lewis was named to the All-Freshman Team. Bennett's Coach of the Year award was his seventh overall, and his fourth consecutive, tying him for the second longest streak in WCC history. Marciulionis was the first back-to-back player of the year from Saint Mary's since Steve Gray in 1962 and 1963, while Mitchell Saxen was the second ever back-to-back defensive player of the year out of Saint Mary's joining the likes of Diamon Simpson. Paulius Murauskas became the sixth ever Gael to win Newcomer of the Year, and the first since his coach Joe Rahon won it in 2016, while Mikey Lewis became just the second ever Gael to earn WCC 6th Man of the Year honors, joining the likes of Tommy Kuhse.

ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT
The remaining teams on the Gaels side of the WCC bracket are as follows: Pepperdine (11-21, 4-14), Oregon State (20-11, 10-8) and Santa Clara (20-11, 12-6). Pepperdine and Oregon State will play on Saturday Night, with the winner playing Santa Clara on Sunday night. The Gaels were a combined 6-0 against these three teams, defeating each of them by at least nine points in each of the six matchups. On the other side of the bracket are LMU (17-14, 8-10), Washington State (18-13, 8-10), San Francisco (23-8, 13-5) and Gonzaga (23-8, 14-4). San Francisco is the only WCC team that has defeated the Gaels this season, with a one point victory on the Hilltop. Gonzaga is unbeaten against the teams remaining on their side of the bracket. Saint Mary's and Gonzaga have met in each of the last three WCC Championship matchups. 

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