Barnard, who played for St. Mary’s from 1973-78 and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 2008, has followed the team devoutly this season.
The No. 10-seeded Gaels upset No. 2 Villanova, 75-68, on Saturday and are on to Houston for the NCAA Division I South Regional semifinal at Reliant Stadium.
The Gaels (28-5), from Moraga, east of Oakland, will play third-seeded Baylor (27-7) at 4:27 p.m. on Friday. The game will be aired live on CBS
The only time the Gaels advanced past the first round in the NCAA tournament was 1959, when there were only 23 teams in the field. They beat Idaho State to advance to the Elite Eight.
Baylor (27-7), which has established a new school record for single-season victories, will make its first Sweet 16 appearance in school history. When Baylor made the Final Four in 1948 and 1950, the NCAA tournament featured only eight teams.
Bernard, whose alma mater upset Gonzaga to win the West Coast Conference championship — a tournament he attended in Las Vegas earlier this month — has followed the Gaels’ progression through the NCAA tourney.
“I think I get more nervous now watching the games than I did when I played, because I have no control,” said Bernard, who has established a successful acupuncture practice in San Jose. “It’s actually a bit nerve wracking, and I actually find myself leaving the room during the games.”
When he can bear to watch, Bernard said he likes what he sees with the current squad.
“They have really put it together at the right time,” he said. “They actually have a great coach and some very good players. The players are just so unselfish and it’s probably one of the best passing teams I’ve seen.”
Graduating in 1978, Bernard cemented himself as one of the best players in Gaels history.
