Ater Majok will be good to watch this year for UC. I think he will be the pick of the Aussies in College basketball and UC usually go deep into the sweet sixteen.

Ben Allen had career highs of 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists (one assist short of a triple-double), freshman Matthew Dellavedova added 19 points and Saint Mary's beat New Mexico State 100-68 in the season opener for both teams Friday night.

Both Delly (31min) and Allen (30min) started for SMC. Delly went 5/10 from the field (3/7 3PT), had 4 assists and 1 rebound and 1 steal with no turnovers. Allen was 5/6 shooting and 6/6 on free throws.

Clint Steindl came off the bench for 17min of action, but had no points (0/2 FG), 2 rebounds and 1 assist.

Mitchell Young had 13min of action, scoring 2/5 from the field for 4 points to go with 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal.

Jorden Page had 4min and had 0 points, but 2 rebounds and 3 assists.

SMC next face San Diego State University on 17 November.

Ahead of Saint Mary's game today against San Diego State. ESPN's Andy Katz had this to say about Matt Dellavedova:

"4. Player you've never heard of but should: Matthew Dellavedova. A number of coaches told me about this latest Australian at Saint Mary's and said he could be as significant a get as Patty Mills was during his Gaels tenure. We'll see about that, but Dellavedova did have quite an entrance with 19 points, four assists, one steal and no turnovers in a 100-68 win over New Mexico State on Friday. The Gaels host Mountain West contender San Diego State at 2 a.m. on ESPN."

Link: http://linky.com.au/9asn6

And this from Saint Mary's website on Delly: "Matthew Dellavedova became the third freshman (all from Australia) to start his first game under Randy Bennett."

Great work by Louella! Triple-double to get things going and one-upping fellow Aussie and Saint Mary's counterpart Ben Allen.

Well the Saint Mary's men continued their promising unbeaten start to the season by easily dispatching Mountain West Conference contender and last season's NIT semi-final nemesis San Diego State, 80-58.

Matt Dellavedova backed up his 19 point effort in his college debut by scoring 17 points on 5/12 shooting (3/9 3PT, 4/4 FT). He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 4 turnovers.

Ben Allen was 3/3 from the field including 1/1 from downtown to register 7 points to go with 2 rebounds, 1 block and 2 turnovers.

Clint Steindl came off the bench to hit 2/6 from downtown for 6 points to go with 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 turnover.

Mitchell Young failed to score (0/1 FG) but had 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 blocks before fouling out.

Jorden Page came on late to hit 1/1 from downtown for 3 points.

Saint Mary's next face AJ Ogilvy's Vanderbilt on 20/11 (21/11 in Oz).

I also just identified that Ben Allen was named as the West Coast Conference (WCC) player of the week! In his first ever collegiate start, he was 1 assist short of a triple-double, and was duly recognised as player of the week for the first time in his career.

Link: http://linky.com.au/0h5wf

"Saint Mary's senior forward Ben Allen (Melbourne, Australia) was named the West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week, as announced on Monday morning. This is the first career WCC Player of the Week award for Allen, and he shared the award with De'Jon Jackson of San Diego."

Saint Mary's took on AJ Ogilvy and his Vanderbilt team today and fell agonisingly short, 70-72. A Clint Steindl three-point attempt at the buzzer failed to find the net. Omar Samham led Saint Mary's with a massive double-double comprising of 25 points and 19 rebounds.

Matt Dellavedova yet again played a leading role as starter, scoring 19 points on 6/12 shooting (3/8 3PT, 4/4 FT). He also racked up 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and just 3 turnovers in 38min.

Ben Allen also started and nearly got the Gael's over the line late in the game. He scored 6 points on 2/5 shooting (0/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), and also had 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and 3 turnovers in 29min.

Clint Steindl hit 6 points on 2/6 shooting (2/5 3PT), had 1 rebound and 1 assist in 21min.

In 14min, Mitchell Young went scoreless on 0/2 shooting, but had 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 turnover.

Jorden Page faled to see any action in the game.

Saint Mary's now have a 2-1 record, and next face al Poly.

Saint Mary's bounced back from thier narrow 2-point loss to Vanderbilt to easily account for Cal Poly 92-67 today. The took Saint Mary's to a 3-1 record, and in all three wins SMC has won by more than 22 points.

Matt Dellavedova continued his amazing start to his colegeiate career by scoring more than 17 points for his 4th straight game. He had 19 points on a sizzling 7/8 shooting that included 5/6 on three's! He also had 2 rebounds and 4 assists with no turnovers in a near flawless 30 minutes of action.

So far Delly is averaging 18.5ppg, 4.5apg, 2.8rpg, 1.8spg and shooting the three-ball at an impressive 46.7% clip.

Ben Allen also started alongside Delly and had 11 points on 5/6 shooting (1/1 3PT), 7 rebounds and 1 assist with no turnovers in 25 minutes.

Mitchell Young recorded 17 minutes of action off the bench for 4 points on 2/6 shooting along with 6 rebounds, 1 block and 2 turnovers.

Clint Steindl went scoreless on 0/4 shooting but had 2 rebounds, 2 assists and no turnovers in 15 minutes.

Jorden Page had 5 minutes on court and did not take a shot but had 1 assist and no turnovers.

Saint Mary's next play on 26th November (Australian time) against Cal-Maritime at home.

Saint Mary's thrashed California Maritime Academy today 100-59, with all the Aussies getting in on the act.

Leading the way today for the Aussies in scoring was Clint Steindl who scored 13 points on 4/6 shooting (3/4 3PT, 2/2 FT) in 21 minutes off the bench. He also had 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in his best output of the season to date.

Mitchell Young scored double-figures for the first time in his collegiate career, going 3/3 from the field plus 4/5 on free throws to score 10 points. He also had 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 3 turnovers in 17 minutes of action.

Jorden Page scored a career-high 9 points on 3/5 shooting (1/3 3PT, 2/3 FT).He also had 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 3 turnovers in 16 minutes.

Ben Allen started, and recorded 7 points on 1/4 shooting (1/2 3PT, 4/4 FT) along with 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks and 1 turnover in 20 minutes.

In his lowest scoring output of his career to date, Dellavedova scored just 3 points on 1/4 shooting (1/3 3PT). However he racked up 6 assists (game-high) and had 2 assists and 2 turnovers in just 22 minutes as a starter.

Saint Mary's now have a 4-1 record, with every win being by 22 points or more, and their only loss coming at the hands of #24 ranked Vanderbilt.

They next face San Jose State on 1 December (Australian Time).

Saint Mary's continued their great start to the season by accounting for San Jose State, 78-71. SMC overcame a 15-point half-time deficit to get their first road win of the season, and now move to a 5-1 overall record and just a few more good wins away from a chance at cracking the national top 25 rankings.

Matt Dellavedova started agains and in 35 minutes scored 9 points on 4/10 shooting (1/5 3PT). He also had 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals but 5 turnovers in an uncharacteristic display.

Ben Allen started alongside Delly and had 8 points on 3/8 shooting (1/4 3PT, 1/2 FT) to go with 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block in 26 minutes of game time.

Mitchell Young scored 6 points on 3/4 shooting (0/1 3PT), had 4 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 16 minutes off the bench.

