Saint Mary’s Gaels vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Odds & Picks
- The No. 4-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs face arch-rival Saint Mary’s on Saturday (Feb. 9th)
- Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga split two meetings last season
- The Bulldogs have won five of the last six from the Gaels
When it comes to West Coast college basketball rivalries, nothing beats Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s. Not UCLA-USC. Not Arizona-Arizona State. Not Washington-Washington State.
None of the above stoke the competitive fires the way a Zags-Gaels showdown does. Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s have combined to win 19 of the last 23 West Coast Conference championships. That includes 17 of the last 19 and each of the last nine.
This Saturday, they will renew hostilities at the Kennel in Spokane (10:00 PM ET, Feb. 9th). Unfortunately, if the odds prove prescient, this won’t be one of the more competitive matchups we have seen in recent years.
Saint Mary’s vs Gonzaga Odds
| Teams | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Mary’s | TBA | +16.5 (-110) | O 153.5 (-105) |
| Gonzaga | TBA | -16.5 (-110) | U 153.5 (-115) |
*Odds taken 2/7
Saint Mary’s Gaels Outlook
Saint Mary’s has lost two straight on the road and are 2-4 away from home this season. The Gaels are 13th in the NCAA in turnovers per game (10.5). St. Mary’s is 20th in the nation in field-goal percentage (48.6). Guard Jordan Ford leads the Gaels in points per game (22.1) and that is also the best in the WCC. Center Jordan Hunter is tops on the team in field-goal percentage (60.7).
Two games ago, the Gaels beat San Francisco by six (86-80). Gonzaga comes into this game off a 92-62 pounding of the Dons.
The Gaels are averaging 1.149 points per possession this season, which ranks seventh in the nation. St. Mary’s will be just the sixth team the Bulldogs have faced that ranks in the top 100 in the KenPom offensive ratings, and Gonzaga is 3-2 in those games.
Saint Mary’s vs Gonzaga Statistical Comparison
| 15-9 | Record | 22-2 |
| 6-3 (3rd) | Conference Record (Standing) | 9-0 (1st) |
| 16.18 (39th) | Overall Efficiency Rating | 33.58 (3rd) |
| 77.0 (85th) | Points Per Game | 91.2 (1st) |
| 118.0 (12th) | Offense Efficiency Rating | 127.5 (1st) |
| 67.0 (69th) | Points Against Per Game | 66.3 (52nd) |
| 101.9 (135th) | Defense Efficiency Rating | 93.9 (27th) |
Gonzaga Bulldogs Outlook
Gonzaga has outscored WCC opposition by an average of 29.1 points per game, the closest margin of victory being a 13-point win over San Francisco. The Zags lead the nation in scoring (91.2 PPG), offensive efficiency rating (127.5) and field-goal percentage (52.7).
Senior G Josh Perkins is seventh in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (3.5), ninth in assists per game (6.7) and sixth in total assists (154). Junior F Brandon Clarke is third in the NCAA in blocked shots per game (3.0). Gonzaga is fifth in the country with 18.7 assists per game and tied with Tennessee atop the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.77).
Okay, @brandonclarke23 isn't messing around tonight#BCBlockParty pic.twitter.com/EfIXR5i9t1
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) February 8, 2019
Gonzaga averages 5.5 blocks per game, tied for sixth in the NCAA. The Bulldogs are 11th in the country in field-goal percentage defense (38.8). They’re also ninth overall in free throws made (399).
Betting Trends
| Betting Trends |
|---|
| Gonzaga is 13-2 ATS in its last 15 games against Saint Mary’s |
| The total has gone under in six of Saint Mary’s last six games at Gonzaga |
| Saint Mary’s is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games at Gonzaga |
| The total has gone under in 10 of the last 12 Saint Mary’s-Gonzaga games |
Previous Meeting
Gonzaga improved to 68-30 all-time against Saint Mary’s with a 78-66 decision over the Gaels on Feb. 10, 2018. Saint Mary’s won 74-71 at Gonzaga the last time the two teams met in Spokane on Jan. 18, 2018.
?@brandonclarke23 Ridiculous dunk alert ? pic.twitter.com/9YFjAxFAeN
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) February 8, 2019
The Gaels have won back-to-back games against the Zags just once since 2011.
St. Mary’s vs Gonzaga Picks
Though they won there last year and in two of their last three visits, generally, trips to Spokane have proven to be a horror show for the Gaels. Saint Mary’s is 3-20 in its last 23 visits to Gonzaga and haven’t won back-to-back games there since 1989-90.
13th straight win. See you Saturday! #UnitedWeZag pic.twitter.com/7Juawx5Ob0
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) February 8, 2019
The Bulldogs have won 13 in a row and are unbeaten in conference play. Neither of those streaks figures to be ending in this game. But counting on a 17-point win in this heated rivalry is a bridge too far.
Pick: Gaels +16.5 and UNDER 153.5
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
