Thursday, March 19
4:35 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
Texas A&M
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
MBB | Gaels Open Up Fifth Straight NCAA Tournament Appearance in Oklahoma City
3/16/2026 4:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MORAGA, Calif. — Let the "Big Dance" commence! Saint Mary's will once again be a part of the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, marking a program record fifth consecutive trip to March Madness. The Gaels were announced as a seven seed on Selection Sunday, their fifth straight single-digit seed as well, and will head to Oklahoma City, for an opening round contest against Texas A&M slated for Thursday, March 19 at 4:35 PM PST. Joining the Gaels and Aggies in their OKC pod are 15-seed Idaho and two seed Houston, who will also matchup on Thursday, with the winners of these two games clashing on Saturday.
THE DETAILS
7-Seed Saint Mary's Gaels vs. 10-Seed Texas A&M Aggies
Thursday, March 19 at 4:35 PM PST/6:35 PM CST
Paycom Center – Oklahoma City, Okla.
WATCH | LISTEN | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
YOU CAN'T SPELL MARCH MADNESS WITHOUT SMC
Saint Mary's heads into their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament in 2026. Prior to their recent run of five "Big Dances" in a row, the Gaels had only been to the tournament in back-to-back years just once in program history (2012 and 2013). Not only have the Gaels earned five straight NCAA Tournament bids, but they have also proven to be one of the top teams in the country, earning a single digit seed in each of the five appearances in this stretch. Only 14 teams in Division I College Basketball have been to each of the last five NCAA Tournaments, including this year's, with only 13 earning a single digit seed in each. Outside of the Power-Four schools, only Saint Mary's, Gonzaga and UConn can boast these distinctions.
BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Saint Mary's will return to Oklahoma City for the first time since 2005. It just so happens that that trip to OKC marked Head Coach Randy Bennett's first trip to the NCAA Tournament in his tenure with the Gaels. Saint Mary's dropped its opening round contest in 2005 to Southern Illinois, but since that time, Bennett has taken the Gaels to 11 more NCAA Tournaments including this season, tallying 12 total trips to March Madness in his 25 years at the helm, including five first round wins, and a trip to a Sweet 16 in 2010. Also renewing his familiarity with OKC will be Gaels assistant coach EJ Rowland, who played point guard for Coach Bennett on that 2005 NCAA Tournament team.
MASTERS OF EFFICIENCY
Per KenPom, Saint Mary's is one of just 26 teams in the country, and one of just six non-power four schools, to rank in the top-50 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Joining the likes of Gonzaga, UConn, Villanova, St Johns and Saint Louis in the non-P-4 ranks, Saint Mary's eyes its fourth ever chance to finish a season in the top-50 in both offensive and defensive efficiency under Coach Bennett's tutelage, also doing so in 2016-17, 2022-23 and 2023-24, all also NCAA Tournament seasons.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
Texas A&M is making their fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and their 18th in school history. That said, this is their first trip to the Big Dance under first year Head Coach Bucky McMillan. It is Coach McMillan's second ever NCAA Tournament as a head coach, after guiding Samford there two seasons ago. This year, the Aggies went 21-11 overall, and 11-7 in SEC play, tying them with Tennessee and Vanderbilt for fourth place in the conference. That said, losses to the Vols and Commodores pushed them to the six-seed in the SEC Tournament, where they were bounced by the 11-seed Oklahoma in the second round in their most recent action. Known for their high powered offense, Texas A&M is averaging 87.7 points per contest, good for ninth in the country. That said, it is a well balanced scoring attack for the Aggies, with six players averaging double digit scoring, led by starting big man Rashaun Agee, averaging 14.7 PPG. The Aggies also hoist nearly 30 three point attempts per game, with three players, Rylen Griffen, Ruben Dominguez and Zach Clemence converting at 40% or better from beyond the arc. This will be the third all-time meeting between the Gaels and Aggies, as the two teams split a pair of meetings in 1994 and 1995. The Gaels picked up a home win in 1994, while the Aggies returned the favor in College Station in 1995.
ABOUT THE VANDALS AND COUGARS
If the Gaels win their opening round contest, they will square off with the winner of Idaho and Houston in the Round of 32 on Saturday. 15th seeded Idaho won each of its last five games, heading into the tournament, including all four at the Big Sky Tournament to run the table a capture the automatic bid to the Big Dance. Third year Head Coach Alex Pribble is taking the Vandals to their first tournament since 1990, and is just the third ever coach to take the Vandals to the NCAA Tournament. Idaho is known as a higher volume three point shooting team, making 10 a game, led by sophomore Kolton Mitchell, who's buried 70 on the year. The Gaels and Vandals have never met before.
Houston finished as Big-12 runners-up behind Arizona, and are headed to their eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament under head coach Kelvin Sampson. The Cougs have won five of their last six heading into the NCAA Tournament, running their record to 28-6. Under Coach Sampson, Houston basketball has become synonymous with stellar defense, and, as such, ranked second in the country in scoring defense behind Northern Iowa. Offensively, they take care of the basketball better than any other team in the country, averaging a meager 8.5 turnovers per game. The Gaels have seen Houston four times in program history, winning just once in 1996, but falling in their last meeting in 2022. At the time, Houston was number one in the country, and the Gaels fell to them by a narrow 53-48 margin in Fort Worth.