Clint Steindl also came off the bench to hit 2/6 on threes (2/3 FT) on his way to 8 points to go with 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 turnovers in 13 minutes.

Jorden Page unfortunately did not hit the court.

SMC next face Utah State (3-2) on the road on 6 December (Australian time).

Saint Mary's continued their great start to the season by accounting for the Utah State Aggie's, 68-63. SMC now has an imposing 6-1 record to commence the season.

Clint Steindl was the hero down the stretch for the Gael's, nailing a 3-point dagger with 36 seconds to play to break the 63-all deadlock.

Ben Allen started and scored 14 points on 5/14 shooting whcih included a career-high 4/9 three-pointer's. He had a great all-round game, pulling down 7 rebounds, dishing out 5 assists and 1 block in 33 minutes before fouling out with 5 turnovers to his name.

Matt Dellavedova also started again and had 11 points on 4/11 shooting (2/6 3PT, 1/1 FT). He also racked up 6 rebounds and went without a turnover in 38 minutes.

Clint Steindl was heroic off ther bench, scoring 9 points on 3/4 three-pointers in 28 minutes of action. He also had 4 rebounds and 1 assist in that time.

Mitchell Young provided 9 minutes off the bench and failed to swcore on 0/3 shooting. He did have 1 rebound and 1 assist.

Jorden Page saw 1 minute of action and went statless.

Saint Mary's next plays Oregon on 13 December Australian time.

Saint Mary's today defeated Oregon 81-78 to move to an impressive 7-1 overall season record and they were well led by a host of Aussies...

Clint Steindl was promoted to the starting 5 due to a season ending knee injury to Wayne Hunter, and Steindl continued his great recent form. He scored 14 points on 5/12 shooting (4/9 3PT) to go with 2 rebounds and 1 assist with no turnovers in 38 minutes of action.

Matt Dellavedova started and scored a career-high 21 points on 6/14 shooting (3/9 3PT, 6/6 FT), including 9 points in the final 3 minutes to ensure the win. He also had 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in playing the full 40 minutes.

Ben Allen started and had a great all-round game, and scored 7 points on 3/10 shooting (1/4 3PT) to go with 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 turnovers.

Mitchell Young came off the bench to play an integral role, scoring 9 points on 2/3 shooting (1/3 3PT, 4/6 FT) to go with 4 rebounds, 1 block and 1 turnover in 14 minutes of action.

Jorden Page played 1 minute for no stats.

Saint Mary's next plays Portland State back at home on 16 December Australian time.

Saint Mary's Australian junior Louella Tomlinson has been named co-WCC player of the week.

Tomlinson was one rebound shy of her fourth triple-double this season, settling for her third double-double after recording 17 points, 15 blocks, and nine rebounds in the 83-72 win over Boise State on Saturday.

Tomlinson was 7-for-11 from the field to boost her overall field goal percentage to .642 (68-for-106), second in the WCC behind teammate Ashlee Smith. Her 15 blocks tied a West Coast Conference record of blocks in a game. Tomlinson was one shy of breaking the NCAA record of blocks in a game. Boise State lost only its third game of the season (8-3) and the Gaels improved to 6-4.

This is Tomlinson's first WCC Player of the Week honors this season, fourth of her career. She was named the WCC Player of the Month last month for the first time in her career.

Link: http://linky.com.au/sxh2b

Australian freshman guard Matt Dellavedova has been named as co-WCC player of the week.

Link: http://linky.com.au/yiazx

Dellavedova scored a career-high 21 points against Oregon, as the Gaels defeated the Ducks 81-76 away from home.

While playing all 40 minutes in the five-point win, Dellavedova scored 14 points in the second half after SMC trailed 34-33 at halftime. With SMC leading 68-67 with 3:22 left to play, Dellavedova came up big for the Gaels in the final three minutes, scoring nine of the Gaels' final 13 points.

After Oregon cut SMC's second half lead to one, Dellavedova hit his third 3-pointer on SMC's next possession, to give the Gaels a four-point advantage with 2:55 remaining. SMC then held an eight-point lead after he made his sixth free throw, all coming in the final 42 seconds of the game.

Dellavedova was 6-for-6 from the free throw line, to improve to 21-of-21 from the free throw line this season, and added a game-high four assists and had one steal. For the season, Dellavedova is second on the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and assists (3.6 apg), and leads the team with 21 made 3-pointers, as he's shooting 39.6 percent (21-53) from 3-point range, and steals with 10.

Keep it coming LC, appreciate the write ups.

Saint Mary's today defeated Portland State 101-80, where everyon on the roster saw some game time, and the Aussies continued to shine.

Clint Steindl continued to relish the opportunity to start, scoring 15 points on 5/9 shooting, including 3/7 on three's and 2/2 from the line. He also had 2 assists and just 1 turnover in 30 minutes of action.

Ben Allen also played another great all-round game as a starter, scoring 10 points on an efficient 5/7 shooting to go with 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in just 25 minutes of game time.

Matt Dellavedova also continued a fine Freshman season, scoring 10 points on 3/9 shooting that included 2/7 on three's and 2/2 from the line to remain a perfect 23/23 on free throw's for the season. He also had 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and just 1 turnover in 30 minutes of action.

Mitchell Young also continued to perform well coming off the bench, going a perfect 4/4 from the field to complement his 2/2 from the line to score 10 points. He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks and just 1 turnover in 17 minutes of playing time.

Jorden Page also got a red hot run today, playing 21 minutes off the bench to score 3 points on 1/3 shooting (1/2 3PT) to go with 3 turnovers.

Saint Mary's now improve to an 8-1 overall record and next play against Pacific on 19 Decvember Australian time. Pacific enter the game with an impressive 7-2 overall record and should prove to be a tougher opponent.

Saint Mary's yesterday defeated Pacific 80-65 at home, now moving to a 9-1 record overall.

Clint Steindl shines yet again as a starter, scoring a career-high for the third straight game with 16 points on a hot 6/7 shooting, including 3/3 from downtown (1/3 FT). He also had 3 rebounds, 2 steals and no turnovers in 33 minutesof court time.

Ben Allen started yet agan and nothed up his 2nd career double-double and 2nd for the season. He scored 10 points on 4/9 shooting (3/6 3PT) and had an equal career-high 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 1 turnover in just 28 minutes of action.

Matt Dellavedova started but shot poorly. He scored 8 points on 1/7 shooting (1/3 3PT, 5/6 FT), missing his first free throw of the season after goin 25 straight. He also had 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 38 minutes of action.

Mitchell Young yet again came off the bench, scoring 2 points on 1/3 shooting to go with 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 turnover in 15 minutes og playing time.

Jorden Page also saw some action offthe bench, failing to score on 0/1 shooting but he did have 1 assist in his 10 minutes.

The Gaels now travel to Hawaii to play in the 2009 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, taking on Northeastern (who boast Aussie Mathiang Muo) on 23 December Australian time.

Saint Mary's today defeated Northeastern 78-67 behind a strong second half scoring effort.

Matt Dellavedova started and recovered from his recent poor shooting effort to score 17 points on 4/7 shooting, including 4/6 from downtown and 5/6 on free throws. He also had 4 rebounds, 6 assists but 4 turnovers in playing 38 minutes.

