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St Bonaventure vs LSU Odds and Picks

John Perrotto

by John Perrotto in College Basketball

Updated Mar 18, 2021 · 7:12 AM PDT

Trendon Watford peacocks
LSU's Trendon Watford (2) and Josh LeBlanc Sr. (11) celebrate after LSU beat Arkansas in an NCAA college basketball game in the Southeastern Conference Tournament Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
  • LSU is a 1.5-point favorite over St. Bonaventure on Saturday in an NCAA Tournament East Region 1st round game from Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. at 1:45pm EST on TNT
  • The Bonnies won both the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season and tournament titles in the same year for the first time; LSU lost in the SEC Tournament final
  • A prediction along with lines, odds and the spread can be found below

St. Bonaventure looks to continue its winning ways when the #9 seed faces #8 LSU at 1:45 p.m. ET Friday in an NCAA Tournament East Region first-round game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.

St. Bonaventure (16-4) won both the regular-season and tournament titles in the Atlantic 10 Conference in the same year for the first time in school history. The Bonnies are on a three-game winning streak and have won six of their last seven.

LSU (18-9) ended up with a heartbreaking 80-79 loss Alabama on Sunday in the SEC Tournament championship game. That ended the Tigers’ four-game winning streak but they are small favorites in this one.

St. Bonaventure vs LSU Odds

Team Moneyline Spread Total
St. Bonaventure +106 +1.5 (-110) Over 143 (-106)
LSU -124 -1.5 (-110) Under 143 (-116)

Odds taken March 18th from FanDuel

Lofton Lifts Bonnies

Junior guard Kyle Lofton had one of his best games of the season Sunday when he lifted St. Bonaventure to a 74-65 victory over VCU in the A-10 Tourney title game.

Lofton had 23 points, six assists and five rebounds. He also made 4-of-5 shots from three-point range. Averaging 14.6 points a game, Lofton leads St. Bonaventure in scoring. He is also averaging 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals a game. Lofton is playing 95.9% of his team’s minutes, the most of any player in the country.

The game against VCU marked the third time this season Lofton scored at least 20 points.

Junior forward Osun Osunniyi continued his last-season surge with 14 points and 12 rebounds as St. Bonaventure held a 37-26 advantage on the boards. It was his fifth double-double of the season and fourth in the last five games.

Osunniyi has averages of 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots.

Junior guards Dominick Welch (13) and Jalan Adaway (10) combined for 23 points.

Adaway has a 12.3 scoring average, Welch an 11.7 mark and junior guard Jaren Holmes (13.6) is also averaging double digits. Adaway is also pulling down 6.1 rebounds a game and has committed just 16 turnovers in 661 minutes.

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LSU Looks to Bounce Back

LSU’s loss to Alabama was tough as the Tigers, down by one point, missed three shots in the final seven seconds that could have potentially won the game.

Junior guard Javonte Smart’s attempt with seven seconds left was blocked by Keon Ellis. LSU retained possession and Trendon Watford missed a three-pointer then sophomore guard Aundre Hyatt was unable to convert a put-back at the buzzer.

Watford scored a career-high 30 points, his 10th game this season with at least 20 points. Smart finished with 21 points and freshman guard Cameron Thomas chipped in with 18.

Thomas leads LSU in scoring with 22.6 points a game while accounting for 29.2% of its possessions when he is on the floor and 32.6% of the shots.

Thomas does the little things well, too, as he is an 88.0% free throw shooter and has just 46 turnovers in 904 minutes.

Watford is averaging 16.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Smart has averages of 15.9 points and 4.0 assists. Junior forward Darius Days is shooting 52.5% from the floor and 39.7% on threes while averaging 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds.

Who Will Win?

As the point spread indicates, this is expected to be a close game. The winner advances to likely play Michigan – should the Wolverines defeat Mount St. Mary’s or Texas Southern in their 1-16 game.

Both teams have been good against the spread lately. St Bonaventure has been the winning side in seven of its last eight games and LSU has a four-game ATS win streak.

It could come down to LSU’s high-powered offense against St. Bonaventure’s sticky defense. The Tigers are fifth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency with 119.9 points per possession, according to KenPom. The Bonnies are 16th in adjusted defensive efficiency with a 90.5 mark.

Defense often wins games in March, so the lean goes to St. Bonaventure.

  • Pick: St. Bonaventure +1.5 (-110)
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