Saint Mary’s picked to win WCC men’s basketball title

Any notions that Saint Mary’s is feeling complacent after one of the best seasons in school history can be quickly dispelled with a look at Calvin Hermanson’s right eye.

The senior forward sports a cut below his eyebrow, courtesy of an elbow in practice from teammate Evan Fitzner, showing that the Gaels are practicing hard after a season in which they made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013 and were ranked start-to-finish for the first time.

Expectations for Saint Mary’s didn’t change when West Coast Conference players and coaches met at the league’s tip-off event Thursday at Orleans Arena, which will host the WCC tournament for the 10th year in March. The Gaels were picked to finish first in the conference ahead of national runner-up Gonzaga in the preseason coaches’ poll, becoming the first non-Bulldogs team to top the list since Pepperdine was predicted to be a co-champion in 2002.

“It’s a nice gesture. I’m not sure it means too much in the preseason. I think our expectations are pretty high,” Hermanson said. “We’re going to want to have another great year like last year, go back to the NCAA tournament.”

Hermanson is one of four returning starters for Saint Mary’s, which finished 29-5 last year and lost to No. 2-seed Arizona in the second round of the West Regional. The floor-spacing forward was also one of three Gaels placed on the preseason All-WCC team, along with Australian seniors Emmett Naar and Jock Landale.

Landale, a 6-foot-11-inch center who should contend for All-American honors, led the team with 16.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season.

“(Landale’s) up at the top in terms of bigs that we’ve coached,” Gaels coach Randy Bennett said. “Jock, as far as a junior in our program (last year), he was the best we’ve had as a five-man.”

Saint Mary’s main questions come on defense, as the team will have to replace WCC Defensive Player of the Year Joe Rahon and sixth man Dane Pineau. The Gaels will also have to figure out a way to beat Gonzaga, which handed them three of their five losses last year, if they want to live up to their lofty preseason expectations.

The Bulldogs, despite losing three starters as well as key bench player and Las Vegas native Zach Collins, should still be dangerous this season as they seek a 19th consecutive NCAA tournament berth under coach Mark Few.

“It doesn’t sit well, but Saint Mary’s is a great team,” Gonzaga senior Johnathan Williams said of being picked to finish second in the WCC. “We just have to go out there and prove ourselves again.”

Ben Gotz can be reached at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.