Ben Allen also had a great game yet again as a starter. He scored 15 points on 5/7 shooting, including 1/1 on three's and 4/4 from the line. He also had 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in 29 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl was unable to replicate his recent hot shooting as a starter. He went 1/7 from the field, including 1/5 on three's for 3 points. He did have 4 rebounds and just 1 turnover in 24 minutes of game time.

Jorden Page came off the bench to light it up, scoring 13 points on 4/5 shooting, including 3/4 on triples and 2/2 from the line. He also had 3 assists and 1 turnover in 21 minutes of action.

Mitchell Young also came off the bench and scored 6 points on 3/7 shooting. He also racked up 5 rebounds and had no turnovers in just 15 minutes of action.

Saint Mary's now have an impressive 10-1 overall record and I believe next play the winner of Western Michigan and USC on 24 December Australian time as they progress in the Diamond Head Classic.

Saint Mary's today dropped only their 2nd game of the season to date, losing to USC 49-60. SMC shot themselves in the foot, shooting at just 30.2% from the field and 25% on three's compared to USC's 52.2% and 66.67%. It was their worst shooting performance of the season and resulted in their lowest scoring output.

Matt Dellavedova scored just 6 points on a paltry 2/12 shooting (2/9 3PT). He did manage 1 rebound, 5 assists and 2 turnovers in 39 minutes as a starter.

Ben Allen also started and scored just 3 points on 1/6 shooting (1/4 3PT) but had 10 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in 30 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl started as well and scored 7 points on 2/5 shooting (1/4 3PT, 2/2 FT). He also had 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in his 30 minutes of game time.

Jorden Page saw 15 minutes of action off the bench, going scoreless on 0/2 shooting but had 2 rebounds and no turnovers.

Mitchell Young only saw 9 minutes of action off the bench, scoring 3 points on 1/3 shooting (1/4 FT) to go with 1 turnover.

Saint Mary's are now 10-2 overall and play 1 more game at the Diamond Head Classic.

Thanks LC - does that mean they're playing off for third place then?

Great start to the season with only 2 losses and one of them a real close one against Ogilvy's Vandy! You'd have to think they've got a shot at making the NCAA tourney if they continue their form!

Dellavedova is looking more and more to me like a must have Boomer for the Worlds next year!

I assume they are now playing for 3rd...

It is a very good start and they have raised a few eyebrows with how well they have gone. However they really only have two decent wins, the best one coming over the Aggie's and therefore their non-conference schedule is pretty weak. Following this loss, SMC may still have to win the WCC title in order to book a tourney berth...something that is not out of the question.

Delly will be a borderline Boomer IMO for the WC;s, however I expect him to make the team for London 2012.

Gaels shooting blanks against the Trojans. LOL!

SMC played against Hawaii for 3rd place at the Diamond Head Classic and won 84-75. They now have an 11-2 overall record.

Ben Allen started and scored 15 points on 6/10 shooting, including 1/3 on triples and 2/2 from the line. He also had 3 rebounds and 1 block with no turnovers in just 22 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl started again and scored 12 points on 3/8 shooting, including just 1/6 on three's but 5/5 from the line. He also had 1 rebound and no turnovers in 32 minutes of action.

Matt Dellavedova started and played all 40 minutes in scoring 12 points on 2/8 shooting, going 0/2 on three's but a 8/10 from the line. He also had 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 3 turnovers.

Mithell Young came off the bench to score 4 points on 2/3 shooting along with 3 rebounds and no turnovers in 21 minutes of game time.

Jorden Page also came off the bench to go withut taking a shot but recording 1 turnover in 10 minutes.

The Gael's next play against Binghampton on 30 December Australian time.

Saint Mary's thrashed Binghampton yesterday 85-57.

Delly started again and shot a lot better, scoring 19 points on 6/12 shooting, including 5/8 on three's and a perfect 2/2 from the line. He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and no turnovers in playing 29 minutes.

Ben Allen started alongside Delly and had 5 points on 2/5 shooting, including 1/3 on triples. He also had 7 rebounds, 3 assists and no turnovers in just 19 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl started yet again and this time only had 4 points on 1/3 shooting (all on three's) to go with 1/2 from the line. He also had 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 block and no turnovers in 24 minutes of game time.

Mitchell Young came off the bench and was scoreless on 0/1 shooting. He only had 1 assist and 1 turnover in 11 minutes.

Jorden Page scored 4 points on 2/7 shooting (0/3 3PT) in 21 minutes off the bench. He also had 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover.

The Gael's play against Howard today with a chance to imprve to 13-2 on the season.

Saint Mary's today thrashed Howard 94-46 at home in the Shamrock Classic. Evryone for the Gael's saw game time, with the minutes shared.

Matt Dellavedova started and was very efficient all game, scoring 11 points on 4/6 shooting that included a perfect 3/3 from long range. He also had 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 turnover in 26 minutes of action in the lop-soded encounter.

Ben Allen also started yet again, scoring just 4 points on a relatively cold 2/9 shooting, including a barren 0/3 on three's. He did manage an impressive 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks and no turnovers in his 23 minutes of game time.

Clint Steindl also was here at the tip-off, scoring 5 points on 2/4 shooting that also included 1/3 from downtown. He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 turnover in only 18 minutes of action.

Jorden Page came off the bench and had an immediate impact. He provided a spark and scored 9 points on 3/8 shooting that included 1/2 from long range and 2/2 from the line. He also had 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 1 turnover in an a good 29 minutes of game time.

Mitchell Young came off the bench and was everywhere. He scored a new career-high 12 points on an efficient 6/8 shooting along with 2 rebounds, 3 blocks (ties career-high) and with no turnovers in only 14 minutes on court!

The Gael's now have a 13-2 overall record and next play against San Francisco on 9 January to commence their West Coast Conference schedule.

Saint Mary's are in ation today.

Saint Mary's easily accounted for San Francisco 83-62 in today's game, and thus commence their WCC schedule successfully. Saint Mary's now have a 13-2 overal record and 1-0 in the WCC.

Ben Allen started and scored 12 points on 5/7 shooting that included 2/2 from the line. He also had a career-high 14 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block and 1 turnover in 30 minutes of action.

Matt Dellavedova started and in 39 minutes scored 13 points on 6/12 shooting that includedd 1/4 on three's. He also had 4 rebounds, a career-high 8 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover in nearly playing out the full game.

Clint Steindl started and scored 10 points on 3/4 shooting that included 1/2 on three's and 3/4 from the line. He also had 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block and no turnovers in a a game where he was plagued by fouls early, playing just 19 minutes.

Jorden Page came off the bench and scored 4 points on 2/6 shooting but was a cold 0/3 from downtown. He also had 1 block and 2 turnovers in 25 minutes of action.

Mitchell Young came off the bench and scored 7 points on 3/5 shooting (1/1 FT) to go with 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 turnover before fouling out in 19 minutes.

SMC next plays Santa Clara.

Saint Mary's today accounted for a feisty Santa Clara team that features Australian Ben Dowdell, holding on to win 80-72.

Ben Allen started and continued his great form this season. He scored 16 points on 6/11 shooting, including 2/4 on triples and 2/3 from the line. He also had 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 turnover in his 25 minutes of action.

