If you ever find yourself driving through the rolling, golden hills of Contra Costa County, you might miss the turn for Moraga. It’s a quiet town. Sleepy, even. But inside a small, cramped gymnasium on the campus of Saint Mary’s College, things get loud. Really loud.
This isn't your typical high-major environment. There are no 20,000-seat arenas or flashy jumbotrons here. Instead, you have the University Credit Union Pavilion—formerly known as McKeon Pavilion—a place that seats about 3,500 people and feels like a pressure cooker. For over two decades, Saint Mary's Gaels basketball has turned this tiny slice of Northern California into one of the most feared stops in college hoops.
Honestly, the "Gael Way" shouldn't work as well as it does. You've got a mid-major school with a student body smaller than some Texas high schools, yet they've become a perennial thorn in the side of the mighty Gonzaga Bulldogs. It’s a program built on grit, international recruiting, and a head coach who simply refuses to leave.
The Randy Bennett Era: 500 Wins and Counting
To understand this program, you have to talk about Randy Bennett. When he showed up in 2001, the team had just finished a 2-27 season. They were basically the doormat of the West Coast Conference (WCC).
Bennett didn't just fix it; he rebuilt the entire foundation. He’s now the winningest coach in school history with over 570 victories. Think about that for a second. That is more than 20 years of sustained excellence in a sport where coaches jump for "bigger" jobs every time their phone rings.
He didn't do it by chasing five-star recruits from Kentucky or North Carolina. He looked elsewhere. Specifically, he looked across the Pacific Ocean.
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The Australian Pipeline: From Patty Mills to the Present
Saint Mary’s is essentially Australia’s unofficial college team. It started with Adam Caporn back in the early 2000s, but the legend really grew when Patty Mills arrived in 2007.
Patty was electric. He played with a speed that felt like he was constantly being shot out of a cannon. He led the Gaels to a win over Oregon in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, and suddenly, everyone knew where Moraga was. Then came Matthew Dellavedova. "Delly" wasn't the fastest or the most athletic, but he was probably the toughest player to ever wear a Gaels jersey. He ended his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer (1,933 points) and became a cult hero in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- Matthew Dellavedova: 1,933 career points.
- Jock Landale: 1,658 points and 843 rebounds.
- Emmett Naar: 816 career assists (program record).
The pipeline didn't stop there. Guys like Jock Landale and more recently Harry Wessels have kept the tradition alive. If you look at the current 2025-2026 roster, the international flavor is still the heartbeat of the team. Paulius Murauskas, a 6'8" forward from Lithuania, has become a massive force for the Gaels this season, leading the charge on the glass.
Why the WCC Rivalry with Gonzaga is Different
The Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s rivalry is probably the best-kept secret in sports. Most people think of Gonzaga as this untouchable titan, but the Gaels are the one team that consistently makes them look human.
Since 2010, Saint Mary’s has won several WCC Tournament titles, often by beating the Zags in the final. They did it in 2010. They did it in 2012. They did it again in 2019 and 2024.
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The games are usually slow. Grinding. Physical. While Gonzaga wants to run you out of the gym, Saint Mary’s wants to drag you into a dark alley and see who quits first. They use every second of the shot clock. They play elite defense. They rebound like their lives depend on it. In the 2024-2025 season, the Gaels actually led the entire nation in rebounding margin.
Looking at the 2025-2026 Season
If you're following the Saint Mary's Gaels basketball team this year, you've noticed a bit of a shift. The team is younger than usual, but the talent is undeniable.
Mikey Lewis, a sophomore guard out of Oakland, is the guy everyone is talking about. He’s a microwave scorer. Last year as a freshman, he dropped 23 points on Nebraska in a win that put the WCC on notice. This year, the Gaels need him to be "The Guy."
Then there's the frontcourt. With Harry Wessels and the 7'3" redshirt sophomore Andrew McKeever, the Gaels have a "Twin Towers" look that most teams can't match. Wessels is an Aussie who can dominate when he's focused, but he's had some issues with consistency. If he clicks this season, Saint Mary's is a Top 25 team, period.
Key Players to Watch Right Now:
- Paulius Murauskas (Jr.): The Lithuanian bruiser. He’s a double-double machine.
- Mikey Lewis (So.): The spark plug. If he hits his threes, the Gaels are hard to beat.
- Andrew McKeever (R-So.): A 7'3" giant who is starting to find his footwork.
- Cade Bennett (R-Jr.): The coach's son. He knows the system better than anyone.
The Magic of the Pavilion
Let’s talk about the gym again. Opposing coaches hate it.
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The fans—specifically the "Gaelforce" student section—are right on top of the court. There is no air conditioning to speak of, so on a warm Northern California night, it gets humid and sticky. The noise bounces off the low ceilings and creates a wall of sound.
It’s an environment that forces you to be disciplined. If you get rattled, the Gaels will bury you. They don't beat themselves. They don't take bad shots. They just wait for you to make a mistake, and then they pounce. It's basketball as a game of chess, not checkers.
What People Get Wrong About the Gaels
The biggest misconception is that Saint Mary's is "boring."
Sure, they play a slow tempo. But if you appreciate the technical side of the game—the perfectly set screen, the back-door cut, the help-side defense—this is art. It’s also incredibly effective. Randy Bennett has led this team to the postseason in 18 straight years. Only schools like Kansas, Michigan State, and Gonzaga have longer active streaks.
They aren't a "Cinderella" anymore. They are a powerhouse that happens to play in a small gym.
Actionable Insights for Gaels Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Saint Mary's Gaels basketball, here is what you should do next:
- Watch the Gonzaga games: Mark your calendar for January 31, 2026. That's when the Gaels head to Spokane. It's high-level basketball that usually comes down to the final possession.
- Follow the rebounding stats: The Gaels' success is almost always tied to their dominance on the boards. If they are out-rebounding opponents by 10+, they usually win.
- Keep an eye on the portal: While the Aussie pipeline is the foundation, Bennett has started using the transfer portal effectively (like getting Murauskas from Arizona).
- Attend a game in Moraga: If you can get a ticket, go. It’s a bucket-list experience for any true college basketball fan.
The Gaels are proof that you don't need a massive budget or a city of millions to build a national brand. You just need a system, a coach who believes in it, and a few kids from halfway across the world who aren't afraid of a little hard work.