Oscar winner Mahershala Ali played 4 years at Saint Mary's

The Saint Mary's community certainly had a rooting interest during the presentation of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar on Sunday, as former Gaels basketball player Mahershala Ali was one of the nominees.

The actor went on to win for his performance in "Moonlight," edging out Dev Patel, Jeff Bridges, Lucas Hedges, and Michael Shannon.

Ali played for the Gaels under the name Mahershala Gilmore from 1992-96, finishing his career with an average of seven points per game in his senior season. Saint Mary's certainly wasn't the west coast powerhouse it is today, as the program only posted one winning season during Ali's time there.

Other than his role in "Moonlight," Ali is probably best known for his recurring role as Remy Danton on the television hit "House of Cards."