When the brackets dropped for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, everyone circled the potential Round of 32 clash between St Marys vs Alabama. It was the basketball equivalent of a "stoppable force meeting an immovable object," or maybe more accurately, a drag racer trying to outrun a tank. You had Nate Oats’ "Blue Collar Basketball"—a high-octane, three-pointing machine—staring down Randy Bennett’s Gaels, a team that treats a 65-possession game like a frantic sprint.
Honestly, the hype was justified. People were obsessed with the tempo clash. Could the Gaels actually force Alabama to play in the mud? Or would the Tide’s sheer athleticism just blow the doors off the gym? On March 23, 2025, in Cleveland's Rocket Arena, we finally got the answer. Alabama walked away with an 80-66 win, but that score doesn't really tell the whole story of how uncomfortable things got for a minute.
The First Half Blitz That Changed Everything
If you’ve watched Saint Mary’s over the last decade, you know they don't beat themselves. They don't turn it over. They rebound. They make you guard for 28 seconds of the shot clock. In the first eight minutes against Alabama, that’s exactly what happened. The game was knotted at 13-13. The Gaels were doing that thing where they make a high-major powerhouse look confused.
Then the "quick strike" ability of Alabama just erupted.
In a blink—about 90 seconds, actually—the Tide went on an 8-0 run. It was like watching a highlight reel on fast forward. Suddenly, that 13-13 tie became a 42-29 lead for Alabama heading into the locker room. The most bizarre part? Saint Mary's actually took seven more shots than Alabama in that first half. Think about that. The Gaels didn't turn the ball over once in the first twenty minutes. They grabbed seven offensive rebounds. Usually, that’s a recipe for a lead.
But they just couldn't put the orange thing in the hoop. They shot horribly, while Alabama’s Clifford Omoruyi was basically living at the rim.
St Marys vs Alabama: The Big Man Battle in the Paint
A lot of the pre-game talk centered on the guards, but the real war happened under the basket. Saint Mary’s Mitchell Saxen and Harry Wessels are basically two buildings with legs. They’re tough. They’re old-school. And for large stretches, they were the only reason the Gaels stayed within shouting distance.
- Mitchell Saxen: 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals. He played nearly 40 minutes.
- Harry Wessels: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks.
- Clifford Omoruyi: 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks (and a whole lot of altered shots).
Omoruyi was a monster. He’s that Rutgers transfer who finally looked like the piece Nate Oats was missing. He didn't need to score 30; he just needed to make sure Saxen and Wessels had to work for every single inch of paint. Even though the Gaels' bigs got their points, they were shooting floaters and contested layups instead of the easy stuff they usually get in the West Coast Conference.
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The Second Half "What If"
There was a moment in the second half where it looked like we were getting a classic March comeback. Saint Mary’s came out and hit their first three three-pointers. They went on a 12-6 run and cut it to a seven-point game. The vibe in the arena shifted. You could sort of feel the Alabama fans getting that "here we go again" dread.
But Alabama is different now. They aren't just a bunch of guys launching threes. They’ve got depth. Mark Sears, who is basically a walking bucket, finished with a quiet but deadly performance. When the Gaels cut it to six or seven, Bama didn't panic. They just pushed the pace again.
Basically, the Gaels had to play a perfect game to win, and they just didn't shoot well enough. Their field goal percentage climbed 9% in the second half, which is great, but when you’re digging out of a 13-point hole against a team that scores 90 a night, "great" isn't enough.
Why Alabama Was the First to Break the 80-Point Barrier
One stat that absolutely blew my mind: Alabama became the first team to drop 80 points on Saint Mary’s since 2022.
Think about how many teams have tried to do that. Gonzaga tries every year. The Gaels’ defense is usually a vault. But the Tide’s "Blue Collar" ethos—the combination of offensive rebounding and relentless transition—cracked it. Randy Bennett admitted after the game that they didn't defend well enough, but honestly, Bama just has too many weapons. If you take away the three, they lob it to Omoruyi. If you clog the paint, Mark Sears or Aden Holloway find space.
Lessons from the Matchup
What did we actually learn from St Marys vs Alabama?
For one, the Gaels proved they belong on that stage. They won 29 games—the second-most in program history. Augustas Marciulionis finished his career as one of the best to ever wear the jersey, ending up 4th all-time in assists. They didn't lose because they weren't "tough enough." They lost because the gap in pure, raw athleticism eventually catches up to you when shots aren't falling.
For Alabama, it was a statement. It showed they can win a "grind" game. They didn't need to score 110 points to win. They handled a team that tried to take the air out of the ball and still managed to dictate the terms of the engagement.
Key Takeaways for Your Next Bracket
If you're looking at future matchups between these two or similar programs, keep these nuances in mind:
- Turnovers aren't everything. Saint Mary's won the turnover battle decisively and still lost by 14. Efficiency beats volume in the tournament.
- Rim protection is the ultimate equalizer. Clifford Omoruyi’s ability to stay vertical without fouling changed the geometry of the Gaels' offense.
- The "Slow vs. Fast" Narrative is oversimplified. Alabama won because they were better in the half-court than people expected, not just because they ran.
To really get the most out of watching these teams, you've got to look at the "points per possession" rather than the final score. Alabama's ability to stay efficient even when the game slowed down is why they moved on to the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years.
Keep an eye on the recruitment trail for the Gaels. They’re losing legends like Saxen and Marciulionis, but the system Randy Bennett has built isn't going anywhere. For Alabama, the Nate Oats era has officially turned Tuscaloosa into a basketball school, and this win over a disciplined St Marys squad was just another brick in that wall.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the updated 2026 recruitment rankings for the West Coast Conference to see how the Gaels plan to replace their veteran frontcourt.
- Watch the film on Clifford Omoruyi's defensive positioning from this game; it's a masterclass in "verticality" that will likely be used in coaching clinics for years.
- Track Mark Sears' transition to the pro level, as his composure in this high-pressure matchup was exactly what scouts look for in a lead guard.