There's no doubt Saint Mary's felt jilted when they were left out of the NCAA Tournament.
But now the Gaels (30-5) have embraced their entry into the NIT and after beating Washington 85-81 on Monday are only one win away from earning a trip to New York and Madison Square Garden.
Standing in their way is Utah, (22-11, third place in the Pac-12). The Utes took care of business by defeating LSU 95-71 on Monday.
Next up, Utah heads to Moraga, Calif., for a pivotal meeting against No. 25 Saint Mary's on Wednesday at McKeon Pavilion, where the Gaels are 17-1.