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Saint Mary's got his candidacy for the NCAA Tournament Tuesday night in a shocking way, upsetting number 1 Gonzaga 60-47 in the WCC tournament final in Las Vegas.
Saint Mary's is in big dance for the second time in three seasons, as the Gaels have qualified for the 2017 NCAA Tournament after a three-year absence. Here is how it happened.
Saint Mary's took advantage of Gonzaga's slow start, then was repressed in the last minutes
Gonzaga started in the cold, shooting only 40% of the field in the first half, for a score of 1 to 7 on 3 points. Saint Mary's only shot a little better than that, but that was enough for a 3-point lead at halftime.
The Gaels were not kidding as things progressed. They continued to bend the Zags, as the effective play of Brandon Clarke was the only success of Gonzaga's attack on Tuesday.
This kind of match was unprecedented against Gonzaga this season.
Minutes played in which Gonzaga dragged.
– In the game of the WCC entering tonight: 35
– Tonight against SMC: 26– Troy Machir (@TroyMachir) March 13, 2019
It was a one-point match with nine minutes to play. This lead was raised to five, then to 13, while Saint Mary's scored 18-2 in the last five minutes.
Soak up, Saint Mary's! ?pic.twitter.com/UrT7NYgXrt
– NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 13, 2019
Saint Mary's going to dance
The Gaels were not in the 68 day pack of Andy Katz on Tuesday morning. They would have waited for pins and needles on the Sunday of the selection if they had not been able to beat the Zags. They left the decision to no one else.
MARCH MADNESS: 2019 calendar, dates
By winning this match, Saint Mary's secured its place in the group of 68.
Of course, he came across Gonzaga and Saint Mary's
The two West Coast Conference titans have now played eight of the last 11 conference league games. But Gonzaga's dominance is not a secret. The Bulldogs had won the previous six titles, while Saint Mary's could claim championships in 2012 and 2010.
AUTO BIDS: we keep track of every team that makes the tournament here
Gonzaga was dominant in the regular season. The Zags entered the match at 30-2 and were ranked first in the AP poll and the NET in the championship. Saint Mary's was # 37 in the NET with a record of 21-11. Two of those losses were in Gonzaga – and both were eruptions. When the teams met on February 9, the Zags went nuclear for a 94-46 victory. The Gaels were in a bit better shape this time.
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