For the first time since they joined the WCC in 2011, the Cougars won't face SMC big man Brad Waldow, who has graduated. In fact, a lot of the familiar Gaels have graduated; Coach Randy Bennett starts five relatively new faces, and his young team has excelled quickly. Saint Mary's routed Stanford and would have taken down Cal in Berkeley if not for some last-second Bears heroics.
"They've got good, young players, and they really execute well," Rose said. "They are shooting the ball at just an unbelievable rate. … They have five or six guys who are scoring between 14 and 9 points a game.