Saint Mary’s Gaels vs Pepperdine Waves NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/18/25
The Gaels and Waves are set to face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The Waves will host the game at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, CA. Saint Mary’s is favored by -13.5 in this West Coast conference contest against Pepperdine. The game’s over/under currently sits at 138.5 points.
SAINT MARY’S GAELS VS PEPPERDINE WAVES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Pepperdine Waves +13.5
This game will be played at Firestone Fieldhouse at 10:00 ET on Saturday, January 18th.
WHY BET THE PEPPERDINE WAVES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Waves.
- Not only will Pepperdine pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +13.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 138.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Does Saint Mary’s Have A Chance at Firestone Fieldhouse?
Saint Mary’s Gaels Recent Game/Games
Saint Mary’s improved to 14-3 on the season with a dominant 103-56 win over San Diego on January 11th. The Gaels were -16 favorites going into the game and covered the spread comfortably. The total points for the game reached 159, surpassing the over/under line of 136.5.
Saint Mary’s led 41-24 at halftime and poured in 62 points in the 2nd half while allowing just 32. It was an impressive road performance for the Gaels, who continue to look strong this season.
Saint Mary’s put up 103 points in their last game, shooting 52.9% from the field and hitting 51.7% of their threes, going 15-for-29 from deep. Their effective field goal percentage was 62.9%, and they were strong at the free-throw line, making 14 of 16 attempts for 87.5%.
The Gaels were active on the boards, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds and dishing out 26 assists. Mikey Lewis led the way with 18 points in just 19 minutes, shooting 87.5% overall and 80% from three, hitting 4 of 5 attempts.
Saint Mary’s Gaels put up a strong defensive effort, holding their opponent to just 56 points. They allowed a 44% shooting performance, with the other team making 24 of their 54 attempts.
From beyond the arc, the Gaels limited their opponent to 5 threes on 15 attempts, a 33% shooting rate. They also sent them to the free-throw line only 3 times, where they made all 3.
Can Pepperdine Grab a Win at Home?
Pepperdine Waves Recent Game/Games
The Waves fell to 7-11 on the season after an 80-63 home loss to San Francisco on Thursday. Pepperdine entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.
After trailing 48-36 at halftime, the Waves were unable to mount a comeback, scoring just 27 points in the 2nd half while allowing 32. The game’s total points of 143 fell short of the 149.5 O/U line.
Pepperdine’s offense struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, hitting just 2 of 14 three-point attempts for a 14.3% shooting percentage. Overall, they shot 41.1% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 42.9%. Their two-point shooting was more effective, as they connected on 50% of their attempts (21/42).
Malik Thomas led the Waves with 20 points, hitting 2 of 5 from three-point range. Boubacar Coulibaly was efficient inside, shooting 66.7% (8/12) and adding 6 rebounds. Marcus Williams contributed 16 points, making 2 of 7 from deep, and added 4 assists.
Despite giving up 80 points, Pepperdine’s defense held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field, with 23 made shots on 56 attempts. The Waves allowed 21 two-pointers on 42 attempts, a 50% shooting rate.
From beyond the arc, Pepperdine’s defense was effective, limiting their opponent to just 2 made threes on 14 attempts, or 14% shooting. The Waves also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 15 of those attempts, shooting 65%.