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Articles by Ryan Barnett
Offensive Efficiency on Display Again as Gaels Down UIC 84–61
Saint Mary’s Men’s Basketball was once again able to showcase their offensive firepower on Friday night, defeating the UIC Flames 84–61 before a raucous crowd in the UCU Pavilion. The Gaels now move to 3–1 on the year—and they extend their home unbeaten streak to 29 in a row. Only three other teams in the country can claim that many. Friday night was Veterans Appreciation Night in Moraga, and the Saint Mary’s veterans saw the home team deliver on offense, defense, and rebounding.
New Era for the Gaels Opens with Overtime Thriller Victory over Illinois State
Featured Image Caption A night to celebrate: Thomas Ndong racked up 18 points on 7–9 shooting for the Gaels en route to their win. / Photo by Varun Aravind for SMC Athletics This was Saint Mary’s season opener—and Mickey McConnell’s first game as head coach. With double digits from Mantas Juzenas, Thomas Ndong, Vangelis Zougris, and Darius Bivins, the Gaels earned a come-from-behind 90–85 win.
Offensive Firepower on the Maplewood: Mantas Juzenas Shines in Exhibition Shootout with Utah State
Featured Image Caption A force to be reckoned with: Mantas Juzenas broke scoring records playing this summer in Europe. Look for him to be one of the Gaels’ go-to scorers this season. / Photo by Varun Aravind for SMC Athletics Saturday offered a first look at Mickey McConnell’s squad. In a hard-fought 97–89 loss, Juzenas led the Gaels with 24 points, including five three-pointers. Vangelis Zougris racked up a double-double. Darius Bivins and Rory Hawke scored 11 each.
Deconstructing the Architecture of AI-Orchestrated Web Attacks
Cyberthreats have evolved into machine-scale attacks, creating an operational “speed gap” where AI systems generate functional exploits in less than 10 minutes — rendering multiday patch cycles ineffective. Frontier large language models (LLMs) do not execute attacks directly; they act as orchestrators (“brains”) that perform complex code analysis while secondary tools like headless browsers (“hands”) carry out web requests.
Oh, What a Night! Saint Mary’s Softball Notches First Two NCAA Postseason Victories to Move on to Regional Final
Featured Image Caption On to the championship! The Gaels celebrate victory over 13th-ranked Oregon in the NCAA Regional on Saturday. / Photo by Gary Breedlove for SMC Athletics The Gaels made history with their first two wins in a NCAA Regional Tournament, defeating Idaho State and Oregon in back-to-back games on Saturday in Eugene. Now they face Mississippi State for the regional championship.
What a Team, What a Run, What a Year! History-Making Softball Season Comes to an End in Eugene Regional Finals
Featured Image Caption Make it a double: Hannah Ferguson with hit No. 79 for the season—tying the Saint Mary’s single season record / Photo by Gary Breedlove for SMC Athletics They battled their way to the NCAA Regional Final on Sunday, where they lost to Mississippi State 5–0. Along the way, these Gaels broke records left, right, and center, including the most wins for any Saint Mary’s team in any sport in a single season.
Saint Mary’s Softball Is Headed to Eugene for NCAA Regional as a No. 3 Seed. They Face Mississippi State on Friday
Featured Image Caption Something to cheer about: Tori Cervantes in the win over Santa Clara that locked up the West Coast Conference Title outright for the Gaels / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics The Gaels are making their third trip to the NCAA Regional. They earned an automatic bid by winning the WCC Title outright.
West Coast Champion Gaels Make Even More History, Reach 40 Wins with 11–3 Win at Santa Clara
The Saint Mary’s Softball team will take some momentum into the 2026 NCAA postseason after an emphatic 11–3 run-rule victory over the Broncos on Saturday afternoon at the Santa Clara Softball Stadium. The Gaels locked up the West Coast Conference Title outright the night before with a victory over longtime rival Santa Clara. Now Saturday’s game puts an exclamation point on an already epic season.
