Saint Mary’s NIT run halted by Utah in overtime
MORAGA >> After a school-record 30 victories, the Saint Mary’s basketball team couldn’t do the one thing it’s always done: make shots.
The Gaels’ season ended Wednesday night with a 67-58 loss to Utah in the quarterfinals of the NIT, denying them a trip to New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
An appreciative McKeon Pavilion crowd cheered as the Gaels left the floor, but the disappointment lingered for a team that won 88 games in three seasons.
“It’s tough right now,” senior forward Calvin Hermanson said. “It’s just amazing to go through this journey with guys in that locker room. I’m not sure any of us will experience something like that ever again.”
Fellow senior Emmett Naar agreed, but added, “It’s hard not to just think about tonight and how it ended.”
The Gaels (30-6), who reached No. 11 in the AP Top-25 this season, were ranked among the top10 nationally in all three shooting categories. But against the Utes (22-11), they shot just 40 percent from the field, were 7-for22 from the 3-point arc and missed nine of their 14 free-throw attempts.
“It hurts to see them not play well in their last game,” Gaels coach Randy Bennett said. “We fatigued as the game went on. The bottom line is they hit their 3’s and we did not.”
Sedrick Barefield nailed three of his five 3-pointers in overtime as the Utes quickly took charge in the five-minute extra period.
Jock Landale, the Gaels’ senior center from East Malvern, Australia, was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-America second team earlier Wednesday. But the Utes made life tough for him.
Landale had 16 points and 15 rebounds for his 19th double-double of the season, but turned the ball over six times and missed five of his seven free throws. He didn’t get a shot attempt in the overtime.
“Jock looked tired,” Bennett said.
Naar contributed four assists to break the West Coast Conference singleseason assist mark of 283, set by Oakland native Terrell Lowery of Loyola
Marymount in 1990. Naar wound up with 284 assists, most of any player in the nation this season.
Jordan Ford added 12 points and Hermanson scored 11.
The Gaels nearly survived by dominating the boards. They had a 4024 rebounding advantage, including 16 offensive rebounds they used to create a 16-2 edge in secondchance points.
The game was seen at 54-all when the Gaels’ Tanner Krebs was whistled for
an offensive foul with 7.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Utah’s Justin Bibbins missed a tough 18-foot shot as the horn sounded, forcing overtime.
For Bennett, the reality of losing seniors Landale, Naar and Hermanson was more painful that the loss. The three contributed to 109 wins in four seasons, totaling 4,301 points.
“That’s the tough part,” he acknowledged. “I don’t get to coach these guys again. I know what’s walking out that door.”