| MATCHUP | Portland Pilots | St. Mary's Gaels |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 7-8 | 13-2 |
| Spread | +22.5 -115 | -22.5 -105 |
| Moneyline | +2200 | -8000 |
| Total | Over 147.5 (-112) | Under 147.5 (-108) |
| Where | University Credit Union Pavilion, Moraga, CA | |
| When | Friday, January 2, 2026 | |
| Time | 10:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
Saint Mary’s Gaels Preview
Saint Mary’s Gaels have a 13-2 record this season and are sitting in the 2nd place of the WCC. They have a 8-0 home record and are coming off a 72-45 away win against Pepperdine. Their previous three games were a 78-73 away win against Loyola Marymount, a 63-58 home win against UNI and an 88-75 home win against FAU.
Offensively, Saint Mary’s averages 78.5 points per game, while allowing 63.6 points per game defensively. The Gaels shoot with 47% from the field and grab 39.9 rebounds per game, while dishing out 14.1 assists per game. They average 3.3 blocks per game and 5.7 steals per game defensively.
Paulius Murauskas leads Saint Mary’s in scoring, with an average of 18.3 points per game, while shooting with 48% from the field and 82.6% from the free throw line. Andrew McKeever is the team’s leading rebounder with 9.4 per game, while Joshua Dent adds a team-high 4.7 assists per game.
Portland Pilots Preview
Portland Pilots have a 7-8 record this season and are sitting in the 11th place of the WCC. They have a 0-4 away record and are coming off an 85-92 home loss against Santa Clara. Their previous three games were a 62-67 home loss against Washington State, a 61-79 away loss against UC Santa Barbara and a 69-94 away loss against Oregon.
Offensively, Portland averages 80.6 points per game, while allowing 81.6 points per game defensively. The Pilots shoot with 49% from the field and grab 35.9 rebounds per game, while dishing out 18.9 assists per game. They average 3.5 blocks per game and 6.7 steals per game defensively.
Joel Foxwell leads Portland in scoring, with an average of 13.6 points per game, while shooting with 42.7% from the field and 73.7% from the free throw line. Cameron Williams is the team’s leading rebounder with 5.4 per game, while Joel Foxwell also leads the team with 7.5 assists per game.
Portland Pilots @ Saint Mary’s Gaels Betting Trends: January 2, 2026
Why the Saint Mary’s Gaels will win
- Saint Mary’s has won each of its last 32 night games at University Credit Union Pavilion against non-AP-ranked opponents.
- Portland has lost each of its last five road games.
- Saint Mary’s has won the first half in each of its last 32 night games at University Credit Union Pavilion against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Portland Pilots will win
- Portland has won the first half in each of its last three night games against Conference opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Saint Mary’s’ last 14 night games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 145 or fewer points.
- Ten of Portland’s last 11 night games have produced a total of 154+ points.
Portland vs Saint Mary’s Prediction
In this Portland vs Saint Mary’s Prediction, Saint Mary’s is coming as -21.5 home favorites. Saint Mary’s has been the far better team this season as they have almost twice as many wins as Portland and have been undefeated in their eight home games this season. On the flip side, Portland has been winless on the road and have four consecutive losses and are 1-3 against the spread. They have a far worse defense, allowing 18 points per game more than Saint Mary’s, so the value here lies with the home favorite. Take Saint Mary’s and lay the points at home in this one.