Ticket Punched! Gaels Secure Outright West Coast Conference Title and Automatic Bid to NCAA Regional with 3–2 Win over Broncos
For the second time in three years, the Saint Mary’s Softball program is dancin’! With a well-earned 3–2 victory over Santa Clara at the Broncos’ home turf on Friday night, the Gaels secured the West Coast Conference Title outright and punched their ticket to the third NCAA Regional in program history and second in three years. Tori Cervantes and Taylor Lane got the Gaels on the board early, as each senior drove in a run in the second.
Back-to-Back-to-Back West Coast Conference Softball Champs! Gaels Pick up Senior Day Victory over Lions to Secure Third Straight Title
Featured Image Caption Gaels win! Celebrating a win on Sunday—and earning at least a share of the WCC title / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics With a 6–1 win over LMU, Saint Mary’s locks up at least a share of the WCC title. SMC has already set a program record for wins in a season, with three more games to go.
After 25 Years of Gael Greatness, Randy Bennett Takes Head Coach Position at Arizona State University
Saint Mary's College head men's basketball coach Randy Bennett announced on Monday that he is stepping down and will be taking the head coach position at Arizona State University. Saint Mary's thanks Coach Bennett for an unbelievable 25-year run and for setting up the program for the future.
Saint Mary’s Announces Mickey McConnell As Head Men’s Basketball Coach
Saint Mary’s College Associate Head Coach and former standout Gael Mickey McConnell has been named head men’s basketball coach, announced today by Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Matoso. McConnell has been an instrumental piece of the program for decades, first as a student-athlete and then as the associate head coach under Randy Bennett. McConnell has helped lead the program to a record five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances as a single-digit seed over that span.
Gaels Limit Aggies to Season-Low 63 Points but Fall in NCAA Tournament
Featured Image Caption Three for three: Liam Campbell was perfect from beyond the arc and chipped in 15 points overall. / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics While round one was a tough result, the Gaels still claim four West Coast Conference Titles and five NCAA Tournaments in a row. And Randy Bennett is named NABC Pacific District Coach of the Year and Paulius Murauskas First Team All-Pacific District.
The Gaels Are Dancin’! Saint Mary’s Is Headed to the NCAA Tournament for the Fifth Time in a Row, Bound for OKC as a Seven Seed
For a program record fifth consecutive year, Saint Mary’s is going dancing! The Gaels Men’s Basketball team head to the 2026 NCAA Tournament on the back of a 25–7 campaign and their fourth consecutive West Coast Conference Regular Season Title. The seventh seeded Gaels will now travel to Oklahoma City to face the 10th seeded Texas A&M Aggies on Thursday, March 19. Tipoff is at 4:35 p.m. Pacific.
Gaels Fall in Tightly Contested West Coast Conference Semifinal Bout to Santa Clara, 76–71
In a game that featured six ties and 14 lead changes, the Santa Clara Broncos narrowly outlasted the Saint Mary’s Gaels in Monday evening’s West Coast Conference Semifinal Clash at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Neither team led by more than seven points in this one, with the game bobbing back and forth with one possession leads for most of the final five minutes. Paulius Murauskas led all scorers with a whopping 26 points to go along with eight boards.
Gaels Ranked 21st in Both AP and USA Today Coaches Poll. And Mikey Lewis Is Crowned Final West Coast Conference Player of the Week for the 2025-26 Season | Saint Mary's College
For Saint Mary’s Men’s Basketball, the good news keeps on coming. Saturday night, the Gaels won a share of the West Coast Conference Championship. Monday morning, Saint Mary’s was ranked No. 21 in the nation. And Gaels player Mikey Lewis was crowned the WCC Player of the Week. After receiving votes in at least one poll in each of the first 17 weeks of the season, the Gaels have cracked both the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls: They’re ranked at No. 21 in both.
Gaels are West Coast Conference Champs! Saint Mary’s Defeats Gonzaga 70-59 to Clinch Fourth Straight WCC Title
For the fourth straight season, the Saint Mary’s Gaels are West Coast Conference Regular Season Champions. In a packed and raucous UCU Pavilion where the roar of the crowd just about blew the roof off the place, the Gaels defeated rival Gonzaga in their final regular season meeting as West Coast Conference foes, 70–59, to lock up the share of the conference crown—which tonight’s foes share.
