No matter what he may be thinking, Saint Mary's College coach Randy Bennett is smart enough not to suggest his Gaels are the West Coast Conference favorites over league powerhouse Gonzaga.
But Saint Mary's, 8-1 and seconds away from being unbeaten, is better than most expected. The WCC men's basketball coaches pegged the Gaels fourth in the conference, and even Bennett wasn't sure what to think a month ago."Honestly, I'm learning this team as well as everyone else is," said Bennett, who has no seniors and just one returning starter. "Some of what they've done has impressed me.