Here is a preview of Sunday’s NCAA Tournament second-round game in Cleveland between No. 7 Saint Mary’s (29-5) and No. 2 Alabama (26-8). Their first-ever meeting tips off at 3:10 p.m. PT (TNT):
FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
Saint Mary’s defeated No. 10 Vanderbilt 59-56
Alabama beat No. 15 Robert Morris 90-81
STAR PLAYER
Saint Mary’s: Jordan Ross (15 points) came to the Gaels’ rescue in Friday’s first-round comeback, but the marquee player in this one is fellow point guard Augustas Marciulionis. Both he and Ross must contain Alabama’s star, who is …
Alabama: Fifth-year guard Mark Sears is a first-team All-American averaging 18.8 points per game. He produced 22 points and 10 assists in the Crimson Tide’s first-round win, with half his points coming at the free-throw line.
STORYLINES
SCORING: Alabama touts the nation’s highest-scoring offense at 91.1 points per game, with a 9.7-point margin of victory. No. 2 in scoring at 86.7 ppg is Gonzaga, who Saint Mary’s limited to 58, 67 and 58 points in three matchups, the first two of which the Gaels won.
Saint Mary’s counters with the NCAA’s fourth-stingiest defense (60.5 points per game). As for the Gaels’ offense, it’s averaging 73.1 points per game (tied for 197th in NCAA) and it’s only crested the 90-point mark once (103-56 at San Diego on Jan. 11).
3-POINT SHOOTING: Saint Mary’s has started ice cold from 3-point range, not just in the first half Friday night (2-of-16) but also before halftime of their WCC Tournament games (1-of-6 vs. Pepperdine, 0-of-7 vs. Gonzaga). On the season, Saint Mary’s is averaging 6.5 3-point baskets per game, and Alabama is averaging 10.3.
TIDAL WAVE: Alabama’s talent runs deep. Clifford Omoruyi scored 17 points Friday, while 6-foot-7 forward Mouhamed Diobate tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Grant Nelson is coping with a knee injury from the SEC Tournament, but he helped inspire Friday’s win with five points and three rebounds in seven minutes.
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STAT TO KNOW
Saint Mary’s has not allowed more than 75 points this season (vs. Utah State, at Washington State), and 83 are the most its ever allowed in NCAA Tournament action (1989 first round, Clemson)
TOURNEY HISTORY
The only time Saint Mary’s has advanced to the Sweet 16 was in 2010, when it knocked off a No. 2 seed (Villanova). The Gaels failed to advance out of the Round of 32 its past four attempts, in 2013 (vs. Memphis, 54-52), in 2017 (Arizona, 69-60), in 2022 (UCLA, 72-56) and in 2023 (vs. eventual champion UConn, 70-55). Saint Mary’s is the last remaining No. 7 seed this tournament.
Alabama reached its first-ever Final Four last season, losing there 86-72 to eventual champion UConn; Alabama avoided a second-round matchup with Saint Mary’s once the Gaels got upset by Grand Canyon. The Crimson Tide is in its 25th NCAA Tournament (28-24 overall) and fifth in coach Nate Oaks’ six seasons
QUOTES
“We’re not here all excited because it’s the Round of 32, man. We’re here to win a ballgame. It’s not David vs. Goliath for us. We’ve been here before. We know these are going to be really tough games but they’re very, very winnable. We were right in the (2023 second-round) game with UConn and they went on to win the national championship.” – Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary’s fifth-year center and all-time games leader (155).
“If they get in trouble with scoring it, they just go with two bigs. They go 6’11” (Saxen), 7’1″ (Harry Wessels) and just kind of mash you on the O-board. We did not rebound it very well at all against Robert Morris. It’s a little concerning.” – Nate Oats, Alabama coach
“We’ve been in this position three out of the last four years to get to the next round. It’s hard to punch through, and that’s what we’re trying to do. Like Saxen said, forget about (2010). Let’s get a new team we’re talking about in that position. It’s hard to do, though. Those (2010) guys are a special team. In Moraga, Bay Area, those guys are still well known as the team that went to the Sweet 16.” – Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s coach