Mikey Lewis Named Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week. Trio of Gaels Earn All-West Coast Conference Honors. Dillan Shaw Tapped for All-Freshman Team. And Gaels Pick up All-WCC Academic Honors. | Saint Mary's College
After leading the Gaels to their fourth straight West Coast Conference Regular Season Title with a pair of wins last week against Santa Clara and then-No. 9 Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s guard Mikey Lewis has been named the US Basketball Writers Association Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week. The prestigious award was announced on March 3. One of five weekly honorees, Lewis joins Paulius Murauskas as the second Gael to win this award this season.
Gaels Take Care of Business Against Santa Clara, 86-67. Saint Mary’s Now Plays for a Share of the West Coast Conference Title on Saturday
Featured Image Caption Dialed in: Along with 21 points, Mikey Lewis had a career-high assists and grabbed four steals. / Photo by Thurman James / Associated Press That’s 25 home victories in a row. Every Gael starter scores in double figures. Mikey Lewis leads with 21 points. Three Gaels rack up double-doubles: Paulius Murauskas, Dillan Shaw, and Harry Wessels. Expect an epic season finale against Gonzaga.
Gaels Light It up from Three in Pullman, Down Cougars 83-67
Featured Image Caption Stuffing the statsheet: Mikey Lewis had 16 points, two assists, two blocks, and a pair of steals. / Photo by Shelly Hanks for WSU Athletics Joshua Dent knocks down four of the 10 SMC triples and scores 22 points. Paulius Murauskas racks up a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. And Mikey Lewis scores 16 plus a pair of assists. The Gaels are now No. 26 in the country in NET Rankings.
Gaels Remain Composed Under Pressure, Defeat Redhawks 72-70
Featured Image Caption Playmaker: Joshua Dent led the Gaels with five assists. / Photo Courtesy Seattle University Athletics Mikey Lewis scores 22 points, including the layup that puts Saint Mary’s ahead for the win. Paulius Murauskas and Andrew McKeever each add 15, with 14 rebounds between them.
Second Half Surge Propels Gaels to 72-61 Win at Pacific
On Saturday night the Saint Mary's Gaels headed into one of the more difficult arenas to win in the West Coast Conference—the Alex G. Spanos Center, home of the Pacific Tigers. And despite Pacific’s stellar home record, the Gaels turned on the afterburners in the second half and were able to earn a hard fought victory, 72–61. With the win, the Gaels become just the second team to best the Tigers inside the Spanos Center this season.
Gaels Notch Program Record 24th Consecutive Home Victory, Down Pepperdine 88-60
The Saint Mary's Gaels took care of business on Wednesday night in Moraga, defeating the Pepperdine Waves 88–60. The win marked the Gaels’ 24th straight victory inside UCU Pavilion, establishing a new program record. The Gaels now lay claim to the second best home win streak of any team in Division I college basketball this season—and fourth current home win streak overall.
Gaels Dominate Dons, 79-54, Notch 23rd Consecutive Home Victory
Following the Gaels’ blowout of San Diego on Wednesday, Saint Mary’s logged their second 25+ point victory of the week on Saturday night—this time against the San Francisco Dons, 79–54. The win marked the Gaels’ largest margin of victory against the Dons since 2018. And it marked Saint Mary’s 23rd consecutive win at home, tying the program’s consecutive home wins record. Paulius Murauskas led a group of five Gaels in double figures with 20 points, to go along with eight boards and four assists.
Gaels Pick up 20th Win with 87-60 Drubbing of Toreros
Featured Image Caption Stellar performance: Freshman Dillan Shaw scored 14 and ripped down 10 rebounds, going for his first double-double. / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics Saint Mary’s dominated from the get-go. Freshman Dillan Shaw led the way with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Andrew McKeever went for 14, and four more Gaels joined in double figures.
