St. Mary’s joins Zags in Top 25

Gonzaga has company in the Top 25 men’s college basketball poll.

After being the West Coast Conference’s lone representative the past decade, Gonzaga has another league member in the rankings as Saint Mary’s moved in at No. 24 on Monday.

The Gaels (7-0) were last in the Top 25 for the final three weeks in the 1988-89 season. With Gonzaga at No. 19 for a second straight week, the WCC has two ranked teams for the first time since the beginning of the 1973-74 season.

“That’s the last time two of them were ranked? That’s unbelievable. That’s surprising. That’s great for our league,” seventh-year Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett said. “It’s nice. It’s good for our program. … It doesn’t matter for the long-term, but it shows our guys are playing well.”

North Carolina was No. 1, as it has been since the preseason poll. The top six held their places from last week.

Washington State, a 51-47 winner over Gonzaga last Wednesday, moved up one spot to No. 7. The undefeated Cougars, one of four Pac-10 teams ranked, were sixth two weeks ago.

Saint Mary’s is the only newcomer, entering off a 69-64 victory over San Diego State on Saturday in the Wooden Classic in Anaheim.

The Gaels’ big win was 99-87 over Oregon on Nov. 20, and they beat Seton Hall 85-70 in a matchup of unbeaten teams on Dec. 1.

“We knew coming into it if we were capable of doing what we’re doing, this was just part of the plan and it would take care of itself,” Gaels forward Todd Golden said. “This is definitely not the ultimate goal but it’s nice in the meantime. I thought with as close as we were after the Seton Hall win, if we were able to go down and get that win against San Diego State it would be enough.”