2023–24 Saint Mary's Gaels men's basketball team American college basketball season
The 2023–24 Saint Mary's Gaels men's basketball team represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season . The team was led by head coach Randy Bennett in his 23rd season at Saint Mary's. The Gaels played their home games at the University Credit Union Pavilion [ a] in Moraga, California , as members of the West Coast Conference (WCC). They finished the season 26–8, 15–1 in WCC play to win the regular season championship. As the No. 1 seed in the WCC tournament, they defeated Santa Clara in the semifinals and beat Gonzaga in the championship to win the WCC tournament. Therefore, they received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where as the No. 5 seed in the West region, they were upset in the first round by Grand Canyon .
Previous season
The Gaels finished the 2022–23 season 27–8, 14–2 in WCC play , to win the WCC regular season championship with Gonzaga . In the WCC tournament , they defeated BYU in the semifinals before losing to Gonzaga in the championship. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 5 seed in the West region. There they defeated VCU in the first round before losing to national champion UConn in the second round.
Offseason
Departures
2023 recruiting class
College recruiting information
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
Jordan Ross #21 PG
Pleasant Grove, UT
AZ Compass Prep
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Sep 18, 2022
Star ratings : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN : ESPN grade: 80
Andrew McKeever C
Livermore, CA
Granada High School
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
250 lb (110 kg)
Mar 11, 2023
Star ratings : Scout : N/A Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A ESPN : N/A ESPN grade: 0
Jensen Bradtke PF
Sandringham, Australia
NBA Global Academy
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
N/A
Nov 9, 2022
Star ratings : Scout : N/A Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A ESPN : N/A ESPN grade: 0
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout : nr Rivals : nr ESPN : nr
Note : In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
2024 recruiting class
Roster
2023–24 Saint Mary's Gaels men's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
Year
Previous school
Hometown
C
1
Harry Wessels
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
255 lb (116 kg)
So
AIS Centre of Excellence
Boddington, Australia
G
2
Jordan Ross
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Fr
Link Academy
Layton, UT
G
3
Augustas Marčiulionis
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Jr
Rytas Vilnius
Vilnius, Lithuania
F
5
Joshua Jefferson
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
So
Liberty HS
Las Vegas, NV
C
11
Mitchell Saxen
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
242 lb (110 kg)
Sr
Ingraham HS
Seattle, WA
G
14
Rory Hawke
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
RS Fr
AIS Centre of Excellence
Townsville, Australia
G
15
Chris Howell
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
RS So
Torrey Pines HS
San Diego, CA
G
20
Aidan Mahaney
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
So
Campolindo HS
Lafayette, CA
G
22
Cade Bennett (W)
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
RS Fr
Campolindo HS
Moraga, CA
F
24
Kevin Gad (W)
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
RS Fr
Granada HS
Livermore, CA
F
25
Mason Forbes
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
RS Sr
Folsom HS Harvard
Folsom, CA
G/F
33
Luke Barrett
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
RS Jr
Piedmont HS
Piedmont, CA
G/F
44
Alex Ducas
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
GS
AIS Centre of Excellence
Geraldton, Australia
C
45
Andrew McKeever
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
255 lb (116 kg)
Fr
Granada HS
Livermore, CA
F
50
Jensen Bradtke
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Fr
NBA Global Academy
Sandringham, Australia
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster Last update: 2024-05-16
Schedule and results
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition
October 20, 2023 *10:00 p.m., −
No. 23
at Hawaii Charity Exhibition for Maui Wildfire Relief
W 92–58
−
25 – Mahaney
8 – Barrett
6 – Marčiulionis
Stan Sheriff Center (4,902)Honolulu, HI
Non-conference regular season
November 6, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 23
Stanislaus State
W 107–28
1–0
19 – Forbes
8 –
5 – Mahaney
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,318)Moraga, CA
November 9, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 23
New Mexico
W 72–58
2–0
25 – Mahaney
7 – Saxen
5 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,500)Moraga, CA
November 12, 2023 *5:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 23
Weber State
L 57–61
2–1
11 –
8 – Jefferson
3 –
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,389)Moraga, CA
November 17, 2023 *6:30 p.m., ESPN+
vs. San Diego State Continental Tire Main Event semifinals
L 54–79
2–2
16 – Saxen
8 – Saxen
4 – Jefferson
T-Mobile Arena (−)Paradise, NV
November 19, 2023 *4:30 p.m., ESPN+
vs. Xavier Continental Tire Main Event consolation
L 49–66
2–3
14 – Marčiulionis
14 – Saxen
3 – Marčiulionis
T-Mobile Arena (−)Paradise, NV
November 24, 2023 *1:00 p.m., ESPN+
Davidson
W 89–55
3–3
23 – Ducas
11 – Saxen
