BYU vs. Saint Mary’s Pick
Who has the edge in the second WCC Tournament semifinal tonight at 11:30PM ET when No. 19 Saint Mary’s faces BYU?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Saint Mary’s is the favorite tonight, as the Gaels are getting odds of -7.5 points against BYU. The over/under total for the game is listed at 141.5 points. Saint Mary’s won both meetings this season, one by 23 points and the other by 13. These two meet tonight from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
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BYU is riding high right now. The Cougars handed Gonzaga its only loss of the season last week and then it beat Loyola Marymount 89-81 in the opening round of this tournament. BYU sits at 22-10 on the season, but is just 12-15-2 against the spread. The Cougars are averaging 81.3 points per game on offense this season while allowing 73.1 on defense. Eric Mika is averaging 20.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game to lead the team while TJ Haws adds 13.9 points and 3.3 assists per contest.
Saint Mary’s is on a five-game winning streak entering tonight’s game. The Gaels defeated Portland 81-58 to start the tournament and move to 27-3 on the season. The Gaels are also 15-10-2 against the spread, including an impressive 10-3 ATS away from home. Saint Mary’s is averaging 72.2 points per game on offense while giving up just 56.1 on defense. Jock Landale is putting up 16.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game to lead the team while Calvin Hermanson is adding 13 points per contest.
Saint Mary’s is a very good team, and while BYU is rolling along, the Gaels are too. Saint Mary’s has had a favorable matchup with the Cougars this year and I don’t see anything being different tonight. The Saint Mary’s defense should slow down the BYU offense and allow for a cover tonight.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL DAILY PREDICTION: SAINT MARY’S -7.5