Matt Dellavedova also started and nearly recorded his first ever double-double. He scored 13 points on 4/11 shootin, including 3/6 from downtown and a perfect 2/2 on free throw's. He also had 2 rebounds and also a career-high 9 assists, 1 steal and 1 turnover in playing out the full 40 minutes.

Clint Steindl started yet again and also nearly recorded his first double-double as well! This time he scored 9 points on 3/7 shooting, including 1/4 on triples and 2/2 from the line. But he also had a career-high 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 turnovers in 23 minutes of action.

Mitchell Young came off the bench and was impressive and provided spark off the bench. He scored 8 points on an efficient 4/5 shooting and also had a career-high 7 rebounds, 1 assist, a career-high 5 blocks and 1 turnover in just 23 minutes of court time.

Jorden Page also came off the bench but went scoreless on 0/1 shooting, He did manage 1 rebound in his 15 minutes on court.

Santa Clara's Ben Dowdell started and scored 9 points of his own on 4/11 shooting including 1/2 from the line. He also had 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and no turnovers in playing 28 minutes.

The Gael's now have a very imposing 15-2 overall record and perfect 2-0 conference record as they next face arch-rivals and WCC heavyweights Gonzaga at home on the 15th Januaryb Australian time in what promises to be a cracker of a game! A win for SMC may well see them crack the top 25 next week in the national rankings.

The Gael's are now in action against Gonzaga. You can follow the game live through ESPN Gamecast here: http://linky.com.au/slsoe

Thanks LC - just checking the live boxscores and although the Gaels have been trailing all game, they seem to be making a bit of run right now, getting the deficit back to 5.

Dellavedova having an excellent game too by the looks, with 21 pts on 7-11 shooting and 8 ast.

Zags seem to have too much firepower coming from their mid-size guys (Harris, Bouldin and Gray with 62 points and 21 rebs between them!)

Saint Mary's today lost to #14 ranked Gonzaga 89-82, trailing for most of the game before making a laye rn to make it close.

Matt Dellavedova started and was a shining light of poie and efficiency all game. He scored 23 points on 8/12 shooting, including a perfect 4/4 from downtown and 2/2 fro the line. He also had 1 rebound, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover in playng outthe full 40 minutes.

Ben Allen also started and this time scored 8 points on 4/10 shooting but missed all 4 three-point attempts. He also had 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 3 turnovers in 27 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl started but had a game he would rather forget. He went scoreless on 0/5 shooting that included missing all 3 three-point attempts, but did manage 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and no turnovers in 23 minutes of court time.

Mitchell Young came off the bench to score 2 points on 1/3 shooting along with recording 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 block and 1 turnover in a limited 9 minutes of action.

Jorden Page came off the bench and provided an immediate spark and scorin threat. He had 8 points on 3/5 shooting that also boasted 2/3 from downtown to go with 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 23 minutes of quality court time.

Now 15-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play, Saint Mary's back up on Sunday Australian time with a game against Portland.

Delly has made 46 threes from 104 attempts for 44% in 18 games thus far. That is as good as anyone in the NBL presently.

His 48 of 52 free throws for 92% is better than even the Gold Coast's Ubaka though admittedly Ubaka has shot more.

Delly has been on fire over the past 5 games in particular.

In averaging 15.8 points, 6 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game over the past 5 games, he has made 16/25 three-pointers at a healthy 64% clip! He has also made all 7 of his free throws and a combined 53% from the field.

He is in fact shooting free throw's at 92.31% on the season also, ranking him 10th in the country.

Saint Mary's today defeated Portland 77-72.

Ben Allen started, and despute being in early foul trouble he scored 16 points on 5/8 shooting, incluing 4/5 from long distance and 2/3 from the line. He also had 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 turnover in just 16 minutes of action.

Matt Dellavedova also started and this time had just 6 points on 2/8 shooting, including 1/4 on three's and 1/2 from the line. He also had 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal and no turnovers in playing 38 minutes.

Clint Steindl started and had just 6 points on 2/4 shooting - all three's. He also had 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and no turnovers in 28 minutes.
Mitchell Young came off the bench and scored 2 points on 0/2 shooting (2/6 FT) to go with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 1 turnover in 17 minutes of game time.

Jorden Page came off the bench and didn't put up a shot, but had 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 turnover in 16 minutes of playing time.

Saint Mary's fought off a dogged San Diego yesterday to eventually prevail 71-56.

Ben Allen once again put in a stirling all-round performance in recording another double-double, hitting 6/9 sfrom the fied including 2/4 from deep on his way to 14 points. He also had 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks and 3 turnovers in 34 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl started again and this time did not miss a hot all game! He was a perfect 3/3 from the field and 1/1 from the line to have 7 points. He also had 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block and 5 turnovers in playing 22 minutes.

Matt Dellavedova played 39 minutes and scored 5 points on 2/5 shooting including 1/3 on triples. He also had 3 rebounds 5 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers.

Jorden Page provided spark off the bench, scoring 8 points on 2/6 shooting thatincluded 2/4 rom downtown and 2/2 from the line. He also had 3 rebounds, 1 assist and no turnover in 20 minutes on court.

Mitchell Young scored 3 points on 1/1 shooting and 1/2 from the line off the bench. He also had 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 15 minutes of action.

SMC now has an imposing 17-3 overall record and are now 4-1 in WCC play, trailing only Gonzaga. They next play against Pepperdine featuring Aussie Tanner Kerry on 29 January Australian time.

I only watched the 2nd half of this games last night and in my opinion St Mary's could've blown this game out big time but became a little sloppy and didn't get too far in front.
All the aussie's put in a great effort.
I think Mitch Young and Jordan Page are still a little raw and still lack that aggression and killer instinct but it will come they are only freshman and holding their own at the moment.
I am really impressed with Matt Dellevadova, he has great court vision and handles the ball really well under pressure and when he gets his shot off hits a high percentage. He hasn't the speed of Mills(to be honest how many of us do) but to me is a really great "quarterback" for the team and will go far...how far ? I don't know.

Saint Mary's defeated Pepperdine today quite comfoprtbaly, winning 88-71.

Ben Allen started and had a great game, scoring 19 points on 5/10 shooting which included 2/5 from downtown and a perfect 7/7 from the line. He also had 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 turnovers in just 26 minutes of game time.

Matt Dellavedova played 39 minutes and scored 7 points on 1/7 shooting, including 1/5 from long range and 4/5 on free throw's. He also had 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 turnovers in nearly playing out a full game.

Mitchell Young came off the bench and provided spark yet again. He had 6 points on a perfect shooting performance, hitting both of his shots from the field and nailing 4/4 from the line. He also picked up 2 rebounds, 1 block and logged no turnovers in 16 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl started and went 1/5 from the field- all on three's for 3 points. He also had 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in 30 minutes on court.

Jordan Page came off the bench but this time went scoreless, unable to hit any of his 3 shots but he had 1 assist and 1 turnover in just 9 minutes.

For Pepperdine, Aussie centre Tanner Kerry had a minimal impact as a starter. In 14 minutes he missed is loine shot and went scoreless, with just 1 rebound to his name.

Saint Mary's now have an ever imposing 18-3 overall recording and are 5-1 in conference play. They next take on Loyola Marymount on the 31 January Australian time.

