MORAGA, Calif. -- With all five starters and nearly its entire roster returning from last year's record-setting team, there is a sense among Saint Mary's men's basketball fans that something special is on the horizon.
The Gaels are ranked among the nation's top 25 programs by most early preseason polls after winning a program-most 29 games and earning a share of their third West Coast Conference regular season championship in the last six seasons.
The starting lineup of guards Joe Rahon and Emmett Naar and forwards Dane Pineau, Evan Fitzner and Calvin Hermanson combined to lead the Gaels to an incredible 10-1 record over non-conference competition and an impressive 18-1 mark in McKeon Pavilion.