No matter what happens in Saint Mary's NCAA Tournament opener against Vanderbilt in Cleveland on Friday, the Gaels have earned every right to take a lot of pride in their 2024-25 season.
They've gone 28-5, including 17-1 in WCC play, which earned SMC a third straight regular-season conference title, the past two of which have been outright. The three consecutive conference titles are a school record, as is a fourth straight trip to the NCAAs.
Through Sunday, the Gaels led the nation in rebounding margin (plus-10.7 per game) and ranked fifth in the country in fewest points allowed per game at 60.