Perhaps, we can catch the Gaels by "surprise" (although I admit that St. Mary's will be a tough out even though we have a long ago pretty good track record against this WCC opponent) since this writer does not even mention the Dores (Posted today on ESPN at 11 AM so probably the write-up was done prior to the Temple game):
www.espn.com
Johnson is the Gaels best player, 3 of the 4 other starters played meaningful minutes last year, although primarily from off the bench. St. Mary's is 3-0 beating ORU (with Isaac McBride), North Texas and Vermont . . . the win over the Catamounts by 26 is impressive as Vermont is always a well-coached team.
Site: Anaheim Convention Center Arena, Anaheim, California
First-round matchups:
Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Washington Huskies
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Vanderbilt Commodores
Team to beat: Saint Mary's got a boost in April when Logan Johnson (10.7 PPG) announced that he would return for a fifth year, after leading the program to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Yes, the Gaels lost Tommy Kuhse and other standouts, but Randy Bennett's track record suggests that the team will be competitive in the West Coast Conference again.
Sleeper team: Mike Hopkins has not accrued the momentum many had anticipated when he arrived at Washington, following his role as a Syracuse assistant, but transfers Keion Brooks Jr. (Kentucky) and Noah Williams (Washington State) hope to give the Huskies a chance to be competitive this season.
Player to watch: Brooks struggled to find his way at Kentucky, where he averaged 10.8 PPG last season. A fresh start in Seattle could help him showcase his potential.
Something for the college hoops junkies: Since the 2007-08 campaign, Randy Bennett's Saint Mary's squads have finished with at least 25 wins 11 times.
7 early-season 2022-23 men's college basketball tournaments to watch
The early-season men's college basketball tournaments have begun. Here's your handy guide to the matchups, players and stats to watch.
Johnson is the Gaels best player, 3 of the 4 other starters played meaningful minutes last year, although primarily from off the bench. St. Mary's is 3-0 beating ORU (with Isaac McBride), North Texas and Vermont . . . the win over the Catamounts by 26 is impressive as Vermont is always a well-coached team.
Paycom Wooden Legacy
Dates: Nov. 23-24Site: Anaheim Convention Center Arena, Anaheim, California
First-round matchups:
Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Washington Huskies
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Vanderbilt Commodores
Team to beat: Saint Mary's got a boost in April when Logan Johnson (10.7 PPG) announced that he would return for a fifth year, after leading the program to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Yes, the Gaels lost Tommy Kuhse and other standouts, but Randy Bennett's track record suggests that the team will be competitive in the West Coast Conference again.
Sleeper team: Mike Hopkins has not accrued the momentum many had anticipated when he arrived at Washington, following his role as a Syracuse assistant, but transfers Keion Brooks Jr. (Kentucky) and Noah Williams (Washington State) hope to give the Huskies a chance to be competitive this season.
Player to watch: Brooks struggled to find his way at Kentucky, where he averaged 10.8 PPG last season. A fresh start in Seattle could help him showcase his potential.
Something for the college hoops junkies: Since the 2007-08 campaign, Randy Bennett's Saint Mary's squads have finished with at least 25 wins 11 times.
