Former Saint Mary’s star forward Paulius Murauskas said Wednesday that he’s transferring to Arizona State to once again play for coach Randy Bennett.

Murauskas blossomed in two seasons under Bennett and was one of the best players in the West Coast Conference this past season when he averaged 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 33 games (32 starts). The Gaels made the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season.

Bennett departed Saint Mary’s after the season to take over the Sun Devils.

“I followed my heart and chose the place where I trust the people and feel valued not just as a player, but as a person,” Murauskas said in an Instagram post. “I want to finish my college journey with the people who made the last two years so amazing and helped me become who I am now as a person and a player.”

Murauskas averaged 15.1 points and 7.6 rebounds in 68 games (67 starts) in his two seasons at Moraga, Calif. The lone time he didn’t start came in last month’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Texas A&M when he was battling an illness and came in off the bench and played 23 minutes.

“Money is important, but the people in your life matter more,” Murauskas said. “Let’s finish where everything started.”

The 6-foot-8 Murauskas, from Lithuania, began his college career at Arizona and saw limited action during the 2023-24 season before moving on to Saint Mary’s.

–Field Level Media