Saint Mary's today improved their record to 19-3 overall and 10-1 in WCC play as they easily defeated Loyola Marymount 85-67.

Ben Allen continues to impress, scoring 15 points on 6/11 shooting that included 2/5 from long range and 1/1 from the line. He also had 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 turnover in playing 25 minutes.

Matt Dellavedova scored 15 points of his own on 5/14 shooting, making 5/12 from downtown and accounting for all of his points. He also had 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal with no turnovers in 38 minutes on court.

Jorden Page was elevated into the starting lineup for the first time in his career (taking Steindl's place), scoring 3 points on 1/6 shooting that comprised on 1/3 triples. He also had 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal and no turnovers in 15 minutes of action.

Relegated to the bench after a few quiet performances, Clint Steindl scored 6 points on 2/3 shooting - all three point attempts. He also chimed in with 1 rebound, 3 assists and no turnovers in 23 minutes on court.

Mitchell Young scored 4 points on a perfect 1/1 shooting and 2/2 from the line. He also had 5 rebounds and 2 turnovers in 17 minutes off the bench.

Saint Mary's are now back in equal first position in the WCC following #8 Gonzaga's loss to San Francisco today. They next face Australian Ben Dowdell's Santa Clara on 5 February Australian time.

SMC's Louella Tomlinson was named WCC women's player of the week.

Tomlinson led the Gaels with game-high's in points and rebounds in both victories over the weekend...Tomlinson posted back-to-back double-double's last weekend, 13th and 14th of the season, finishing with 29 points and 15 rebounds against Pepperdine and 19 points and 12 rebounds versus Loyola Marymount...she recorded 13 blocks on the weekend, putting her 15 blocks away from breaking the NCAA D-I career record in blocks...on the weekend, Tomlinson averaged 24.0 ppg and 13.5 rpg, while shooting 50.0 percent from the field (17-for-34) to bump her season averages to 17.8 ppg and 10.2 rpg...the Gaels are on a four-game winning streak and finished the first half of conference with a 6-1 record, a feat that has not been accomplished since the 1999-2000 season.

Apart from her getting a tonne of blocks, I don't know much about Tomlinson. What's her ceiling and style of play?

Not sure really on Tomlinson's ceiling as the WCC for women is not that strong at all and there is a large gap between the WCC's best teams and that of the stronger conferences. Time will tell I guess but at worst a really good player in the WNBL.

Yesterday, the Saint Mary's men's team defeated Santa Clara 74-62, and in the process notching up their 20th win of the season with just 3 losses.

Ben Allen scored 10 points on 4/9 shooting but missed all 3 three-point attempts yet nailed 2/3 from the line. He also recorded 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 1 turnover in 28 minutes as a starter.

Clint Steindl returned to the starting lineup and responded with his best scoring output for some time. He racked up 12 points on 4/10 shooting that comprised of 4/8 from long range. Healso had 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 1 turnover in 26 minutes of action.

Matt Dellavedova scored 5 points on 2/6 shooting including a perdect 1/1 from downtown. He had a game-high 8 assists to go with 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 turnover in playing otu the full 40 minutes.

Jordan Page scored 6 points on 2/3 shooting - all on three's - off the bench. He also recorded 1 assist and 1 turnover in his 15 minutes of court time.

Mitchell Young scored just 2 points on 0/3 shooting but hisboth of his free throws. He did also manage 2 rebounds, 1 block and 1 turnover in 10 minutes off the bench.

Santa Clara also boasted an Aussie in Ben Dowdell. He started and scored 6 points on 2/6 shooting and also made 2/2 from the line. He rounded out a solid performance with 3 rebounds and 1 turnover in 21 minutes.

Saint Mary's remain in equal first place in the WCC with Gonzaga with a 7-1 conference record. They next take on San Francisco on 7 Febrary Australian time.

Saint Mary's yesterday easily dispatched San Francisco, winning 73-57.

Clint Steindl continued to fire, scoring 12 points on 5/9 shooting that included 2/5 from downtown. He also had 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 32 minutes of action as a starter.

Matt Dellavedova also scored in double-digits with 11 points on 3/9 shooting, although he went 0/5 from long range but hit 5/6 from the line. He also had 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 3 turnovers in playing 38 minutes.

Ben Allen racked up 10 points of his own on 4/8 shooting including 2/4 on triples. He also racked up 7 rebounds, 4 assists and recorded no turnovers in 26 minutes of game time as a starter.

Mitchell Young provided spark off the bench, scoring 4 points on 2/5 shooting. He also had 3 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in playing 17 minutes.

Jorden Page scored 2 points on 0/2 shooting but nailed both free throw attempts. He also had 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 turnover in his 11 minutes of action off the bench.

SMC improved to Saint Mary’s 21-3 on the season and 8-1 in conference play. They next tackle #13 Gonzaga on 12 February Australian time in a game that may not only decide the conference champion, but a signature win for the Gael's could also seal their spot in the NCAA Tourney.

SMC's lone Australian woman player Louella Tomlinson has been named both WCC player of the week (for the 4th time this season) and also player of the month for January!

In the month of January, Tomlinson averaged 20.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.3 blocks, and 3.3 assists. She posted a 51.1 percent field goal percentage, knocking down 48-of-94 from the field. Tomlinson finished the month leading the conference in four major categories: scoring (17.8), rebounding (10.2), blocked shots (149), and defensive rebounds (190) while leading the nation in blocked shots and triple-double's (3) and is second in the nation in double-double's (14) and No. 17 in field goal percentage (45.9) going into February.

With Tomlinson's 44 blocks in January, her career total climbs to 466 and her season total stands at 149. Going into the final conference stretch, she is 15 blocks shy of the NCAA D-I career blocks record set in 2002-05 by TCU's Sandora Irvin (480) and 17 blocks shy of the NCAA D-I single-season record, which was set last season by Brittany Pittman (164).

Now that is a decent month of basketball!

POTM Link: http://linky.com.au/0kcri

POTW Link: http://wccsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/020810aaa.html

My mistake...I actually thought she was and obviously overlooked that...

Big day for SMC...the men take on #11 Gonzaga in a showdown that may well decide the WCC crown, but a win for the Gael's is also likely to all but assure them of an NCAA Tourney ticket...

On the women's side, Louella Tomlinson will be setting out to break a couple of records. She needs just three blocks to break the NCAA Division I career blocks record set by TCU's Sandora Irvin (2002-05). Irvin posted 480 blocks in her career and Tomlinson has recorded 478 in her career going into today's game.

Tomlinson is averaging 6.7 blocks per game this season and has recorded 161 blocks and now needs just 5 more to break the NCAA Div I single-season blocks record, set last year by Morehead State's Brittany Pittman (164). As a freshman, Tomlinson broke the NCAA Div-I record for blocks in a season with 156, topping Amie Williams' 2003 record of 152. The following year, Tomlinson broke her career best, posting 161 blocks for the Gaels, but Pittman topped her in the NCAA single-season record with 164.

Bad loss for Saint Mary's today, going down to Portland 75-80 in overtime. The loss may end up hurting their chances at a tourny berth and they cannot afford to drop any more games as their schedule was relatively light on...

