CLEVELAND -- Vanderbilt and Saint Mary's are separated by about 2,300 miles. Their playing styles are quite separate as well, which makes their meeting Friday in the NCAA Tournament particularly intriguing.
As most SMC fans know, Randy Bennett's team is patient offensively. Led by point guard Augustas Marciulionis, the two-time WCC Player of the Year, the Gaels (28-5) occasionally push the pace but more often are content to run 20-23 seconds off the shot clock before finding a good shot or taking a contested one, knowing they have a decent chance to grab an offensive rebound.