NCAA Basketball: Kansas and Baylor rise, Tennessee falls in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
17. Saint Mary’s (22-5)
The metrics and other analytics already loved Saint Mary’s and that was before last weekend’s impressive overtime win over Gonzaga. The Gaels sit atop the WCC standings, a place usually reserved for those Bulldogs, and have looked fantastic in the process. This is again an NCAA Tournament team and a testament to the work Randy Bennett has done in Moraga, but not everything is perfect.
The Gaels became the latest victim to Loyola Marymount, falling 78-74 in overtime against the Lions on Thursday night. Logan Johnson had 31 points and Aidan Mahaney had 24 points but the Lions just got the best of them. Despite a slow start, Saint Mary’s bounced back on Saturday, getting an 81-64 road win at Portland, making 15 of their 32 3-point attempts. Johnson had a second fantastic performance with 34 points (six 3-pointers) in the victory.
Now sitting at 11-1 in the WCC, the Gaels have less breathing room with Gonzaga and others right there. However, they’ve been one of the best teams in the country since New Year’s and have one of the breakout freshmen in Mahaney. They’ll face challenges with San Diego and BYU next week, but finishing the regular season at Gonzaga is the game that everyone is going to have their eyes on for the Gaels.