Ben Allen scored 4 points on 1/3 shooting, missing both three-point attempts but making 2/2 from the line. He also had 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 turnovers in 27 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl scored 13 points on a relatively efficient 5/9 shooting that included 3/7 on triples. He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 turnovers in 24 minutes of game time.

Matt Dellavedova scored just 4 points on 1/6 shooting, missing all 3 thre-point attempts ut nailing both free throws. He also had 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 turnovers in playing 40 minutes.

Mitchell Young scored 8 points off the bench on 4/6 shooting. He also had 3 rebounds and no turnovers in 22 minutes of game time.

Jorden Page scored 3 points on 1/2 shooting - bothfree point attempts. He also had 3 rebounds, 1 block and no turnovers in 27 minutes off the bench.

SMC are now 21-5 on the season and 8-3 in conference play. They next tackle San Diego on 19 February Australian time.

Saint Mary's Louella Tomlinson was named the WCC Co-Player of the Week for the week of February 8-13. This marks the third straight week, and fifth of the season, that Tomlinson has been named the WCC Player of the Week.

Link: http://linky.com.au/cn1dv

Against Gonzaga, Tomlinson recorded five blocks to surpass the NCAA Division-I career (480) and single-season (164) records. She added three more blocks against Portland to bring her career total to 486 blocks and her single-season total to 169.

Tomlinson also posted her 17th double-double against Portland, finishing with 15 points and 14 rebounds. She was one rebound shy of a double-double against Gonzaga after posting 14 points and nine boards.

Tomlinson continues to lead the WCC in scoring (17.5 ppg), rebounding (11.0 rpg), and blocked shots (6.5 bpg). She also leads the nation in three categories: blocked shots, double-doubles (17) and triple-doubles (3).

Saint Mary's today defeated San Diego, 61-49.

Ben Allen had a great game, scoring 16 points on 5/7 shooting that including 2/3 from long range and a perfect 4/4 from the line. He also had 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 2 turnovers as a starter in 27 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl in comparison had a quiet one, recording just 2 points on 1/4 shooting that included going 0/3 from downtown. He didn;t record any other stats in just 19 minutes on court.

Matt Dellavedova bounced back to some good form, scoring 12 points on 4/9 shooting that included 2/4 on three's and 2/2 from the line. He also had 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 turnover in playing out 39 minutes.

Mitchell Young went 1/3 from the field and hit 3/4 from the line to score 5 points. He also recorded 3 rebounds and 1 turnover off the bench in 22 minutes of action.

Jorden Page scored 2 points in hitting 2/2 from the line, missing his only three-point attempt. He also managed 1 rebound, 1 assist and no turnovers in 20 minutes of game time.

SMC are now 22-5 on the season and 9-3 in conference play. They next tackle Pepperdine on 26 February Australian time.

In a game featuring at least 1 Aussie on each team, Saint Mary's thrashed Pepperdine 76-49.

Matt Dellavedova was back to his efficient best, scoring 17 points on 5/8 shooting that included 5/7 on triples and 2/4 from the line. He also had 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in 32 minutes of action.

Ben Allen also chimed in with a very solid 13 points on 5/12 shooting that also included 3/5 from downtown. He also had 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block and 2 turnovers in playing just 27 minutes.

Clint Steindl however was relatively quiet, scoring just 3 points on a paltry 1/7 shooting, going 1/6 from three-point land. He did also manage 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 turnover in 20 minutes of game time.

Despite not attempting a field goal, Mitchell Young scored just 1 point on 1/2 free throws alongside 1 rebound and 1 turnover in only 9 minutes of playing time.

Jorden Page however played 20 minutes off the bench to score 6 points on 2/6 shooting despite going cold on 0/4 from long range whilst hitting 2/3 from the line. He also had 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 turnover.

Pepperdine's Aussie centre Tanner Kerry scored 3 points on 1/2 shooting including 1/2 from the line off the bench. He recorded no other stats and had no turnovers in just 10 minutes on court.

SMC improve to 23-5 on the season and 10-3 in the WCC. They wind up their conference play with a game against Loyola Marymount on 28 February Australian time.

Saint Mary's fought off a determined Loyola Marymount today, eventually prevailing 88-80.

Ben Allen recorded a great double-double, scoring 12 points on 4/10 shooting including 2/4 on triples. He also had 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and no turnovers in playing 35 minutes of the game.

Clint Steindl had a quiet one, scoring only 3 points on 1/5 shooting including 1/2 from long range. He also had 2 rebounds and 1 turnover in 20 minutes o game time as a starter.

Matt Dellavedova had another big game, this time scoring 20 points on 4/10 shooting that included 3/6 from downtown and a massive 9/12 from the line. He also had 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 2 turnovers in playing out 39 minutes.

Mitchell Young didn't get muhc of a chance in just 6minutes on court, scoring 2 points on 1/4 shooting, missing his only free throw attempt. He did manage 2 rebounds and no turnovers in his time on court.

Jorden Page saw some decent court time, scoring 4 points on 2/2 shooting alongside 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 21 minutes of action.

The Gael's improve to 24-5 on the season finish the West Coast Conference schedule with an 11-3 record and with good form heading into the WCC tourney as the #2 seed. A win in the tourney guarantees their NCAA Tourney ticket. A semi-final berth may also be enough to ensure an at-large bid, but places them at the mercy of the NCAA selection panel.

Matt Dellavedova has been named as an All-WCC team honorable mention, as well as being named to the WCC All-Freshman Team.

As a freshman this season, Matthew Dellavedova averaged 12.5 points and 4.6 assists per game for the Gaels. His 12.5 points per game were third best on the team and 15th in the conference. He led the Gaels with 66 made 3-pointers, while shooting 41.8 percent from 3-point land. Dellavedova's 4.6 assists per game ranked second on the team and fourth in the WCC. He finished the season with 132 assists (second on the team) and with 53 turnovers, for a 2.6 assist/turnover ratio. He had the best assist/turnover ratio in the WCC, which ranked 18th in the country.

Link: http://linky.com.au/5tx6z

Two more Aussies have garnished WCC awards...this tme on the women's side!

Louella Tomlinson was named to the 2010 All-West Coast Conference First Team while also named WCC Defender of the Year, as announced by the conference office on Monday. Freshmen Kate Gaze also garnered WCC All-Freshman Team honors. This is a great achievement by both players and in particular Tomlinson whonwould have only have just missed out on WCC player of the year honours.

For the second straight season, Louella Tomlinson was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in blocked shots (6.3 bpg) and rebounds (11.0 rpg) while breaking two NCAA Division I blocks records this season. Tomlinson becomes the only other player to repeat since San Francisco's Toni Russell did it in 2004 and 2005. The Aussie leads the nation in blocked shots (183) and is 13th in rebounds. Tomlinson was also named to the All-WCC First Team after averaging a double-double on the season, one of only two players in the conference to do so. Her 19 double-doubles in 29 games leads the nation, as does her three triple-doubles. That is huge!!!

SMC's other Aussie, freshman Kate Gaze, also earned all-conference honors as she was named to the All-Freshman Team after starting all 14 conference games for the Gaels. Gaze started 21 games at the guard position, averaging 4.6 ppg and dishing out 46 assists.

