Loyola Marymount vs Gonzaga Prediction 2/6/25 College Basketball Picks

The Loyola Marymount Lions and the Gonzaga Bulldogs meet Thursday in college basketball action from McCarthey Athletic Center. Here’s a Loyola Marymount vs Gonzaga prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Loyola Marymount vs Gonzaga pick. We will examine: 

The Loyola Marymount Lions’ recent form and player performance

The Gonzaga Bulldogs’ recent form and player performance 

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Loyola Marymount Lions

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Gonzaga Bulldogs

Recent betting trends in games played between Loyola Marymount and Gonzaga

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Loyola Marymount vs Gonzaga game

Loyola Marymount Lions Betting Preview

The Lions have a couple of sketchy runs this year but overall they’re keeping their heads above water. LMU kicked off on a 3-4 stretch with losses to UC Irvine, Saint Louis, North Dakota, and Colorado State. Wins over Nevada, Prairie View, UC Santa Barbara, Southern, and North Alabama came next, then a 1-4 run with a lone win over Oregon State. Otherwise, it was losses to San Francisco, Washington State, Gonzaga, and Saint Mary’s at that time. Since then LMU has notched wins over Santa Clara, San Diego, Pacific, Portland, and San Diego again, giving the team a 14-8 overall run through the first 22 games of the 2024-25 season. 

In the San Diego road rematch on Saturday, the Lions held a 35-35 tie going into the second half. LMU kicked it up a notch in the second on a 43-27 run and took the victory in the end 78-62. Myron Amey led the team with 16 points, four steals, and two rebounds off the bench, while Jevon Porter had 14 points with 12 rebounds and two steals. Alex Merkviladze added 14 points with eight boards and four assists in the victory. 

Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Preview

Over on the Gonzaga side, they’ve had a couple of rough stretches themselves this year but overall have played fairly well. The Bulldogs lost to only West Virginia during a nice 7-1 opening run, then took losses to Kentucky and UConn in the next two outings. Another 7-1 stretch came next, featuring a lone loss to UCLA. Otherwise, it was wins over Nicholls, Bucknell, Pepperdine, Portland, LMU, San Diego, and Washington State. Since then it’s been wins over Portland and Oregon State mixed among losses to Oregon State, Santa Clara, and Saint Mary’s for a 16-7 record through 23 games so far this year. 

Matched up against Saint Mary’s over the weekend, the Bulldogs entered the second half with a 36-28 deficit. Gonzaga got better from there on a 30-26 run but still lost 62-58 in the end. Graham Ike led the team in the defeat with 24 points, eight rebounds, and one assist. Ryan Nembhard was the only other team player in double-figures with 11 points, 12 assists, and three steals for a double-double in 40 minutes of work. 

Why the Gonzaga Bulldogs will win

• Gonzaga has won 98 of its last 102 games at McCarthey Athletic Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Why the Loyola Marymount Lions will win

• Loyola Marymount has won each of its last five games against the West Coast Conference.
• Gonzaga has lost three of its last four night games against the West Coast Conference.

Loyola Marymount vs Gonzaga Prediction 

I’ll stay with Gonzaga. The Bulldogs could use a good effort here after a tough road loss to a talented Saint Mary’s squad, though. Gonzaga shot well (43.6 percent) in that one and held the Gaels to just 38.2 percent on the other side. That said, the Bulldogs were outmuscled on the boards 40-34, missed six of 13 free throws (53.8 percent), and hit just 3-of-17 on 3-pointers (17.6 percent). The 58 points were the team’s lowest of the season as well. 

The good news for Gonzaga is that they blitzed LMU 96-68 on the road the last time these teams met up back on January 4. The Bulldogs hit 52.8 percent from the field with a 39-32 rebounding edge in that one and scored 17 points off 14 Lions turnovers. Gonzaga should have every advantage in the home rematch, and I like them to play well.