To understand why Saint Mary’s is an easy NCAA tournament team to root for, start with the motto. Gritty, not pretty. That’s the story of this team, its season and two decades of accomplishment perpetually overshadowed by a famous rival that has penned the most outlandish success story in college hoops.
Such is this Gaels life, an existence as the other West Coast Conference power with a longtime and celebrated coach, religious roots, a proud tradition and a rabid fanbase. In any other era, Saint Mary’s would be widely lauded for 21 seasons under coach Randy Bennett.