Gaels Grind it Out, Come up Just Short at No. 6 Gonzaga, 73-65
Saint Mary’s made their final trek to Spokane as West Coast Conference foes of Gonzaga on Saturday, and while the Gaels led at halftime and battled to the bitter end, they ultimately fell to the Zags, 73–65. Now with a game against sixth ranked Gonzaga under their belts, the Gaels will look to build off of the performance on the road to try and get the best of the Zags in Moraga on February 28. The Gaels had a trio of double-digit scorers, led by Joshua Dent, who tallied 16 on 6–12 shooting.
Gaels Drain Nine Threes to Sink Pilots, 75-69
The Portland Pilots put up all they could muster against the Saint Mary’s Gaels, but when the dust settled, it was the Gaels who reigned victorious, 75–69 at the Chiles Center Saturday night. The Gaels led for nearly 35 minutes of the contest and only trailed for 14 seconds, burying shot after shot to curtail every Pilot run. Paulius Murauskas dropped 24 points, including a perfect 9–9 clip at the line.
Gaels Shine on Both Ends of the Floor, Defeat Oregon State 81-51
Saint Mary’s enjoyed a wire-to-wire win over the Oregon State Beavers on Wednesday evening, dominating on both sides of the basketball to the tune of an 81–51 victory. The Gaels held the Beavers to a bevy of season-lows offensively, while logging their twelfth 80 point or better scoring night in the dominant performance. Joshua Dent led the Gaels as both a shot maker and shot creator.
Gaels Drop Defensive Slugfest Against Santa Clara, 62-54
In a battle between two of the top three teams in the West Coast Conference, the Saint Mary’s Gaels came up just short against the Santa Clara Broncos, falling 62–54 in the Leavey Center on Saturday night. The Gaels’ defense shined bright, but so too did the Broncos’ in the low scoring affair. Paulius Murauskas was the lone Gael to score in double figures, scoring 12 to go along with 10 boards for his fourth double-double of the year.
Well Balanced Attack Helps Gaels Down Dons 82-68 on the Road
The Saint Mary's Gaels continued their dream start to West Coast Conference play, defeating the San Francisco Dons 82–68 at the Sobrato Center on Tuesday night. The Gaels had five scorers in double figures. Saint Mary’s now moves to 6–0 in conference play—one of two undefeated teams in WCC games. Paulius Murauskas continues to look like an unstoppable force offensively, scoring 20+ in his fourth straight, dropping 21 to lead the Gaels against USF.
Trio of 20 Point Scorers Lead Gaels to 88-82 Win over Washington State
Featured Image Caption Career night: Joshua Dent scored 26, including half a dozen three pointers. / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics Joshua Dent drops 26. Paulius Murauskas, who came into the game as Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week, adds 24. Mikey Lewis scores 20. And Saint Mary’s splashes 14 threes.
Huge Second Half Powers Gaels to 93-76 Victory Over Seattle U
With a huge second half on Sunday night, Saint Mary's Men’s Basketball secured a commanding 93–76 victory over Seattle U at UCU Pavilion. The Gaels physically dominated the Redhawks to the tune of a +27 rebounding advantage, +15 second chance scoring advantage, and a +14 paint scoring advantage, helping them overcome a halftime deficit to secure the 17 point victory. Paulius Murauskas was unstoppable with 30 points and 15 rebounds, both tying his career-highs to lead the charge for the Gaels.
Three and ‘D’ Leads the Gaels to a 21 Point Win over Portland
In their first game of 2026, Saint Mary’s Men’s Basketball showcased their dominance with a commanding 78–57 win over Portland on Friday night at UCU Pavilion. The Gaels lit up the court with 10 three-pointers offensively, while running the Pilots off the line to the tune of a 2–19 perimeter shooting clip in the 21 point victory.
Gaels Outmuscle Florida Atlantic in 88-75 Victory
The Saint Mary's Men’s Basketball team delivered an impressive performance on Friday night, capturing an 88–75 win over Florida Atlantic at UCU Pavilion. The Gaels showcased their strength on the boards, pulling down a total of 45 rebounds, including 15 offensive. And they showed prowess in the paint, with 40 scored in the key, to power their victory. Joshua Dent led the charge with 24 points, six assists, and a career-high seven rebounds, setting the tone offensively.
