St. Mary's Basketball Gets Stiff NCAA Penalties

Well, the NCAA certainly had a lot to say over the recruiting charges against St. Mary's College (CA).

The school was in trouble for a number of problems, including: A former assistant coach knowingly committed violations in recruiting 3 international students. And when warned about it, the school did nothing. The head coach knew this assistant, who apparently had ties to an agent, arranged for at least one of the kids to be flown and housed in the U.S. (Can't do that).

The list and explanation of what happened is lengthy. The punishment, that's lengthier.

Among the penalties: 4 Years of probation, a 5-game suspension for the head coach next season, no off-campus recruiting next season, 2 scholarships lost and a bunch of restrictions on tournament play.

Read the entire list from the NCAA their ownselves RIGHT HERE

So Randy Bennett, what'cha gonna do next? Bennett has been the Gaels Head Coach for the past 11-years and is by far the winningest coach in their history. They are coming off a 27-win season last year.

And now this.

Good luck.

Here's one of those games Bennett wishes he could have monitored, his loss to Gonzaga earlier this season...
((HT: GUAthletics))

BUZZER BEATER: Dellavedova With The Shot Of The Year (So Far)

St. Mary’s is in the middle of staking their claim to the top of the West Coast Conference.

Wednesday night the Gaels played at one of the toughest venues in college basketball, BYU’s Marriott Center and senior guard Matthew Dellavedova stunned the Cougar fans with a game winning bomb.

Dellavedova’s parents had made the long trip from Australia to attend the game in Provo, Utah.  What they saw was a gem and perhaps the best buzzer beater of the year.

"First of all, you don't get to play in a place like this when it's packed very often.” St. Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett. “That's a dream for guys growing up. Then, to win in this place. Then, to hit the last second shot. It doesn't get any better. When your parents are from Australia, they don't get to see you all the time and you are a senior... It was a storybook ending for us and for Matt. It was awesome."

“I thought this was a great college basketball game.”BYU head coach Dave Rose said.  “It all came down to a guy making a really tough late in the game. We have to congratulate Saint Mary’s.”

The Politics Of Dancing: VCU, Saint Mary's, Davidson, Loyola

One of the good guys in college hoops is, probably, going to be a 15-seed after the seedings are announced Sunday night...

Loyola ((MD)) head coach Jimmy Patsos took over the program after a 1-25 season and, with their win last night 48-44 over Fairfield, gets to go to the post-season tournament- it's their first bid since 1994...

Patsos caught up with the "Norris and Davis Show" on ESPN 105.7 in Baltimore to discuss his travel plans...

Kylee Cruz is the lead at the adult table to discuss team coverage of the West Coast Conference title game between St. Mary's and Gonzaga. These two teams have played each other more than the average bear the last few seasons in the WCC. Both will end up in the tourney, but Gonzaga will have to wait for their at-large bid, thanks to our friends at KXLY-TV in Spokane

Phil Orban is in front of a monitor to discuss the idea that VCU is heading to the tournament for the 6th straight year...

Not a lot of people gave the Rams a chance against the Drexel Dragons, who had come in with a 19-game win streak, but Shaka Smart is heading back...
((HT: WRIC-TV Richmond))


And Davidson survived a Western Carolina squad playing their 4th game in 4 days in Asheville, North Carolina for the Southern Conference tourney.

Bob McKillop can now, officially, breathe after a 93-91 2OT win over the Catamounts... and one coaching staff member got a little excited...
((HT: ESPN/youtube))