The Saint Mary's College men's basketball team will be looking for a 3-0 start for the third consecutive season when it hosts Vanderbilt tonight in what could be the biggest nonconference game at McKeon Pavilion this season.

The Gaels have never played the Commodores, who are making a stop on the West Coast before they go to Hawaii to play in next week's Maui Invitational. Vanderbilt, which returns all five starters from last season, opened the year with a 95-73 home win over Lipscomb.

Guards Mickey McConnell and Matthew Dellavedova have averaged 18 points in the Gaels' first two games, with McConnell adding seven assists in Monday's 80-58 win over San Diego State.

Saint Mary's wraps up its season-opening five-game homestand next week by hosting Cal Poly on Monday and Cal Maritime on Wednesday.

— Curtis Pashelka