St. Mary’s Advances to NCAA Second Round After Comeback Win Over Vanderbilt

The Gaels overcame a 12-point deficit with key contributions from Jordan Ross and Augustas Marciulionis to secure a 59-56 victory and will now face Alabama on Sunday.

St. Mary’s rallied from a sluggish first half, shooting just 35%, to defeat Vanderbilt 59-56 in the NCAA Tournament's first round.
Jordan Ross scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, sparking the comeback while Augustas Marciulionis dealt with foul trouble.
Marciulionis returned late in the game to add 14 points, including critical 3-pointers that helped secure the Gaels’ victory.
The Gaels dominated the rebounding battle 41-28 and made key defensive adjustments, limiting Vanderbilt to 34% shooting in the second half.
St. Mary’s will face No. 2 seed Alabama on Sunday, aiming for their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2010 in a matchup of contrasting play styles.