Interested in catching the Gaels in OKC? Click here to request tickets purchases.
#GaelsRise
THE DETAILS
7-Seed Saint Mary's Gaels vs. 10-Seed Texas A&M Aggies
Thursday, March 19 at 4:35 PM PST/6:35 PM CST
Paycom Center – Oklahoma City, Okla.
WATCH | LISTEN | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
YOU CAN'T SPELL MARCH MADNESS WITHOUT SMC
Saint Mary's heads into their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament in 2026. Prior to their recent run of five "Big Dances" in a row, the Gaels had only been to the tournament in back-to-back years just once in program history (2012 and 2013). Not only have the Gaels earned five straight NCAA Tournament bids, but they have also proven to be one of the top teams in the country, earning a single digit seed in each of the five appearances in this stretch. Only 14 teams in Division I College Basketball have been to each of the last five NCAA Tournaments, including this year's, with only 13 earning a single digit seed in each. Outside of the Power-Four schools, only Saint Mary's, Gonzaga and UConn can boast these distinctions.
BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Saint Mary's will return to Oklahoma City for the first time since 2005. It just so happens that that trip to OKC marked Head Coach Randy Bennett's first trip to the NCAA Tournament in his tenure with the Gaels. Saint Mary's dropped its opening round contest in 2005 to Southern Illinois, but since that time, Bennett has taken the Gaels to 11 more NCAA Tournaments including this season, tallying 12 total trips to March Madness in his 25 years at the helm, including five first round wins, and a trip to a Sweet 16 in 2010. Also renewing his familiarity with OKC will be Gaels assistant coach EJ Rowland, who played point guard for Coach Bennett on that 2005 NCAA Tournament team.
MASTERS OF EFFICIENCY
Per KenPom, Saint Mary's is one of just 26 teams in the country, and one of just six non-power four schools, to rank in the top-50 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Joining the likes of Gonzaga, UConn, Villanova, St Johns and Saint Louis in the non-P-4 ranks, Saint Mary's eyes its fourth ever chance to finish a season in the top-50 in both offensive and defensive efficiency under Coach Bennett's tutelage, also doing so in 2016-17, 2022-23 and 2023-24, all also NCAA Tournament seasons.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
Texas A&M is making their fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and their 18th in school history. That said, this is their first trip to the Big Dance under first year Head Coach Bucky McMillan. It is Coach McMillan's second ever NCAA Tournament as a head coach, after guiding Samford there two seasons ago. This year, the Aggies went 21-11 overall, and 11-7 in SEC play, tying them with Tennessee and Vanderbilt for fourth place in the conference. That said, losses to the Vols and Commodores pushed them to the six-seed in the SEC Tournament, where they were bounced by the 11-seed Oklahoma in the second round in their most recent action. Known for their high powered offense, Texas A&M is averaging 87.7 points per contest, good for ninth in the country. That said, it is a well balanced scoring attack for the Aggies, with six players averaging double digit scoring, led by starting big man Rashaun Agee, averaging 14.7 PPG. The Aggies also hoist nearly 30 three point attempts per game, with three players, Rylen Griffen, Ruben Dominguez and Zach Clemence converting at 40% or better from beyond the arc. This will be the third all-time meeting between the Gaels and Aggies, as the two teams split a pair of meetings in 1994 and 1995. The Gaels picked up a home win in 1994, while the Aggies returned the favor in College Station in 1995.
ABOUT THE VANDALS AND COUGARS
If the Gaels win their opening round contest, they will square off with the winner of Idaho and Houston in the Round of 32 on Saturday. 15th seeded Idaho won each of its last five games, heading into the tournament, including all four at the Big Sky Tournament to run the table a capture the automatic bid to the Big Dance. Third year Head Coach Alex Pribble is taking the Vandals to their first tournament since 1990, and is just the third ever coach to take the Vandals to the NCAA Tournament. Idaho is known as a higher volume three point shooting team, making 10 a game, led by sophomore Kolton Mitchell, who's buried 70 on the year. The Gaels and Vandals have never met before.
Houston finished as Big-12 runners-up behind Arizona, and are headed to their eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament under head coach Kelvin Sampson. The Cougs have won five of their last six heading into the NCAA Tournament, running their record to 28-6. Under Coach Sampson, Houston basketball has become synonymous with stellar defense, and, as such, ranked second in the country in scoring defense behind Northern Iowa. Offensively, they take care of the basketball better than any other team in the country, averaging a meager 8.5 turnovers per game. The Gaels have seen Houston four times in program history, winning just once in 1996, but falling in their last meeting in 2022. At the time, Houston was number one in the country, and the Gaels fell to them by a narrow 53-48 margin in Fort Worth.
Interested in catching the Gaels in OKC? Click here to request tickets purchases.
#GaelsRise
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