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Thursday, February 14, 2013
 Why Saint Mary's could be dangerous
By Luke Lapinski

 Saint Mary's enters tonight's big tilt with rival Gonzaga with plenty on the line. A win would pull the Gaels nearly even with the Zags atop the West Coast Conference. A loss, however, would drop them to 21-5 on the year and put them a game and a half behind Mark Few's squad. They'd also fall to 0-2 against Gonzaga this season.

Such a scenario would push Randy Bennett's group closer to the dreaded bubble, though they'd still be very much in contention for their fourth NCAA Tournament bid in six years. And -- win or lose tonight -- if Saint Mary's cracks the Field of 68, it could be a very difficult team to eliminate. Matthew Dellavedova is certainly the key, running the show in Moraga with 15.9 points and 6.6 assists per game. The senior guard has already been to the Big Dance twice, making a noticeable impact both times.

Dellavedova isn't the only weapon the Gaels have though. Stephen Holt joins him to form a very strong backcourt duo -- a must for any team looking to make a run in March -- and the team gets solid frontcourt play from Beau Levesque and Brad Waldow. Having a potential game-changer like Dellavedova is vital. And the fact that he's surrounded by a decent cast as well makes Saint Mary's a team to keep an eye on.

Seth Greenberg
Don't sleep on the Gaels
"Saint Mary's will be a tough out in the NCAA tournament. Matthew Dellavedova is as good off the ball screen as any guard not playing in the NBA. At 6-foot-4, he has the size to see over the defense, as well as the strength to put the defender on his hip and get to the rim. He is complemented by Stephen Holt, one of the most underrated guards in the country. Holt is a lockdown defender who shoots it with range and makes winning plays. Any team with Dellavedova and Holt will be hard to beat."