Gaels Drop One-Point Heartbreaker to Boise State, 68-67
The Saint Mary’s Men’s Basketball team (9–2) faced a tough battle against Boise State (8–3) on Sunday, narrowly falling 68–67 at the Mountain America Arena in Idaho Falls. The Gaels showcased resilience, outscoring the Broncos in the second half, including a 15–2 run over the final 4:09, but couldn't quite close the gap. Joshua Dent was a standout with 16 points and six assists, playing a critical role in the Gaels’ efforts.
Gaels Outlast Davidson Wildcats in Gritty, Physical Contest
Featured Image Caption Scorer and playmaker: Point guard Joshua Dent added 21 points against Davidson and only missed once from the field. / Photo by Jonathan Lesane In a game that featured eight ties and 20 lead changes, Saint Mary’s emerged victorious 70–61. Joshua Dent led scoring with 21 points, and Andrew McKeever scored 15 while bringing down 13 rebounds.
Gaels Fall to 24th-Ranked Vanderbilt, Finish as Battle 4 Atlantis Runners Up
Paulius Murauskas and Mikey Lewis both named to All-Tournament Team by Ryan Barnett, Assistant Athletic Director for Communication | November 29, 2025 Entering Friday’s championship contest in the Battle 4 Atlantis, the Vanderbilt Commodores (8–0) boasted the second best scoring offense in the country (98.1 points per game), while the Saint Mary's Gaels (8–1) held the fifth best scoring defense (58.9 points per game allowed).
Gaels Defeat Hokies in Clash of Unbeatens, Move onto Battle 4 Atlantis Championship Game vs. Vanderbilt
For the first time since the opening week of the season, on Thanksgiving Day the Saint Mary’s Gaels (8–0) got a chance to square off with another unbeaten team: The Virginia Tech Hokies (6–1) also won their opening round contest of the Battle 4 Atlantis, and put their perfect record on the line again in the tournament semifinals against the Gaels. In the semifinals matchup in Paradise Island, Bahamas, it was the Gaels who looked the part of the far superior team from start to finish.
Undefeated Gaels Beat Shockers by 70-65 in Opening Round of Battle 4 Atlantis
A dramatic jump shot by Joshua Dent with one minute to go secures the win. Paulius Murauskas leads the Gaels with 20 points. And big man Andrew McKeever pulls down 15 rebounds. by Ryan Barnett, Assistant Athletic Director for Communication | November 26, 2025 The Battle 4 Atlantis certainly seemed an apropos title for Saint Mary’s (7–0) clash with Wichita State on Wednesday night.
Gaels Cruise to 54-Point Victory over UC Merced in Final Game of Opening Homestand
For the second straight season, the Saint Mary’s Gaels (6–0) are unbeaten heading into their Thanksgiving multi-team event, as they downed the UC Merced Bobcats on Saturday night by an emphatic 96–42. In the final game of their opening six-game homestand at UCU Pavilion, the Gaels continued to score with extreme efficiency, shooting at least 50% from the field for the fourth time in six contests. For the record, the 54-point margin of victory was the seventh largest in program history.
Gaels Outlast Pesky Arkansas State Squad to Lock Up 85-72 Win
Saint Mary's Men’s Basketball (5–0) logged another double-digit victory on Wednesday night, their fifth straight to start the season, defeating Arkansas State (3–2) 85–72. But the Red Wolves did something that no other Gael opponent had done this season: keep the game within a single digit margin for a good chunk of the second half.
Liam Campbell Leads the Gaels’ Charge in a 30-Point Victory Over the Ohio Bobcats
Campbell records a career-high 20 points in the 90–60 win. SMC shoots better than 50% from the field and from the three in back-to-back games. by Ryan Barnett, Assistant Athletic Director for Communication | November 12, 2025 The high octane start for the Saint Mary’s Gaels (3–0) continued on Tuesday night with a 90–60 victory over the Ohio Bobcats (1–2).
