Gonzaga vs Saint Mary’s Odds, Lines & Predictions for WCC Championship Game
- Top seeds Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga meet again in the WCC title game on Tuesday, March 7
- Gonzaga is a 3.5-point favorite over Saint Mary’s at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas
- Read below for Gonzaga vs Saint Mary’s odds, analysis and prediction
No. 9 Gonzaga (27-5, 14-2 West Coast) is a 3.5-point favorite over Saint Mary’s in the WCC tournament finals at 9 pm ET Tuesday in the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The teams split their two regular-season games, each winning at home.
No. 16 Saint Mary’s (26-6, 14-2 West Coast) advanced to its fourth WCC championship game in five years, all against Gonzaga. Saint Mary’s will try to win its first WCC tourney title since stopping the Zags 60-47 in 2019.
Gonzaga vs Saint Mary’s Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzaga Bulldogs | -3.5 (-110) | -145 | Over 140.5 (-110) |
| Saint Mary’s Gaels | +3.5 (-110) | +125 | Under 140.5 (-110) |
Gonzaga is 3.5-point favorite over Saint Mary’s in the WCC championship game, a series the Bulldogs have dominated in recent seasons. Gonzaga is 9-2 SU and 6-4-1 ATS in the series since the 2020 season. Over the longer haul, the Bulldogs are 16-4 SU and 13-6-1 ATS since their victory in the 2016 WCC title game. The teams have split the last four meetings, and each won at home this season.
Gonzaga is 12-18-1 ATS this season, picking it up after a miserable start against the number. The Bulldogs are 7-4 ATS in their last 11, although they failed to cover in the 84-73 victory over San Francisco in the WCC semifinals. Saint Mary’s is 18-12 ATS, among the best cover rates in Division I, although they failed to cover in the 76-69 victory over BYU as a 7.5-point favorite.
Gonzaga opened as a 2.5-point favorite but was immediately bet up.
SPORTSBOOK
Bet $5 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly + a No Sweat NBA SGP Every Day!
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook on March 7.
Gonzaga Makes the Final Again
Gonzaga is making its 26th straight appearance in the WCC championship game, a streak that began with an 80-67 loss to San Francisco in the 1998 title game, a year before Mark Few took over as coach. Gonzaga has won 20 titles since the tournament was introduced in 1987. The Bulldogs have won three of the last four tourneys and 11 of the last 14. Saint Mary’s is the only other team to have beaten them in the span — in 2010, 2012 and 2019. The teams have met in the finals 10 times in that run.
Anton Watson (@twonster4080) scored 20 points to go along with 7 rebounds for Gonzaga in their 84-73 win over San Francisco.
The Spokane native has been consistent for the Bulldogs all season averaging 11.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 62.1%.#Zags pic.twitter.com/klJhNkhlXu
— The College Basketball Guy (@NCAABBallGuy) March 7, 2023
Post 6’10” Drew Timme had his usual game — 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists — against USF, but he was not the only big to play well. Forward 6’8″ Anton Watson had a season-high 20 points with seven rebounds and two blocked shots, and sophomore 6’10” Ben Gregg had 12 pointes in 16 minutes, all on three-pointers. Those three will meet more resistance against the Gaels, who start 6’10″Mitchell Saxen and 6’8″ Kyle Bowen.
Gonzaga was the better team in each of the previous meetings this season, beating the Gaels in the regular-season finale 77-69 on Feb. 25 after failing to hold a double-digit lead in the second half of a 78-70 overtime loss in Moraga on Feb. 4.
Saint Mary’s Just Hangs On
The Gaels blew out BYU in the first half of their semifinal Monday but the came perilously close to blowing the game. Saint Mary’s led 47-30 at half and opened that up to a 56-30 with 14:43 remaining. Things got a little chippy shortly thereafter, when the Gaels’ Aidan Mahaney and BYU’s Hall went face-to-face after Manahey fouled Dallin Hall on a drive to the basket. Mahaney, Hall and Alex Ducas were called for technical fouls as players were separated. BYU followed with a 26-8 run, but it had too much ground to cover even as the Gaels faltered against a full-court press.
It’s heated in the final meeting between BYU and Saint Mary’s! Dallin Hall and Aidan Mahaney get up close and personal! pic.twitter.com/2X1oV9GSS2
— CBB Talk (@CBBSuperFann) March 7, 2023
Ducas (12.3 points) had 23 points and four three-pointers against the Cougars, and his early distance shooting helped the Gaels to their big lead. Freshman point guard Manahey (14.6 points) had 18 points and helped the Gaels hold on by making four free throws in the final 63 seconds. The Gaels hurt themselves by making only 21 of 34 free throws, 61.8 percent. The Cougars got within three at 72-69 with 32 seconds left, but Kyle Bowen beat the press with a layup to basically sew it up.
Gonzaga vs Saint Mary’s Prediction
The Gaels inspired no confidence for the rubber match against the Zags with their shoddy play against BYU’s full-court press in the final 12 minutes Monday. Saint Mary’s ran the same play on almost every attempt to inbound the ball after a BYU basket. The Gaels threw the ball in to Mahaney (or Logan Johnson) in the baseline corner. The receiver was immediately trapped and forced to find an open man against the double team. It did not work very well.
- Pick: Gonzaga -3.5 (-110)
- Season CBK: 47-23 ATS
DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOKBET $5 & GET $200 IN BONUS BETS INSTANTLY!
- FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK
BET $5 & GET $150 GUARANTEED!
- BETMGM SPORTSBOOK
GET UP TO $1,500 BACK IN BONUS BETS!
- BET365 SPORTSBOOK
BET $5 & GET $150 IN BONUS BETS!
- CAESARS SPORTSBOOK
GET UP TO $1,000 BACK - ON CAESARS!
Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
