Gaels Best Zags to Win West Coast Conference Tournament

From a rocky 3–5 start to West Coast Conference Regular Season and Tournament Champions: That's the incredible feat the Saint Mary's Gaels (26–7) accomplished on Tuesday night.

Downing the Gonzaga Bulldogs (25–7) 69–60, the Gaels secured their first WCC Tournament Title since 2019 and fifth in program history. The Gaels purely outplayed the Bulldogs, playing with a hunger after Gonzaga ended the Gaels’ perfect conference record bid a little over a week ago. This is just the third time in program history that the Gaels have secured both the conference regular season and tournament title in the same season. The previous times were in 1997 and 2012.

Mitchell Saxen opened the game with an emphatic slam in the Gaels’ opening possession, seizing momentum early. It set the tone for the game to begin with a Saxen jam; he was the driving force behind the Gaels’ strong first half, securing a remarkable accomplishment: a first half double-double. 

Defensively, the Gaels bottled up Gonzaga, holding them below 30 points in a half for the third time this season. Saxen tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds in his epic first-half performance, while Aidan Mahaney added 10 points on 4–6 shooting. Augustas Marciulionis chipped in seven points and five assists with no turnovers. Mahaney, Marciulionis, and Mason Forbes all played the full 20-minute first half without a break, as the Gaels only went six deep in the opening stanza. The Gaels never trailed in the first half, taking a 31–27 lead into the halftime break.

Part 2: Relentless in Vegas

The Gaels started the second half on the right foot, with Aidan Mahaney extending their lead to double-digits a little over two minutes in. Gonzaga kept their nose to the grindstone, however, chipping away at the deficit and ultimately taking their first lead at 52–51 with 7:40 remaining. 

As was the case on the Monday night game against Santa Clara, when Saint Mary’s won the semifinals, the Gaels were quick to regain the lead. Just 22 seconds later, Mitchell Saxen drained a pair of free throws. The Gaels did not relinquish the lead throughout the remainder of the game. Aidan Mahaney played another full 20-minute half, this time dropping 13 points. And after being held scoreless in the first half, Mason Forbes scored eight points, while Saxen added seven more points and five more rebounds to his impressive total. 

Mahaney led all scorers with 23 points, burying 5 out of 7 three-point attempts and not leaving the court throughout the game, despite taking a kick to the head midway through the second half. Saxen put up 19 points and 15 rebounds, dominating both ends of the court against the Zags. Augustas Marciulionis rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Gaels with 13 points and eight assists to just one turnover, also playing the full 40 minutes. In three matchups with Gonzaga this season, this was easily the Gaels’ best showing against the Zags. The Saint Mary's team shot better than 45% from the field and limited their opponent to 25 points below their season-scoring average. 

Kings of the WCC

For just the third time in program history, the Gaels have won both the WCC Regular Season and WCC Tournament Title. The tournament title was Saint Mary's fifth in program history—following on 1997, 2010, 2012, and 2019—and their fourth title game win over Gonzaga. While the Gaels likely would have received an at-large to the NCAA Tournament even if they lost, the victory guaranteed the Gaels their third consecutive trip to the Big Dance. 

This is the first time in program history that the Gaels will be headed to the tournament in three consecutive years. The Gaels picked up opening-round victories in each of the last two seasons and will set their next goal to make it to three straight NCAA Round of 32s. This also marks the Gaels’ 17th consecutive postseason bid, either as part of the NCAA Tournament or the National Invitation Tournament. 

To the Winners Go the Spoils

Three of the five WCC All-Tournament Team Honorees were Gaels: Most Outstanding Player was Augustas Marciuilionis, and Aiden Mahaney and Mitchell Saxen joined him the distinguished list. For Gonzaga, Ryan Nembhard and Anton Watson were named to the All-Tournament team. Marciulionis was the second Gael to earn both WCC Player of the Year and WCC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, joining only Matthew Dellavedova on that distinguished list. 

Winning the Season Series

Saint Mary's defeated Gonzaga twice this season; it's only the third time in the Randy Bennett and Mark Few era that the Gaels have bested the Zags twice in the same season. The previous two times came in the 2015–16 season and the 2011–12 season. The win over Gonzaga was the 34th in program history, and their fourth in WCC Tournament play.

Up Next: March Madness Selection Sunday on March 17

The Gaels will have to wait until the NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday to see where they will be seeded and who they will be playing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Join the Gaels for the big reveal: Saint Mary’s hosts a community Selection Sunday Watch Party at the University Credit Union Pavilion beginning at 3 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.

WCC Championship Game and Celebration in Photos

Photos by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics