Gaels Jump Back Into Top 25

Fresh off a convincing win over Loyola Marymount that pushed its win streak to seven games, the Saint Mary's men's basketball team re-claimed a spot among the nation's top 25 programs as the Gaels entered both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches rankings at No. 22.

The ranking is Saint Mary's first since November of 2019 when the Gaels spent two weeks in the AP Top 25. In voting the Gaels into the Top 25, national basketball scribes and coaches affirmed what the NCAA NET ratings have shown for several weeks—that Saint Mary's is among the nation's best in 2021-22. Through games played on February 6, Saint Mary's ranked 20th in NET rating, which is a key statistical metric when it comes to earning a place in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Head coach Randy Bennett's squad is on a serious roll entering a critical week of the West Coast Conference season. Saturday's 70-61 win over LMU pushed the Gaels' record to 19-4 overall and 7-1 in the WCC. The friendly confines of UCU Pavilion have also played a major role, as with the win Saint Mary's improved to 12-0 at home on the season.

Next up for Saint Mary's is a three-game week of conference play, starting with a trip to Santa Clara on Tuesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live by ESPNU. Action returns to Moraga on Thursday with a 6 p.m. game against San Diego. And, the week concludes with one of the season's most anticipated matchups as the Gaels head to Spokane for a 7 p.m. showdown with No. 2-ranked Gonzaga on ESPN.