Fansided

College Basketball Power Rankings: Week 12

By Nathaniel Reeves

Mar 26, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts to a play against the Villanova Wildcats during the first half of the south regional final of the NCAA Tournament at KFC YUM!. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts to a play against the Villanova Wildcats during the first half of the south regional final of the NCAA Tournament at KFC YUM!. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 25
Next
Jan 14, 2017; Spokane, WA, USA; St. Mary's Gaels head coach Randy Bennett reacts after talking with an official during a game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2017; Spokane, WA, USA; St. Mary’s Gaels head coach Randy Bennett reacts after talking with an official during a game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

22. Saint Mary’s Gaels

The Gaels probably aren’t as good as their preseason No. 17 ranking would indicate, and have a long ways to go to challenge Gonzaga in the WCC. Still, Saint Mary’s grades out well enough to remain in the top 25 now thanks to an ultra-efficient offense and distinct style of play that fits the roster.

Following the loss to Gonzaga on January 14, the Gaels were a little sluggish in Thursday’s 62-50 win over Pacific at home. Saint Mary’s went on to handily beat Pepperdine on Saturday night, bringing their overall record to 17-2 for the season.

It’s hard to gauge where the Gaels stand, as they don’t have any ranked wins and will be held back by a loss to Texas-Arlington on December 8. A win over Dayton in the third game of the year will have to carry the Gaels,as they won’t get too many opportunities to prove themselves in the WCC.

Efficiency ratings still believe in the Gaels, as they place 22nd in KenPom’s rankings with the 14th best adjusted offense in the nation. Saint Mary’s averages 1.171 points per possession, a mark that only trails UCLA and Kentucky, and should be able to keep things close against most opponents due to its ability to slow the pace to a crawl.

Guard Joe Rahon had his best performance of the year against Pepperdine with 22 points, a promising sign moving forward. The Gaels will host San Francisco on Thursday night before a quick turnaround with a Saturday road game at Santa Clara.