Link: http://linky.com.au/4fnzd

Saint Mary's today overcame Portland in the West Coast Conference semi final, winning 69-55. And whilst Allen and Steindl struggled offensively, Dellavedova and Jorden Page picked up the slack.

Ben Allen only scored 4 points on 2/8 shootin, missing all 4 three-point attempts and both free throws. He did however manage 11 rebounds, 3 assists but 2 turnovers in playing out 28 minutes and ending the gam with 4 fouls.

Clint Steindl had a game he would rather forget, going scoreless on 0/2 shooting. Whilst he did have 2 rebounds he also had 3 turnovers in just 14 minutes on court.

Matt Dellavedova however was as reliable as ever, scoring 16 points on 3/8 shooting including 2/6 from downtown and 7/8 from the line. He also had 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 3 turnovers in 35 minutes, also ending the game on 4 fouls.

Jorden Page provided much needed support off the bench, pouring in 14 points on an efficient 5/7 shooting that included 2/4 on triples and 2/4 from the line. He also added 2 rebounds and no turnovers in 32 minutes of action.

Mitchell Young managed 3 points on 1/1 shooting including 1/2 on free throws alongside 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 turnovers in only 16 minutes off the bench.

SMC move into the WCC final against #14 Gonzaga on Tuesday Australian time - a team they have lost to twice this season already. If the Gael's win, they can just about book their ticket to the NCAA tournament. Lose the game and they will be at the mercy of the NCAA selection panel.

Saint Mary's vs #14 Gonzaga today.

You can follow the live stats through ESPN via this link: http://linky.com.au/iprq4

Just select the game to watch the play by play stats.

Game has just started - follow it live here: http://linky.com.au/i1zgs

Saint Mary's today did what they had failed to do on two other occasions this season - they beat #14 Gonzaga! And in turn the Gael’s did it when it counted the most, in the West Coast Conference final and thus securing a ticket to the NCAA Tournament! The Gael’s took the lead early on and never gave it up, eventually blowing out the 'Zag’s 81-62.

For the Gael’s, Ben Allen was the star of the show. The Aussie senior nailed 4/6 from downtown on his way to pouring in a career-high 20 points on a highly efficient 8/11 shooting, missing just his only free throw attempt. He was 1 rebound short of a double-double, racking up 9 rebounds to sit alongside 4 assists, 2 blocks and an amazing no turnovers in playing out 37 minutes. The big fella picked up the slack from Samhan who was well held by Gonzaga and was instrumental in the big win.

Jorden Page had his second successive big game off the bench, racking up 12 points on 4/7 shooting including 1/3 from long range and nailing both his free throws. He also recorded 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and an impressive no turnovers in 29 minutes of on court action. His spark off the bench really helped fire the Gaels when they needed it.

Matt Dellavedova had a relatively poor shooting night, going jusr 2/9 from the field for 7 points. He nailed just 1/5 from three-point land but went a perfect 2/2 from the line. He also chimed in with 3 rebounds, 6 important assists and 3 turnovers in 39 minutes on court.

Clint Steindl was beset by early foul trouble and therefore his minutes were severely limited. He scored just 4 points on 1/1 shooting, also making both free throws he attempted. In only 11 minutes of action, he also picked up 1 assist, 1 steal and no turnovers.

Mitchell Young played limited minutes, scoring just 2 points on 1/3 alongside 1 rebound and 1 turnover in just 4 minutes.

The Gael’s just missed out on the NCAA Tournament last year, instead playing in the NIT, after making the cut in 2008 with Patty Mills at the helm. The win against Gonzaga may also help the Gael’s move up in the seeding and help avoid a tougher first round tournament contest.

SMC Recap: http://linky.com.au/zteq5

ESPN Recap + Video: http://linky.com.au/y3yze

St Mary's were awesome today. Check FoxSports guides for a replay if you get a chance. Allen was fantastic, Page an absolute sparkplug and Dellavedova as steady as ever, though his numbers werent great, he is an intelligent player who contributes in ways that dont show on the stats sheet.

The team certainly stepped up big time in a crunch game and now get to go to the big dance.

Nice blog article written by ESPN's Andy Katz on Saint Mary's win.

Link: http://linky.com.au/304ri

Saint Mary's certainly had its moments this season with a win at Utah State and a blowout home win over San Diego State. But wondering if the Gaels had done enough was fair game. SMC missed out on beating Vanderbilt at home and had only won one out of four games against Portland and Gonzaga in the regular season.

Yet after the Gaels pounded the Pilots in the WCC semifinals, Portland coach Eric Reveno told me he thought the Gaels were better than a year ago at this juncture. That’s high praise considering Saint Mary’s had Diamon Simpson and NBA-second round pick and Australian Olympian Patty Mills. But Mills was coming off a broken wrist and clearly wasn’t the same in the WCC tournament when the Zags ran the Gaels out of Vegas.

Saint Mary's has been draw to play in the South bracket of the NCAA Tournament, playing in Providence.

As the #10 seed, the Gael's have drawn #7 seed Richmond in the first round, with the game to be played on 19 March Australian time. Richmond also feature an Aussie in forward Josh Duinker, and the Spiders will be a tough team to overcome for the Gael's.

Here are the game details for SMC's game against the Spiders:

#10 Saint Mary's vs #7 Richmond
Friday, 19th March
5:50am AEDT

TV: Live on ESPN Australia (entirety)

Online: http://linky.com.au/di8ly

Can't wait for the game! Go SMC!

Saint Mary's today won their NCAA tournament 1st round game agasinst Richmond, prevailing 80-71. after a tight fuirst half, SMC pulled away through a combination of tough interiro scoring by Samham and some hot 3-point shooting from McConnell and Steindl.

Ben Allen contributed 6 points on 3/10 shooting, missing both his three-point attempts. He also had 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 turnover.

Clint Steindl racked up 11 points on 3/6 shooting, nailing 3/5 from downtown and 2/2 from the line. He also had 2 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 turnover.

Matt Dellavedova had a tough game with his shot well off the mark. He only had 6 points on 1/5 shooting, missing all 3 three-point attempts, but also only making 4/8 from the line which is most unusual for him. He did also manage 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal but a very high and most uncharacteristic 5 turnovers.

Mitchell Young saw limited time, going scoreless on 0/1 shooting off the bench and did not record any other stats.

Strangely, Jorden Page did not see any action at all, whilst for Richmond, Aussie Josh Duinker did not get onto the court either.

It is a very good win for SMC who now play Villanova on Sunday, Australian time, in what should prove a very tough matchjup for the Gael's.

Nice work Steindl and well done Gaels! Richmond were being talked up as a tough opponent, so good to see St Mary's take care of business.

Lets hope Allen and Dellavedova step it up in the next round.

It was a very good win for SMC for sure Beantown. I was a bit disappointed Page didn't get a shot even for a few minutes as Delly, whilst pretty good defensively, was struggling offensively. Page has been performing well of late and IMO deserved a crack.

Steindl stepped it up big time after quite a few quiet performances of late. Great to see.

I actually didn't get to watch the game today as I was called into work early - yes really early :(

The boxscore at the time did not list Page as having played at all - I was following the game via their Gamecast. Apparently he did in fact hit the court, but only for a few minutes and he did not record any stats at all. ESPN have since updated their boxscore.

