Portland vs. Saint Mary’s Pick
Should No. 16 Saint Mary’s pick up a dominant win at home when the Gaels host Portland tonight at 11PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Saint Mary’s is favored at home in this one, as the Gaels are getting odds of -22.5 points against Portland. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 141 points. Tonight’s game will take place from McKeon Pavilion in Moraga, California.
Portland is coming off a 95-79 loss at home to Gonzaga, which snapped a two-game win streak for Portland. The Pilots are 8-14 overall, 2-7 in the WCC and 9-8 against the spread. Portland is averaging just 67.2 points per game this season while allowing 77.8 per contest. Josh McSwiggan is leading the Pilots with 12.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while Marcus Shaver Jr. is adding 11.5 points per contest.
Saint Mary’s is currently on a 15-game winning streak following a 75-62 win over BYU at home. The Gaels are now 20-2 on the season, 9-0 in the West Coast Conference and 9-8-1 against the spread. Saint Mary’s is putting up 79.9 points per game on offense while allowing 65.7 per game. Jock Landale is leading the Gaels with 22.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while Emmett Naar is adding 11 points and 9.3 assists per contest.
Bet on Portland vs. Saint Mary’s
Saint Mary’s has won five straight meetings with Portland, but the Pilots have covered the spread in four of the last six encounters. Portland has covered in its last two road games, but going to Saint Mary’s is a different animal. The Pilots were already hammered at Gonzaga a few weeks ago, 103-57. St. Mary’s has been able to handle itself pretty well at home this season, including a comfortable cover against BYU earlier this week. If Saint Mary’s isn’t overlooking Portland, it should be able to run right past the Pilots. The public betting is heavily with Saint Mary’s tonight as well.
CBB DAILY PREDICTION: SAINT MARY’S -22.5
