Mickey McConnell

McConnell seldom played as a freshman, averaging 1.0 points per game in 6.4 minutes per game of playing time. He scored a season-high five points and grabbed three rebounds against Cal State Bakersfield.[1] The Gaels finished the season 25–7, and made the NCAA Tournament as a ten seed.[7]

In his sophomore campaign, McConnell increased his averages to 5.4 points and 21.3 minutes per game. He scored in excess of 10 points on five occasions.[1] He recorded his first collegiate 20 point night on February 14, 2009, in a 75–68 win over Portland.[8] In the February 21 ESPN BracketBusters matchup versus Utah State, McConnell started in place of injured Australian guard Patty Mills and registered a season-high 22 points. He shot 6-for-6 from the field and 9-for-11 from the foul line as the Gaels earned a 75–64 victory.[9] McConnell helped the Gaels go 28–7 and advance to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.[10]

McConnell averaged 13.8 points and 5.1 assists per game as a junior.[1] Over the course of the regular season, McConnell led the nation in three-point shooting with a 51.5% efficiency (minimum 2.0 attempts per game and 75% of games played).[11] He hit a total of 77 threes, tied for fourth most in a single season in Gael history.[1] He shot 51.4% overall in West Coast Conference play, eighth best in the league.[12] McConnell's average of 13.7 points per game in conference ranked tenth in the West Coast Conference, and his 5.3 assists per game was third.[13][14] He dished out a total of 174 assists on the year, the fourth best single season mark for a Gael. McConnell led the team with 50 steals and his 1.5 steals per game was fifth in the WCC in that statistic.[1] In a blowout of the Howard Bison on December 30, McConnell registered his first double-double as he posted 11 points and 11 assists.[15]

He led the team to a 28–6 finish, a ten seed in the NCAA Tournament, and a berth in the Sweet Sixteen.[16] McConnell was named Most Valuable Player of the 2010 West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament as he matched his season high with 26 points to help Saint Mary's defeat Gonzaga in the championship game.[17] In the NCAA Tournament, he connected on 5-of-9 attempts from beyond the arc and scored 23 points in an 80–71 first round victory over the Richmond Spiders.[18] McConnell had 15 points in the 75–68 Round of 32 win over Villanova and banked in the go-ahead three-point shot with 1:55 to play.[1] He was named to the All-West Coast Conference Team at the conclusion of the season.[19] He was recognized as an All-Ninth District second-team selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.[20]

Prior to his senior year, McConnell was named to the preseason All-West Coast Conference Team.[21] He was on the preseason watchlist for the Bob Cousy Award honoring the top point guard in college basketball.[22] Jeff Goodman ranked him the #13 shooter in college basketball.[23] McConnell was named to the South Padre Island Invitational All-Tournament Team after leading Saint Mary's to the championship game against BYU.[1] In back-to-back victories against Mississippi State and Hartford, he posted a double-double (28 points and 13 assists) and then 21 points and seven assists, respectively. This earned him West Coast Conference Player of the Week and TheHoopsReport.com National Player of the Week honors for the week of December 28 – January 3.[24] For the second straight week McConnell was recognized as West Coast Conference Player of the Week after leading the team to wins against Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine.[1] On January 27, McConnell contributed 27 points and hit the game-winning shot with 1.2 seconds remaining to defeat the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The victory was the first for head coach Randy Bennett at the Bulldogs' home, the McCarthey Athletic Center, and the first by a Gaels team since 1995.[25] McConnell scored a career-high 32 points in a loss to Portland on January 29.[1][26] These performances earned him his third West Coast Conference Player of the Week honors.[1] After victories over Santa Clara and San Francisco, McConnell was named West Coast Conference Player of the Week for the fourth time on February 14.[27] McConnell was on midseason watchlist for Naismith College Player of the Year.[28]

Saint Mary's went 25–9 in McConnell's senior season, captured a share of the West Coast Conference regular season title with an 11–3 record, and reached the 2011 National Invitation Tournament. In the first round of the NIT, Saint Mary's was upset by Kent State 71–70. At the end of the season, McConnell garnered West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year honors as well as repeating on the All-West Coast Conference Team.[29] He was among the final ten candidates for the Bob Cousy Award.[30] He was recognized as an All-Ninth District first-team selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.[31] The U.S. Basketball Writers Association named McConnell to the 10-man All-District IX team covering college basketball players in the states of California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Arizona, and Alaska.[32] He was picked to the Fourth Team All-America and Mid-Major All-America Team by Fox Sports.[33] McConnell was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press.[34]

McConnell finished his career with 1,234 points, 12th most in Saint Mary's history. He is also second in assists and third in three-pointers made.[6] Head coach Randy Bennett said that, of all the players he coached, McConnell improved the most.[35]