Hoops

Saint Mary's Aussie Watch - 2009/10 NCAA Season

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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

"God is a Gael" - Omar Samhan

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.

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 Age website following the Gael's 1st Rd win.

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

Good to see some local media exposure.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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 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.

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).

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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!)

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

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.

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 are in ation today.