Will USC come to the rescue of St. Mary’s?


For the second consecutive season, the St. Mary’s Gaels need an additional basketball game to enhance their power rating and to give the NCAA selection committee another reason for the Gaels to earn a spot in postseason play.

The Gaels and head coach Randy Bennett faced a similar situation last season, but were saved with a game against Eastern Washington of the Big Sky Conference. Though the Gaels won the game, they still did not receive a bid to the NCAA tournament.

Bennett has said that his team has discussed whether or not to have a rematch with USC (USC beat them in the Diamond Head Classic 60-49) in order to replace the missed opportunity, but he said that it is unlikely  the two teams will play.

USC coach Kevin O’Neill has not received a phone call from Bennett, but would consider playing the Gaels if USC’s self-imposed sanctions allowed it to do so.

“[Saint Mary’s] never talked to me,” O’Neill said on ESPN.com. “But no one from there [Saint Mary’s] called me about it. I’d play any game. I don’t know if we’d be allowed to do that with our sanctions.”

Even if the Gaels do call O’Neill and the NCAA permits the game, the selection committee may view the game as inconsequential because the Trojans have a self-imposed ban and will not be able to play in the post-season.

With nothing to play for besides integrity, the Trojans may not be the best opponent for the Gaels to convince the selection committee that they belong in the postseason.