Man, college basketball is just cruel sometimes. One minute you’re on top of the world, cruising through the West Coast Conference (WCC) like it's a Sunday morning jog, and the next, you’re staring at a scoreboard in Santa Clara that makes absolutely no sense. If you were looking for the latest saint mary basketball score, you probably saw the number: 62-54.
The Saint Mary’s Gaels just dropped a stunner to the Santa Clara Broncos on Saturday night, January 17, 2026. This wasn't supposed to happen. Entering the Leavey Center, Randy Bennett’s squad was sitting pretty with a 17-2 record and a perfect 6-0 start in conference play. They looked like a lock for another deep March run. Then the whistles blew, the shots stopped falling, and the Gaels found themselves on the wrong side of a defensive slugfest.
The Night the Offense Went Cold in Santa Clara
It’s kinda wild how a team that just put up 82 points against San Francisco a few days ago could suddenly look so out of sync. Honestly, the Gaels looked human for the first time in weeks. They struggled to find a rhythm against the Broncos' length, and that 54-point total is their lowest output of the entire season.
You’ve got to give credit to Santa Clara. They didn't just win; they frustrated Saint Mary’s into a performance that felt clunky and rushed. For a team that usually prides itself on "meaningful possessions" and surgical efficiency, seeing them finish with more turnovers than they'd like was a shock to the system.
Paulius Murauskas, who has been basically unguardable lately, didn't have the same magic he showed during his four-game streak of 20+ point performances. When he isn't drawing double teams and kicking it out to guys like Joshua Dent or Mikey Lewis, the whole engine sorta sputters.
Breaking Down the Numbers (The Ugly Truth)
Let’s look at why that saint mary basketball score ended up where it did.
- Shooting Woes: After shooting over 50% from three-point land against USF, the Gaels went cold. It felt like there was a lid on the rim at the Leavey Center.
- Rebounding Battle: Usually, Andrew McKeever owns the glass. He had 17 boards against the Dons, but Santa Clara made him work for every inch on Saturday.
- The Tempo Trap: The Broncos forced a pace that didn't allow Saint Mary’s to set up their half-court defense. It’s hard to win when you're constantly playing on your heels.
Why This Specific Loss Matters for the WCC Standings
Does one loss ruin a season? No. But in the WCC, where Gonzaga is always lurking like a final boss at the end of a video game, every slip-up is magnified. Before this game, Saint Mary's was in sole possession of first place. Now, the gap has closed.
The Gaels are still sitting at 17-3 overall (6-1 WCC), but they’ve lost that "invincible" aura they had coming out of December. It's a wake-up call. Coach Bennett has been here before, though. He knows that a mid-January loss can actually be a good thing if it highlights the cracks before the tournament starts.
There's also the "Eye Test" for the Selection Committee. While the Gaels have solid wins over teams like Washington State and Virginia Tech, losing to an unranked Santa Clara team affects the NET rankings. It’s the difference between a 4-seed and a 6-seed in the big dance.
Looking Ahead: The Gaels' Path to Redemption
The beauty of college hoops is that you don't have to wait long to fix the vibe. The Gaels head back home to the University Credit Union Pavilion on Wednesday, January 21, to face Oregon State.
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Basically, the mission is simple: get back to Gael basketball. That means suffocating defense and smart, inside-out scoring. If you're tracking the saint mary basketball score for the rest of the month, keep an eye on how they handle the pressure. After Oregon State, they travel to Portland, and then comes the big one—the showdown in Spokane against Gonzaga on January 31.
If they play like they did against Santa Clara, that Gonzaga game could be a long night. But if Murauskas finds his stroke again and McKeever regains control of the paint, this loss will just be a footnote in a historic season.
Actionable Insights for Gaels Fans
If you're following the team's progress, here's what to watch for in the next few games:
- Watch the First 5 Minutes: Saint Mary's is a "momentum" team. If they start with a 10-2 run against Oregon State, you'll know the Santa Clara funk is gone.
- Murauskas' Usage: See if they move him around more. He’s the engine; when he’s stationary, the offense dies.
- Bench Depth: Look for Mikey Lewis to take more aggressive shots. The Gaels need a secondary scoring threat when the starters are tired.
The road to the WCC title just got a lot more interesting. Stay tuned to the box scores, but don't count the Gaels out just yet. They’ve got the coaching and the talent to bounce back, provided they can find their shooting touch before February hits.