Saint Mary’s Gaels vs Washington State Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/25/25
Planning on watching today’s Gaels and Cougars game? Catch the action at Friel Court in Pullman, WA, as the Cougars hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on CBSS. Saint Mary’s is favored by -5.5 in this non-conference showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 139.5 points.
SAINT MARY’S GAELS VS WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Washington State Cougars +5.5
This game will be played at Friel Court at 8:00 ET on Saturday, January 25th.
WHY BET THE WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-69 in favor of the Cougars.
- Not only will Washington State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +5.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 139.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Do the Gaels Have What it Takes on the Road?
Saint Mary’s Gaels Recent Game/Games
Saint Mary’s improved to 16-3 on the season with a 71-51 win over San Francisco on Thursday, January 23rd. The Gaels, who were -10.5 favorites, covered the spread in the win.
After leading 36-28 at halftime, Saint Mary’s held the Dons to just 23 points in the 2nd half while scoring 35 of their own. The game’s total points (122) came in under the O/U line of 133.5.
Saint Mary’s put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 61.5% from the field. Their two-point shooting was particularly strong, hitting 66% of their attempts (31/47), while they struggled from beyond the arc, going just 1 for 5 (20%).
Paulius Murauskas led the way with 24 points on 10 of 14 shooting, while Mitchell Saxen and Carlton Linguard Jr. each added 14 points. The Gaels dished out 19 assists, with Saxen contributing 5 of them.
Even with a strong defensive performance, Saint Mary’s Gaels couldn’t capitalize, allowing 51 points while holding the opposing team to 61% shooting. The Gaels gave up 31/47 (66%) on two-point attempts.
Saint Mary’s limited the damage from beyond the arc, with the other team going just 1/5 (20%) on threes. They also sent the opponent to the line 14 times, where they hit 6 free throws (42%). The Gaels allowed 5 offensive rebounds.
Can the Cougars Pull the Upset at Home?
Washington State Cougars Recent Game/Games
Washington State fell to 15-6 on the season after a 93-65 road loss to Santa Clara on Thursday. The Cougars entered as +5 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The combined points of 158 narrowly missed the O/U line of 158.5.
After trailing 49-38 at halftime, Washington State struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 27 points while allowing 44.
Washington State put up 65 points in their last game, shooting 45.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.8%. They connected on 9 of 23 three-point attempts, hitting 39.1% from deep, while shooting 50% on two-point shots. At the free-throw line, the Cougars made 8 of 13 attempts, finishing at 61.5%.
LeJuan Watts was a standout, recording a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting 7 of 10 from the field and hitting all 3 of his three-point attempts. Johnny O’Neil added 17 points in just 18 minutes, knocking down 5 of 7 threes, while Adama-Alpha Bal and Ethan Price each contributed 16 points, with Price also grabbing 4 rebounds.
Washington State’s defense struggled, giving up 93 points on 47% shooting from the field. The Cougars allowed 34 made field goals on 72 attempts.
Inside the arc, Washington State’s opponents shot 52%, hitting 21 of 40 two-point attempts. From three-point range, they connected on 13 of 32 shots, good for 40%. The Cougars also sent their opponents to the line 14 times, where they made 12 free throws (85%).