St. Mary's (26-7) vs Grand Canyon (29-4)
Game Info: Friday, March 22, 2024 at 10:05 pm (Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena)
Betting Odds: St. Mary's -5.5 -- Over/Under: 131.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
Where to Watch: TruTV
In this article we will formulate a Grand Canyon vs St. Mary’s betting prediction for this NCAA Tournament college basketball game on Friday, March 22nd at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Washington. To formulate this prediction, we will examine:
- The Grand Canyon recent form and recent player performance
- The St. Mary’s recent form and recent play performance
- Recent Betting trends and streaks involving Grand Canyon
- Recent Betting trends and streaks involving St. Mary’s
- Recent betting trends in games played between Grand Canyon and St. Mary’s
- A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for Today’s Game between Grand Canyon and St. Mary’s
Grand Canyon Preview
The Grand Canyon Lopes are 29-4 (17-3) this season after they defeated UT Arlington by a score of 89-74 in the WAC Championship game. Grand Canyon has won five games in a row and they have scored at least 80 points in three of those wins. The Lopes dominated conference play this season and they have won 26 of their last 29 games. Grand Canyon’s best wins came against San Diego State, San Francisco, and Tarleton State. The Lopes are scoring 79.8 points per game with 38.2 rebounds per game and 12.4 assists per game, while allowing 66.9 points against per game this year. Tyon Grant-Foster is averaging 19.8 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, and 1.7 steals per game. Grand Canyon is shooting 46.5% from the field, 75.3% on free throws, and 34.4% on three pointers this season.
St. Mary’s Preview
The St. Mary’s Gaels are 26-7 (15-1) this year after they defeated Gonzaga by a score of 69-60 in the WCC Title game. St. Mary’s has won 18 of their last 19 games, with the lone loss coming against Gonzaga at the end of the regular season. The Gaels are one of the best defensive teams in the country, allowing 63 points or fewer in seven of their last ten games. St. Mary’s struggled in the non-conference, but they did defeat Colorado State, UNLV, and New Mexico. The Gaels are scoring 74.2 points per game with 39.5 rebounds per game and 16.2 assists per game, while giving up 58.7 points against per game this season. Aidan Mahaney is averaging 13.9 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game, and 2.5 assists per game. St. Mary’s is shooting 46.9% from the field, 67.8% on free throws, and 35.5% on three pointers this year.
Grand Canyon vs St. Mary’s Betting Prediction
St. Mary’s comes into this matchup following a 15-1 conference record and a WCC Tournament Championship, but they are still a popular pick to get upset in the tournament. The Gaels are solid on offense, but their defense is elite. Grand Canyon dominated the WAC for most of the season and they are scoring 79.8 points per game, but this will be a huge test against this Gaels defense. St. Mary’s was able to slow down Gonzaga in all three of their meetings, so I don’t see why they wouldn’t do the same here. I also think the St. Mary’s offense is underrated, as they are shooting just under 47% from the field. I think we are going to see a closer game in the first half, but the St. Mary’s defense will be the difference. Take the Gaels here.
David’s Pick St. Mary's -5.5
AUTHOR: David Racey
