Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s Pick
Can No. 12 Gonzaga avenge its previous loss to No. 11 Saint Mary’s when the two meet up again tonight at 10PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, Saint Mary’s is the slim favorite in this game, as the Gaels are getting odds of -1.5 points against Gonzaga. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 144.5 points. Tonight’s game takes place from McKeon Pavilion in Moraga, California and will air live on ESPN2.
Gonzaga had won six straight since suffering the 74-71 loss at home to St. Mary’s. The Bulldogs are 22-4 overall, 12-1 in the West Coast Conference and 9-13-1 against the spread. The Zags put up 86 points per game this season while allowing just 68.6 per game. Johnathan Williams leads Gonzaga with 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. The Bulldogs have six players that average double figures.
St. Mary’s is on a 19-game winning streak right now following is 83-62 win at Loyola Marymount. The Gaels are now 24-2 overall, 13-0 in the West Coast Conference and 11-10-1 against the spread. Saint Mary’s is putting up 79.1 points per game on offense while allowing 64.1 per contest. Jock Landale is a dark horse in the Player of the Year race, as he is averaging 22.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game while Emmett Naar is adding 10.6 points and 9.1 assists per contest.
Saint Mary’s won the last meeting on Jan. 18, but Gonzaga had won four straight prior to that. The Bulldogs are getting decent respect for this game, being just a 1.5-point dog. However, I think the Gaels should be the ones getting the respect. Gonzaga hasn’t covered in its last eight games. Not playing well against lesser competition won’t help tonight. St. Mary’s is a tough team, especially at home. It is holding opponents to just 60.9 per game. Landale may be too much for the Bulldogs to handle as well. The public betting is backing St. Mary’s and I like the Gaels to cover at home.
CBB DAILY PREDICTION: SAINT MARY’s -1.5