St. Mary’s won’t be intimidated facing UCLA in second round of NCAA tournament

The specter of these 4 letters doesn’t scare them. Neither does the identify John Picket.

These 11 nationwide championships? They may as nicely have occurred a lifetime in the past — and did, provided that nobody on St. Mary’s roster was alive the final time UCLA was the ultimate crew standing in faculty basketball.

If you need an thought how intimidated the Gaels could be towards one of many sport’s blue bloods once they face the Bruins on Saturday afternoon at Moda Heart within the second spherical of the NCAA event, take into account what they did of their postseason opener.

The tiny Catholic college from the Bay Space that has by no means made it previous the Candy 16 took down five-time nationwide champion Indiana. By 29 factors. It was the Hoosiers’ largest margin of defeat in an in any other case proud NCAA event historical past.

That’s what can occur when your veteran lineup is unshakable, you defend the rim and the three-point line with equal fervor, and your resume features a current victory over top-ranked Gonzaga.

“That’s actual confidence,” stated St. Mary’s coach Randy Bennett, whose fifth-seeded Gaels (26-7) consider they are going to be on equal footing with the fourth-seeded Bruins (26-7) past the groups’ equivalent data. “You discuss confidence, typically folks spout off they usually act like they’re assured however they’re not. Whenever you beat a great crew like Gonzaga … it’s actual.

“After that, we simply really feel like whoever we play just isn’t going to be extra proficient than them, not going to be higher coached than them, not going to be a greater crew than them. When you possibly can beat them, then you definitely really feel like you possibly can play with anyone.”

St. Mary’s handed the Bulldogs their solely West Coast Convention lack of the season in late February thanks partially to a participant who used to name Mick Cronin his coach. Guard Logan Johnson, one of many Gaels’ three senior starters, performed for Cronin at Cincinnati as a freshman earlier than Cronin departed for UCLA and Johnson for St. Mary’s.

“That’s my man,” Cronin stated of a participant who went on to develop into a primary crew All-West Coast Convention choice. “I really like him dearly and his complete household.”

The gritty Gaels are filled with feel-good tales in addition to their regular array of agreeable Australians, level guard Tommy Kuhse going from onetime walk-on to 1,000-point scorer and large man Matthias Tass logging the primary 4 double-doubles of his profession this season.

The warmup jerseys gamers put on that learn “No Give up” don’t represent false promoting, the Gaels showing to realize power as video games progress whereas outscoring their opponents by a mixed 186 factors within the second half. They’re additionally giving up simply 60.3 factors sport, the fewest in Bennett’s 21 seasons on the college.

Cronin stated he as soon as inspired Bennett to desert his longtime put up searching for larger sources and extra ready-made success.

“What’s been completed at St. Mary’s is a contemporary miracle as a result of he takes guys like that and turns ‘em into gamers, and it simply by no means stops,” Cronin stated, alluding to Bennett’s having produced NBA gamers Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova, amongst others. “I used to inform Randy, ‘You’ve bought to get out of there, what are you doing?’ … as a result of I maintain considering he can’t maintain pulling this out. It’s such as you’re successful in poker with 5 playing cards in a seven-card stud sport, and he simply retains pulling it off, with participant improvement.”

Bennett has made it out of the NCAA event’s opening weekend simply as soon as, advancing to the Candy 16 in 2010 earlier than falling to Baylor. His present crew now not suits the trope of plucky underdog, the Gaels having earned the very best seeding at school historical past.

UCLA guard Jules Bernard in contrast St. Mary’s to Pac-12 rival Washington State due to the Gaels’ fast, artful guards who thrive in choose and rolls which might be robust to defend.

“As a defensive crew,” Bruins guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. stated, “we’re going to need to do the whole lot we will to disrupt them and get them out of their system.”

After practically stumbling within the first spherical one season after going all the way in which to the Remaining 4, the Bruins know the size of their postseason keep will largely hinge on making extra pictures than they did whereas taking pictures 35.2% towards feisty Akron. That might be a chore towards the Gaels, who held Indiana to 34% whereas main by as many as 34 factors.

Contemplating their in-state proximity, UCLA and St. Mary’s may appear to be pure suits on each other’s nonconference schedules. However they haven’t confronted one another since Tracy Murray, now UCLA’s radio analyst, poured in 24 factors throughout the Bruins’ 123-93 romp … on Dec. 5, 1990.

Bennett stated he would fortunately schedule UCLA as a part of a home-and-home or neutral-site association, however Cronin may not readily agree given what occurred the final time he traveled to Moraga.

“He talked me into popping out,” Cronin stated, referring to a 75-62 loss to Bennett’s Gaels in December 2004 throughout Cronin’s second season at Murray State. “I went to Declare Jumpers there in Moraga after, and he was there with the three officers.”

All people within the interview room laughed. Then Cronin’s wry smile disappeared, a nod to the little college with the big-time resolve making an attempt to slay its subsequent big.