The 1996–97 Saint Mary's Gaels men's basketball team represented Saint Mary's College of California in the 1996–97 college basketball season, coached by Ernie Kent for the 6th and final season.

The Gaels competed in the West Coast Conference and played their home games at the McKeon Pavilion.

They finished conference play with a record of 10–4 to place second.

They won the 1997 West Coast Conference men's basketball tournament to receive an automatic bid to the 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament where they entered as the No.

3 seed Wake Forest in the opening round[1] to end their season 23–8.