The Saint Mary's Gaels may be a bit under-the-radar to most fans across the country, but those who have seen them play know they are the real deal on the court. A team that is balanced well on both ends of the court and features senior leadership, some have the Gaels pegged for a potential Cinderella run at the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
Most projections currently have SMU earning a seed somewhere in the 6-10 range, which seems appropriate given their current resumé. It would take a complete and total collapse at the West Coast Conference Tournament to drop even further down the field of 68 come Selection Sunday. If the team was able to win the WCC and get a little bit of help from other schools, a five or six-seed could even be possible.
The latest Bracketology update from SB Nation has Saint Mary's earning a seven-seed and facing Cincinnati in the first round in the 7-10 matchup. Should the Gaels advance, they would likely square off with the Michigan St. Spartans in the second round.
The next week should be very telling for where SMU ends up for March Madness. Given a favorable seed, the team could definitely make a deep run in 2012.