Per a Facebook update from a friend traveling with the Saint Mary’s men’s basketball team, the Gaels have just landed in Houston for the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

This morning, they got a rousing sendoff at the Moraga campus. Here’s a few photos sent along to me by Edy Schwartz. We’ll have more photos as well as a story by higher education reporter Matt Krupnick about the impact of the team’s success on college admissions in tomorrow’s Times.

Gaels' star senior center Omar Samhan with some local kids.

Local media line up near the gym.

Samhan speaks to members of the media.

In case you haven’t heard, the Gaels take on Baylor University at 4:27 p.m. Friday. The game will be televised on CBS.