The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
49°F
Current Conditions
Overcast clouds
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

No. 5 seeded Saint Mary’s headlines Spokane subregional field at the Arena on Friday

Saint Mary's guard Augustas Marciulionis (3) reacts during a Feb. 3 win over Gonzaga at McCarthey Athletic Center. The Gaels return to Spokane for the NCAA Tournament on Friday. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
From staff reports

Just when Spokane fans thought they’d seen enough of Saint Mary’s this season, the Gaels will return this week for the NCAA Tournament. 

Saint Mary’s, which beat Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference regular-season title and also in the conference championship last week, is among the contingent of teams headed to Spokane Arena for subregionals on Friday.

The Gaels (26-7), seeded fifth, will face No. 12 Grand Canyon (29-4) in a West Region game. Alabama (21-11), the No. 4 seed, will face No. 13 Charleston (27-7) in the other West subregional. West No. 1 seed North Carolina (27-7) will meet the winner of Howard/Wagner in Charlotte, N.C.

The other subregional matchups in Spokane feature two more teams that should be familiar with local fans. San Diego State and Yale both played at Gonzaga this past season.

Seeded fifth in the East Region, San Diego State (24-10) will play No. 12 UAB (23-11). Yale (22-9), the No. 13 seed, faces No. 4 Auburn (27-7) in the other East subregional. Defending champion UConn (31-3) is the East’s No. 1 seed and will face Stetson (22-12) in Brooklyn.

San Diego State beat Gonzaga 84-74 on Dec. 29. Yale fell to the Zags 86-71 in the season opener on Nov. 10. 

This is the sixth time Spokane has hosted NCAA men’s subregionals, with games played at the Arena in 2003, 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2016. Spokane was set to host again in 2020 before COVID-19 shut down that year’s tournament.