St. Mary’s vs Boise State Prediction College Basketball Picks 12/14/24

The Saint Mary’s Gaels are visiting the Boise State Broncos on Saturday, December 14th at the Mountain America Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Saint Mary’s Gaels vs Boise State Broncos Prediction.

Boise State Broncos Preview

The Boise State Broncos have a 6-3 record this season and are coming off a 69-74 loss to Washington State. The Broncos are 2-6 against the spread, and 5-3 in over/under, while they have a 4-0 home record. 

Offensively, Boise State is averaging 80.8 points per game, which ranks 81st in the nation. Defensively, they allow 68.3 points per game (119th). The Broncos shoot 48% from the field (61st) and 31.5% from beyond the arc (271st). The Broncos shoot 78.5% from the free-throw line (21st) and are grabbing 38.1 rebounds per game (108th).

Tyson Degenhart leads Boise State in scoring, with an average of 17.1 points and 5.9 rebounds, while Javan Buchanan adds 12.3 points.

Saint Mary’s Gaels Preview

The Saint Mary’s Gaels have a 9-1 record this season and are coming off a 72-63 win in Utah. The Gaels are 3-6 against the spread, and 5-4 in over/under while having a 1-0 road record.

Offensively, Saint Mary’s is averaging 77.3 points per game, which ranks 148th in the nation. Defensively, they allow 63 points per game (23rd). The Gaels shoot 46.4% from the field (134th) and 31.2% from beyond the arc (281st). The Gaels shoot 66.2% from the free-throw line (304th) and are grabbing 43.4 rebounds per game, which is the 7th-best in the nation.

Paulius Murauskas leads Saint Mary’s in scoring this season, with 14.7 points and a team-high 9.5 rebounds, while Augustas Marciulionis adds 14.5 points and a team-high 6 assists.

Why the Boise State Broncos will win

• Boise State has won 16 of its last 20 games against the West Coast Conference.
• Boise State has won the first half in 14 of its last 18 games against the West Coast Conference.

Why the Saint Mary’s Gaels will win

• Saint Mary’s has won 26 of its last 28 games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Boise State has lost each of its last four night games played at neutral venues.
• Saint Mary’s has won the first half in each of its last 10 games against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Saint Mary’s Gaels vs Boise State Broncos Prediction

Boise State is 2-1 in their last 3 meetings against Saint Mary’s, and are 2-1 against the spread. In their most recent meeting last season, Boise State won 63-60 at home. In this Saint Mary’s Gaels vs Boise State Broncos Prediction, Saint Mary’s is coming as a -2.5 road favorite. Boise State is better offensively, scoring 3.5 points more than Saint Mary’s, while Saint Mary’s is better defensively, allowing 5.3 points less. Boise State is very efficient in shooting, as they almost crack the top-60 of the nation in field goal percentage and the top 20 in free throw percentage, while on the other hand, the Gaels are elite in rebounding, ranking 7th nationally. The Broncos are 1-2 in their last 3 games and 0-5 against the spread in their last 5, so I don’t trust them to cover against a very good Saint Mary’s team. Take the Saint Mary’s Gaels and lay the points on the road.