The Big Game? Heck, that’s today

MORAGA, Calif. – Patty Mills hasn’t been in America for long, but he knows a big game when he sees one.

The freshman point guard at Saint Mary’s College brushed up on Gonzaga when he was back home in Australia.

“I researched it before I came over,” said Mills, who has guided the Gaels to an 18-3 record, 5-1 in the WCC, heading into tonight’s showdown with the first-place Bulldogs (17-5, 6-0). “I got told a lot about the rivalry against them and how successful they’ve been. That puts the big target on them and I’m really excited to play against a well-known team.”

It won’t be the first time on a big stage for Mills, who was essentially the sixth man on Australia’s national team that qualified for the 2008 Olympics. He stepped into the national spotlight with a 37-point outburst against then-No. 11 Oregon with the season less than two weeks old. He’s helped the Gaels break into the polls three times this season. Saint Mary’s is ranked No. 21 in the latest AP poll but in danger of dropping out today due to a loss to San Diego a week ago.

But there’s more to Mills than his 14.9-point average, 3.8 assists and team-high 35 steals.

“Everyone is going to notice how quick and fast he is, but the best thing about him is he’s a really good competitor,” Gaels coach Randy Bennett said. “When things are going bad, he keeps fighting and when it’s going good, he keeps it in perspective.

“He has a great belief and a great ability to get others believing. That’s what he’s done. It’s the way he carries himself. He’s special.”

And he was nearly a Utah Ute. At the time, Gonzaga assistant coach Ray Giacoletti was the head coach at Utah. As Mills was flying from Australia to Salt Lake City, the Utes got a commitment from another point guard.

“When he got there, we went through the visit but we couldn’t take him,” Giacoletti said. “If I’d still been there, in hindsight we would have made a terrible mistake. Something would have worked its way out. I don’t think people realize how good he is. He looks like a junior or senior point guard.”

Mills set aside his disappointment and proceeded to visit Saint Mary’s, which already had two Aussies on its roster.

“It was one of those vibes you get when you walk around on campus and you get a good sense about it and that you’re really going to be looked after well here,” he said.

Mills said he came to the U.S. to face stout competition and develop as a player. He had 10 points and four assists in a victory against Drake, now 20-1 and ranked No. 16. He scored 19 points in a win over Seton Hall and had 23 in a win over Ohio in the championship game of the Rainbow Classic.

On the flip side, he had 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting and committed five turnovers in a loss to Texas. The Longhorns’ D.J. Augustin scored 30 points.

It’s all part of the learning process, Mills said. “My strength is my quickness and I like to use that to my advantage in transition and really trying to outnumber the other team. The other one would be penetration. I work hard to find gaps and I’m small enough to get through them.

“The biggest challenge I had was playing against Augustin. I definitely learned a lot playing against him and trying to look at the things he does and put them into my game. I’ve put in a lot of work on my weaknesses – ball handling and shooting and being an all-around leader as a point guard. It’s a key position and one thing I’ve learned from experienced guards on the national team is the leadership. I’ve done that well, but you can always do better.”

Mills will match-up against Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo.

“It’ll be two fast ones,” Bennett said.

Going at it in an electric atmosphere at McKeon Pavilion.

“I don’t know how much more packed and louder it can get than Oregon,” Mills said, “but they tell me it will be.”