5 –
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,411)Moraga, CA
November 27, 2023 8:00 p.m., ESPNU
Utah
L 71–78
3–4
22 – Mahaney
10 – Saxen
5 – Mahaney
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,500)Moraga, CA
December 1, 2023 *7:30 p.m., FS1
vs. Boise State
L 60–63
3–5
19 – Mahaney
8 – Saxen
4 – Marčiulionis
Mountain America Center (4,985)Idaho Falls, ID
December 5, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Cleveland State
W 70–57
4–5
20 – Saxen
8 –
5 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (2,964)Moraga, CA
December 9, 2023 *3:30 p.m., CBSSN
at No. 13 Colorado State
W 64–61
5–5
18 – Marčiulionis
13 – Jefferson
3 –
Moby Arena (8,083)Fort Collins, CO
December 16, 2023 *4:00 p.m., ESPN+
vs. UNLV Jerry Colangelo Classic
W 69–67 2OT
6–5
23 – Saxen
16 – Saxen
3 –
Footprint Center (−)Phoenix, AZ
December 19, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Middle Tennessee
W 71–34
7–5
20 – Wessels
7 – Jefferson
3 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (2,931)Moraga, CA
December 21, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Northern Kentucky
W 92–56
8–5
18 – Marčiulionis
13 – Saxen
8 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (2,877)Moraga, CA
December 23, 2023 *5:00 p.m., ESPN+
Missouri State
L 64–69
8–6
17 – Marčiulionis
10 – Saxen
5 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,412)Moraga, CA
December 29, 2023 *5:00 p.m., ESPN+
Kent State
W 66–46
9–6
19 – Barrett
12 – Ducas
7 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,380)Moraga, CA
WCC regular season
January 4, 2024 8:00 p.m., CBSSN
at San Diego
W 81–70
10–6 (1–0)
25 – Mahaney
7 – Barrett
10 – Marčiulionis
Jenny Craig Pavilion (1,159)San Diego, CA
January 6, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Loyola Marymount
W 68–64
11–6 (2–0)
22 – Marčiulionis
9 – Jefferson
4 – Ducas
Gersten Pavilion (1,566)Los Angeles, CA
January 11, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPNU
Portland
W 95–52
12–6 (3–0)
25 – Mahaney
9 – Ducas
8 – Jefferson
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,373)Moraga, CA
January 13, 2024 4:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Santa Clara
W 73–49
13–6 (4–0)
18 – Mahaney
8 – Wessels
10 – Marčiulionis
Leavey Center (4,200)Santa Clara, CA
January 20, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN
at San Francisco
W 77–60
14–6 (5–0)
22 – Mahaney
10 – Jefferson
7 – Marčiulionis
War Memorial Gymnasium (3,432)San Francisco, CA
January 25, 2024 8:00 p.m., CBSSN
Pacific
W 76–28
15–6 (6–0)
11 –
9 – Saxen
4 – Ducas
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,286)Moraga, CA
January 27, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPNU
Loyola Marymount
W 70–65
16–6 (7–0)
25 – Marčiulionis
6 –
7 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,500)Moraga, CA
January 31, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPNU
Santa Clara
W 82–77
17–6 (8–0)
20 – Marčiulionis
6 –
6 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,411)Moraga, CA
February 3, 2024 7:30 p.m., ESPN
at Gonzaga Rivalry
W 64–62
18–6 (9–0)
20 – Mahaney
11 – Jefferson
4 –
McCarthey Athletic Center (6,000)Spokane, WA
February 6, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPN2
at Pacific
W 84–43
19–6 (10–0)
18 – Ducas
6 –
5 – Marčiulionis
Alex G. Spanos Center (1,911)Stockton, CA
February 10, 2024 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
at Portland
W 76–51
20–6 (11–0)
19 – Mahaney
7 – Mahaney
8 – Marčiulionis
Chiles Center (2,158)Portland, OR
February 15, 2024 8:00 p.m., CBSSN
No. 18
Pepperdine
W 103–59
21–6 (12–0)
28 – Marčiulionis
7 –
6 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,500)Moraga, CA
February 20, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPN2
No. 18
San Francisco
W 70–66
22–6 (13–0)
20 – Saxen
13 – Saxen
4 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,500)Moraga, CA
February 24, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPNU
No. 18
San Diego
W 88–62
23–6 (14–0)
20 – Saxen
12 – Ducas
10 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,500)Moraga, CA
February 29, 2024 8:00 p.m., CBSSN
No. 17
at Pepperdine
W 83–57
24–6 (15–0)
17 – Marčiulionis
10 – Ducas
11 – Marčiulionis
Firestone Fieldhouse (1,057)Malibu, CA
March 2, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 17
No. 23 Gonzaga Rivalry
L 57–70
24–7 (15–1)
16 – Mahaney
7 – Ducas
5 – Marčiulionis
University Credit Union Pavilion (3,500)Moraga, CA
WCC tournament
March 11, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN
(1) No. 21
vs. (4) Santa Clara Semifinals
W 79–65
25–7
21 – Ducas
8 –
6 – Marčiulionis
Orleans Arena (4,885)Paradise, NV
March 12, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN
(1) No. 21
vs. (2) No. 17 Gonzaga Championship
W 69–60
26–7
23 – Mahaney
15 – Saxen
8 – Marčiulionis
Orleans Arena (5,794)Paradise, NV
NCAA tournament
March 22, 2024 7:05 p.m., TruTV
(5 W) No. 15
vs. (12 W) Grand Canyon First round
L 66–75
26–8
14 – Saxen
11 – Saxen
8 – Marčiulionis
Spokane Arena (11,616)Spokane, WA
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in
Pacific Time .
Source[ 1]
Rankings
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Final AP 23 RV — — — — — — — — — RV RV RV 18 18 17 23 21 15 21 Coaches 23 24 — — — — — — — — — RV RV RV 19 18 17 21 20 15 22
Notes
^ Formerly known as McKeon Pavilion
References
Information related to 2023–24 Saint Mary's Gaels men's basketball team