How sweet it is...the Gaels are into the Sweet 16!

Saint Mary's biggest win of the season was arguably against Gonzaga in the WCC tournament final, however the Gael's probably topped that effort in a stunning upset win over #2 seed Villanova this morning.

The Gael's continued to ride the outstanding form of centre Omar Samham as they held off Villanova to win 75-68. Samham had 32 points and 7 rebounds to lead all scorers. However it was a high arcing long three from guard Mickey McConnell that put the Gael's ahead for good at 68-65 with just over minute left to play.

Samham had great support from Matt Dellavedova who had a distinctly better game, scoring 14 points on 4/11 shooting, hitting 2/5 from downtown a a perfect 4/4 from the line. He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 turnovers in playing out the full 40 minutes. Hopefuly the highlights show a great play by Delly who late in the game lost his balance and fell over dribbling the ball, he regained his feet under pressure and then pulled up nailing a big trey!

Ben Allen scored 6 points on 1/3 shooting that included 1/2 from long range and 3/4 from the line. He also had 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block but 5 turnovers in 34 minutes of action.

After a good shooting night in the opening round, Clint Steindl had a quieter game this time around, scoring 4 points on 1/5 shooting that incorporated 1/4 from three-point range and 1/2 from the line. He also recorded 3 rebounds and no turnovers in 29 minutes on court.

Jorden Page provided some energy off the bench although did not score in going 0/1 from the field on a three-point attempt and did not record any other stats in 11 minutes.

Mitchell Young only played 1 minute in coming off the bench, scoring 1 point on 1/2 shooting from the free throw line.

Saint Mary's is now headed to Houston to play in the South Regional's Sweet 16 and will play the winner of Old Dominion and Baylor, a game which is set to be payed later this morning. Old Dominion boast an Aussie of their own in Trian Iliadis, so I'm hopingthe Monarchs get up for the win.

The SMC vs Villanova game is apparently goin to be replayed on ESPN Australia at 2pm AEDT today.

And this from The Age website following the Gael's 1st Rd win.

The Age: http://linky.com.au/6lttu

Good to see some local media exposure.

Worth checking out today's ESPN story on Saint Mary's titled "Saint Mary's excited about sweet 16"

Link: http://linky.com.au/bh44c

From the article:

Shortly after Omar Samhan poured in 32 points and Mickey McConnell banked in a go-ahead 3-pointer, Brother Dominic Berardelli was still trembling with nervous excitement as he clutched a long pole and struggled to hook it up to the nearly 150-year-old bell.

Eventually, the 72-year-old wearing a black robe and white collar got to make some serious noise.

"We started pulling that sucker," said Berardelli, the special assistant to the college's president. "We don't ring that bell often; only on very special occasions. It doesn't get rung any old time."

Ding-dong, Saint Mary's won its first NCAA tournament game in 51 years Thursday, and beating Villanova in the second round gave the small Catholic-school program its first victory against a top-10 team.

And this from the San Francisco Chronicle titled, "Baylor's size will challenge Samhan inside"

Link: http://linky.com.au/j06ol

From the article:

The Bears' front line of 6-foot-10 Ekpe Udoh, 6-10 Anthony Jones and 7-foot Josh Lomers probably will prevent the Gaels from initiating as much of their offense from Samhan as they did in their wins over Richmond and Villanova.

Samhan expects to find open teammates on the perimeter - "I think that we'll win from outside," he said - but two of the Gaels' three-point shooters insist Samhan will remain the focus of the offense.

ESPN article entitled "Angels and Demons"....

Link: http://linky.com.au/2u8nr

"God is a Gael" - Omar Samhan

I LOLed when I saw that quote. My guess is that Brother Dominic Berardelli would have mixed feelings about that somewhat sacrilegious statement.

Being broadcast tonight on ESPN is "Aussies Abroad - St. Mary's: Road to the Big Dance"

It is an inside look at the Gael's surprising run in the NCAA Tourney with exclusive footage and interviews from the first and second round of the NCAA Tourney in Providence, Rhode Island as well as a comprehensive look at how they qualified, featuring an all-access pass behind the scenes look in Vegas for the WCC Tourney.

The show first airs at 7:30pm tonight (AEDST) in Australia, preceeded by a sneak peak on SportsCenter at 6:30pm.

Worth checking out!

Big game on Saturday for SMC against Baylor in the Sweet 16!

Watch the game live on ESPN HD at around 9:30am AEST, or for free online through the following link:

March Madness: http://linky.com.au/b9unp

One HD is likely to replay the game on Sunday morning at some time from 5am AESDT - not sure what time.

Bumping this...

Watch the game live on ESPN HD at around 9:30am AEST, or for free online through the following link:

March Madness: http://linky.com.au/va5ii

Whilst this is very late, I will finish up this thread with the details of Saint Mary's last game of the season in the Sweet 16 against Baylor.

The Gael's had a horror first half, shooting poorly and being outclassed by Baylor. Despite outscoring Baylor in the second half, SMC lost 49-72.

Ben Allen completed his collegiate career with a fine effort, scoring a team-high 16 points on 7/12 shooting, including 2/3 from three-point range. He also had 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 2 turnovers in playing 32 minutes.

Matt Dellavedova capped off his Freshman season with 6 points on 2/10 shooting that included a modest 2/9 from long range. He also added 2 rebounds, a game-high 7 assists and just 1 turnover in 38 minutes of action.

Clint Steindl scored just 2 points on 1/4 shoting, missing his only three-point attempt. He did also record 1 rebound, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 24 minutes.

Jorden Page came off the bench and went scoreless on 0/3 shooting, all on three-point attempts. He did manage 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 turnover in playing 18 minutes.

Mitchell Young played just 1 minute in coming off the bench and did not take a shot and recorded just 1 turnover in that time.

Saint Mary's finished their 2009/10 season with a 28-6 overall record and their best ever season in making the Sweet 16 since it was made a 64-team tournament. It as also a season in which they up-ended Gonzaga in the WCC tournament final.

Matt Dellavedova has been named to the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshmen All-America Team.

Dellavedova averaged 12.1 points per game, his 412 points on the season ranks second on the Saint Mary's freshman single season scoring list. He also finished second on the team with 153 assists (4.5 apg), which tied for seventh in the SMC single season.

While averaging a team-high 36.4 minutes per game, Dellavedova shot 39.8 percent from 3-point land during his freshman campaign, making 74-of-186 3-point field goals. His 74 made threes rank sixth on the Saint Mary's single season list, while his 186 attempts rank seventh. Additionally, he was second on the team with 40 steals, averaged 3.5 rebounds per game, and had a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio.

Dellavedova becomes the fifth player coached by Randy Bennett to be selected to the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshmen All-America team, following Daniel Kickert (2003), Diamon Simpson (2006), Omar Samhan (2007), and Patrick Mills (2008).

Link: http://linky.com.au/x2qnv

LC, great coverage this year, loved keeping in touch through your posts. Great work.

+1 to XY's comment. Thanks for keeping us up to date so well LC.

Thanks! I enjoy following te Aussies over in the states...will try and find time do track SMC and their Aussie contongent next season, along with Majok, Bose, and Saint Louis (Ellis & Salecich) also next time at the least.