Gonzaga has a better record and plays at home so it will be favored, but Saint Mary’s has enough talent to make this a competitive game and possibly spring the upset. The Bulldogs would love to remain undefeated but must play well in this one to stay that way.
This war on the floor will go down Saturday, January 14, 2017, at 10 p.m. ET at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
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Odds at BookMaker.eu
Gonzaga is 15-0 straight up and 11-3 against the spread on the season. The Bulldogs have been favored in every game this season and have done a fantastic job covering despite constantly giving points. Gonzaga is 6-1 against the spread in home games and will aim to continue that success.
Saint Mary’s is 14-1 straight up and 8-5-1 against the spread. The Gaels have played four true road games and have covered in three of them, so something will have to budge in this one. Saint Mary’s has yet to play a game as an underdog this season but will do so here.
Player to Watch
Jock Landale – Saint Mary’s big man is leading the team in points this year, averaging 18.4 points per game in addition to 9.7 rebounds per game. Landale opened the season with 33 points against Nevada on November 11th and has yet to let off the gas.
The junior center finished with 21 points points and 11 rebounds against San Francisco on January 7th and has had six double-doubles on the season. At six-foot-11, his size inside the paint has been a matchup issue for the teams trying to slow him.
He had a season-high 14 rebounds against Dayton on November 19th and finished with 13 rebounds on two other occasions this season. Landale is playing at a very high level lately, putting up 26 points against BYU on January 5th, and will look to continue that trend this week.
Key Stat
85.5. That’s how many points per game Gonzaga’s offense is averaging so far this season. This weekend, the Bulldogs face a stout Saint Mary’s defense, however, that is allowing just 58.1
points a game so it will be an epic clash on the court.
Twice this season Gonzaga has broken 100, putting up a season-high 109 points against Bryant on November 18th and also scoring 102 in the team’s victory over South Dakota on December 21st. The team has been hot lately as well, finishing with 95 points against San Francisco last week and also putting up 92 against Pepperdine on December 29th.
Nigel Williams-Goss is leading the offense for Gonzaga, averaging 15.3 points per game, and he teams up with Przemek Karnowski and Jordan Matthews, who combine for another 23.5 points per game. Williams-Goss had a season-high 36 points against San Francisco on January 5th while Karnowski and Mathews have been consistently putting up double-digit points in recent weeks so the trio will be a challenge for Saint Mary’s.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Gonzaga has been one of the most impressive teams in the country and can add another signature win by knocking off a talent Saint Mary’s team. The Bulldogs may never be considered the championship favorite because they don’t play in a high-major conference, but they are perennially one of the best mid-majors.
Gonzaga has sky-high goals on the season and would be thrilled to head into March Madness undefeated. This game will challenge the Bulldogs but they have the home court and the more talented roster, which will be enough to knock off the Gaels.
College Basketball Odds: Gonzaga 84, Saint Mary’s 78
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