MORAGA, Calif. — As we inch closer to college basketball season, Saint Mary's is excited to announce their 2025-26 non-conference schedule. The schedule features a bevy of talent from around the country that will help prepare the Gaels to pick up their fourth straight WCC Title. In total, Saint Mary's non-conference opponents feature a cumulative record of 241-133 from a year ago, with eight appearing in postseason tournaments, and three winning their conference regular season titles. Here's a look at the full slate:

October 18 - @ Arizona (exhibition)
October 26 - @ Ole Miss (exhibition)
November 3 - St. Thomas
November 7 - Chattanooga
November 11 - Ohio
November 14 - North Texas
November 19 - Arkansas State
November 22 - UC Merced
November 26 - Wichita State (Battle 4 Atlantis MTE)
November 27 - Virginia Tech/Colorado State (Battle 4 Atlantis MTE)
November 28 - 3rd game TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis MTE)
December 7 - @ Davidson
December 14 - Boise State (Idaho Falls)
December 19 - Florida Atlantic
December 22 - Northern Iowa

EXCELLENT EXHIBITIONS
Prior to the Gaels taking the floor for a regulation contest, Saint Mary's will hit the road twice for a pair of exhibition contests against Power Four Opponents. The Gaels will first travel to Tucson to see the Wildcats of Arizona. The Wildcats finished in third place in their first year of the Big 12, making it to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year. The Gaels will venture a bit farther the following weekend to take on SEC foe Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels are coming off of their first NCAA Tournament trip since 2019, and their first Sweet 16 in 2025. These first two exhibitions will really push the Gaels to find out what this year's squad is made of in the early going. Both of these games are now possible due to a new ruling that NCAA Division I Men's Basketball teams can play up to two preseason exhibition games against any four-year school without a waiver, which was previously required and mandated that game proceeds go to charity.

THE NIT-TY GRITTY
While the Gaels do not have an NCAA Tournament team on their non-conference schedule (not including exhibitions and potential opponents in the Battle 4 Atlantis), they do have six opponents on this slate that appeared in last year's NIT, including Chattanooga, who went onto win the NIT a season ago. Just like last year, the Gaels will see the Mocs in their second contest of the year, and should be prepared for another battle with Head Coach Dan Earl's squad. North Texas, who the Gaels will see a week after their matchup with Chattanooga, was an NIT Semifinalist last year, while Arkansas State, who the Gaels will see immediately after the Mean Green, was the team that was knocked out by UNT in the second round. Wichita State, Florida Atlantic and Northern Iowa all had first round exits from last year's NIT, but will look to build on that momentum as they all quest to make it to the Big Dance in 2025-26. The Gaels will also see 2025 NIT participants San Francisco and Santa Clara in their conference slate, bringing their total of NIT foes from last year to eight. 

FAMILIAR FACES, NEW PLACES
The Gaels will see a couple of sideline generals in new colors this year. First, North Texas will feature a new head coach, Daniyal Robinson, after Ross Hodge departed for West Virginia in the offseason. If Robinson's name sounds familiar, he was at the helm of a Cleveland State team that the Gaels saw inside UCU Pavilion in the 2023-24 season. Arkansas State will also have a new head coach, as after following Bryan Hodgson's departure for South Florida, the Red Wolves hired Ryan Pannone to take over. Coach Pannone spent the last two seasons as an assistant under Nate Oates at Alabama, and got an up close and personal look at the Gaels in last year's NCAA Tournament. 

TURN THOSE WATCHES AHEAD
The last time the Gaels traveled to the Eastern Time Zone for a regular season game was in 2018 when they took on Western Kentucky on the road. This year, not only will the Gaels be venturing back to Eastern Standard Time for the Battle 4 Atlantis, they will also play a true road game on the East Coast, taking on Davidson on the road. The last time that the Gaels twice played in the Eastern Time Zone in the regular season was all the way back in 2008 when they played Kent State on the road and Southern Illinois in the John R. Wooden Tradition Game in Indianapolis. 

FIRST TIME FOES
Four of the Gaels foes this season, St. Thomas, Arkansas State, UC Merced, and Florida Atlantic, will be first time foes for the Saint Mary's program. Starting with their opening opponent, St. Thomas, the Tommies are a relatively new DI program, who made the jump from the NCAA DIII ranks in 2021. The 2011 and 2016 DIII National Champions have since made a name for themselves competing in the Summit League, winning at least 20 games in back-to-back seasons, and finishing as conference runner ups last year. Arkansas State is coming off of their first conference regular season title this century. Like St. Thomas, Arkansas State is also coming off of back-to-back 20+ win seasons, and look to keep the momentum going now with new head coach Ryan Pannone. UC Merced will be the Gaels annual NCAA DII opponent, and is in their first year in the DII ranks after formerly being an NAIA program. The Bobcats won 20 games last year, winning the California Pacific Conference, and making it to their first (and last) NAIA National Tournament. Rounding out the group is Florida Atlantic, who many remember for their historic run to the Final Four in 2023. The Owls were back in the NCAA Tournament in 2024, and, under the direction of then first year head coach John Jakus, were an NIT team last year. Coach Jakus spent three seasons working under Mark Few as a Director of Basketball Operations, and will have familiarity with Coach Bennett's squad, despite this being the first all-time meeting between these two teams. 

Interested in season tickets? Click here to request yours for 2025-26! Single game tickets will become available once the WCC Schedule has been released!

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