Freshman Krebs excels

SALT LAKE CITY — For the second straight game in the NCAA Tournament, freshman guard Tanner Krebs gave St. Mary’s a huge lift off the bench. He hit three threepointers and scored 12 points in 17 minutes in the 69-60 loss to Arizona on Saturday night.

Krebs, the second youngest of the team’s seven Australian players, also had 12 points in the first-round win over VCU on Thursday night. This after he averaged 3.8 points during the regular season.

“He played exceptional,” Gaels coach Randy Bennett said. “He’s been coming on — he looked like a real player in this tournament. I was really happy for him. I was glad that he could, when the lights were on in this big a stage, step up and play under pressure.”

Krebs will have a much bigger role next year with the graduation of guard Joe Rahon — the only starter not back next season for St. Mary’s.

Bennett was happy for Rahon, Krebs and all of his players, this being this group of players’ first appearance in the NCAAs. (Bennett has gone six times).

“There are a lot of silver linings for this tournament,” Bennett said. “These guys got to participate in the best tournament ... playing the 68 best, advance to the final 32. The experience of playing in these games under this pressure against good teams is so valuable.”

Thanks for the memories: Who would have guessed that the three annual scrimmages that Arizona and St. Mary’s had from 2013-15 would help the college basketball power more than the small school in Moraga?

“These guys really knew how St. Mary’s was,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said. “That helped us tonight. Not until you’re actually playing against them do you realize how physical they are, how good they are, both on offense and defense.

“And Randy Bennett, he does as good of a job with his team and program as any coach.” Senior night: While Rahon wasn’t as good as he was against VCU, he did have eight assists to go with his six points. Dane Pineau scored five points, and the 6-foot-9 senior forward did a nice job helping cover Arizona center Lauri Markkanen.

Markkanen, a freshman likely headed to the NBA in a few months, had 16 points and 11 rebounds, but nine of his points came at the foul line.