Gaels Offense Rolls On, With 87-66 Win Over Defending NIT Champs Chattanooga
Mikey Lewis leads SMC with a career-high 28 points. Paulius Murauskas adds 21. Andrew McKeever debuts as starting center. And the Gaels have broken a 45-year record for free throws. by Ryan Barnett, Assistant Athletic Director for Communication | November 8, 2025 After a strong performance on opening night against St. Thomas at the beginning of this week, the Saint Mary's Gaels had another top tier mid-major program come to town on Friday night.
Gaels Knock Down 11 Threes in 84-58 Victory over St. Thomas in Statement Season Opener
Looking at the 2025–26 non-conference men's basketball schedule for Saint Mary’s (1–0), the Gaels may not have chosen the flashiest names to play, but rather loaded up with a gauntlet of mid-major powers. The first on the docket was the St. Thomas Tommies (0–1), a team picked to win the Summit League after winning 24 games a year ago. In the season opener at Saint Mary’s home court, the Tommies hung around with the Gaels through most of the first half.
Gaels Never Trail in Final Tune-up at Ole Miss
Just eight days out from the start of the NCAA Men's Basketball season, the Saint Mary's Gaels looked primed and ready to defend their back-to-back-to-back West Coast Conference titles. In their final exhibition before their opener at home, SMC traveled to Oxford, Mississippi and downed the Ole Miss Rebels, a Sweet 16 team from a year ago. The Gaels never trailed, and they won this one 68–53.
Boomers Make it a Three-peat in the FIBA Asia Cup: It’s a First Gold Medal in the Tournament for Former Gael Adam Caporn as Coach and Current Gael Harry Wessels on the Court | Saint Mary's College
The championship game with China came down to the wire. Plus Gael global updates: Mitchell Saxen signs with Nanterre 92 in France and Luke Barrett signs with nine-time Polish champs Arka Gdynia. by Ryan Barnett and Steven Boyd Saum | August 24, 2025 For Australia’s national team, it was a nail-biter of a victory that earned the Boomers their third straight Asia Cup title.
Augustas Marciulionis Signs with Lakers Following NBA Draft
The Los Angeles Lakers are welcoming a Gael this summer: Shortly after the culmination of the NBA Draft, recent Saint Mary's graduate and four-year point guard Augustas Marciulionis was able to take the first steps towards what could be a long and fruitful professional career, signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Lakers.
For Saint Mary’s Women’s Track & Field, These Record-Setting Runners Make Their Mark at the NCAA West Regionals
For the second straight year, Saint Mary’s Women’s Track was represented by a pair of runners competing at the NCAA Outdoor Track West Regionals. Jaden DeSouza ’25 and Rayna Stanziano ’23, MFA ’25 took to the track at EB Cushing Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M, with the races streamed on ESPN+. Both student-athletes went into the competition already holding program bests at Saint Mary’s. And DeSouza put a bow on her career as a Gael by running her fastest time ever in the 400m hurdles.
Gaels Bats Explode for Wins over USF and Gonzaga in West Coast Conference Tournament
Saint Mary’s gets revenge against the Dons, then the Gaels power past the Zags to advance to the winner’s bracket in the WCC tourney. SMC’s Eddie Madrigal and Ian Armstrong etch their names into the history books in homers and hits. by Ryan Barnett, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications | May 23, 2025 Saint Mary’s Baseball came into the West Coast Conference Tournament in Las Vegas as a No. 3 seed.
Twentieth Annual Gael Awards Highlights Incredible 2024-25 Athletic Season
WCC Championships in Men’s Basketball and Softball. Postseason play in the NIT for Women’s Basketball. Those are just a few of the highlights. Honors for Women’s Tennis, Rowing, Cross Country/Track and Field, and more. by Ryan Barnett and Evan Roehrig, SMC Athletics | May 21, 2025 Saint Mary's Athletics honored the achievements and contributions by student-athletes, coaches, and volunteers on May 14 with the 20th Annual Gael Awards Show.
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