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Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Pilots and Gaels. The game is starting at 11:00 ET on ESPNU, and it's hosted by the Gaels at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, CA. Get ready to place your bets! This West Coast conference matchup has an over/under of 135 points, and the Gaels are favored to win at home vs. the Pilots.

PORTLAND PILOTS VS SAINT MARY'S GAELS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Portland Pilots +19.5

This game will be played at University Credit Union Pavilion at 11:00 ET on Thursday, January 11th.

WHY BET THE PORTLAND PILOTS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Gaels.
  • Even though we have Saint Mary's winning straight-up, we like Portland at +19.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 135 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Can the Pilots Lock in a Road Win?

So far this season, Portland has a record of 7-9, including a 1-0 mark in West Coast Conference play. As the underdog, the Pilots have gone just 1-7, and they enter this game with a two-game losing streak on the road.

On the season, the Pilots have been outscored by an average of 11.2 points per game on the road, and they are 1-5 in road games. Their most recent road game was a 78-64 win over Pacific, and they are 1-9 in their last 10 road games.

As the underdog, Portland has gone 3-5 against the spread this season. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Pilots have a 4-6 record vs. the spread. On the road, Portland is just 3-7 vs. the spread this season.

Portland's over/under record for the season sits at 4-10 and today's line of 135 is lower than the average OU line in their games (151). So far, 12 of their games have finished with more points than today's line. The average scoring total in their last three games is 143 points.

The Portland offense is coming off a game in which they scored 78 points vs. Pacific. Overall their field goal percentage was 46.2% while connecting on 11 threes. The team's scoring leader is Tyler Robertson, who holds an average of 16.5 as they head into today's matchup. Additionally, Tyler Harris is averaging 13.2 points per game this season.

Coming into today's game, the Portland defense is giving up an average of 76.9 points per contest. So far, the Portland defense is giving up an average of 8.7 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 13.6 times per game (669th).

Does Saint Mary's Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

So far this season, Saint Mary's has a record of 11-6. They have won three straight games, and their record in West Coast Conference play is 2-0. At home, the Gaels have gone 6-6 this season, and their average scoring margin is +7.8.

Coming into this game, Saint Mary's has been favored in 15 of their 17 games, going 9-6 in those contests. In their last outing, the Gaels defeated Loyola Marymount by a score of 68-64. Over their last 10 games at home, they have a record of 5-5.

As the favorite this season, Saint Mary's is just 5-10 vs. the spread. Their ATS mark at home is 5-7 and over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Gaels are just 3-7.

This season, the over/under record for Saint Mary's is 8-8 and today's over/under line of 135 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (131.9). Over their last three games, the OU record is 2-1 and the average scoring total in those games is 131 points.

The Gaels' offense wrapped up their last game with 68 points, aligning closely with their current season average of 70.8 points per contest. Leading the team in scoring is Aidan Mahaney, who is averaging 13.5 heading into today's matchup. Additionally, Mitchell Saxen also maintains a PPG average of 11.4 heading into game.

Currently, the Gaels' defense holds the 6th rank in the nation, allowing 59.5 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Saint Mary's' defense has allowed opponents to shoot 38.6% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 32.9% this season.