The No. 10 seed in the East Region Vanderbilt Commodores(20-12) is set to face the No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s Gaels(28-5) in the 1st Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This game will take place Friday afternoon in Cleveland, Ohio.
Vandy has been in a rough spot of late before this season. This is their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2017. The Gaels, on the other hand, are mainstays in the tournament. They lost as a No. 5 seed last year to Grand Canyon. Saint Mary’s is looking for a deep tournament run this year. Will they be able to end Vanderbilt’s promising season on Friday?
Vanderbilt Season Summary
The Commodores struggled to compete in a historic SEC. They finished 8-10 in conference play and are coming in losers of three straight games. That is not the form you want to have heading into the NCAA Tournament. Vandy has a poor offense. They are 46th in points scored, 152nd in field goal percentage, and 259th in three-point percentage.
The team’s defense has been horrendous. They are 266th in points allowed, 304th in opposing field goal percentage, and 344th in opposing three-point percentage. Vanderbilt’s leading scorer is Guard Jason Edwards. He is playing well, scoring 20+ points in consecutive games for the third time this season.
Saint Mary’s Season Summary
The Gaels had another strong regular season in the West Coast Conference. Unfortunately, they lost to Gonzaga in the Championship Game. Saint Mary’s does not have a good offense. They are 192nd in points scored, 129th in field goal percentage, and 274th in three-point percentage.
The team’s defense has been much better. They are fifth in points allowed, 35th in opposing field goal percentage, and 33rd in three-point percentage. The Gaels have been led by Guard Augustas Marciulionis. After averaging only 13.5 points per game in the WCC Tournament, he will look to rebound in the NCAA Tournament.
Final Thoughts
This game should be a low-scoring one. Vanderbilt has a poor offense that will not be able to penetrate Saint Mary’s strong unit. Even though Vandy has a poor defense, the Gaels may not be able to exploit it with their offensive shortcomings. Saint Mary’s is a slight favorite, but it would not be surprising if the Commodores came away with the win. This contest should be one of the more exciting ones on the Friday slate.
