The Saint Mary’s Gaels haven’t had the best season. Saint Mary’s is 20-10, but the Gaels didn’t play a very tough non-conference schedule and lack any signature wins. Their only way to the NCAA Tournament is by winning the WCC Tournament next week, and to do that they know they need to get past the team that has ruled the conference for the last two decades, the Gonzaga Bulldogs. In a pre-tournament challenge of what Saint Mary’s needs to overcome, the Gaels will host Gonzaga on Saturday night. Gaels guard Jordan Ford will aim to lead his team to the upset, and BetDSI has set a line on how well he will perform.
How many points will Jordan Ford score against Gonzaga on Saturday night?
Over 20.5 Points -115
Under 20.5 Points -115
Ford is Saint Mary’s leading scorer this season. The guard from Folsom was asked to take on a bigger role at the start of the year, and he has stepped up to take over as the team’s top gun. His shooting percentage is nearly identical to what he posted last year despite attempting nearly twice as many shots, and that’s been a huge boost for the Gaels.
He is averaging 21.5 points per game this season, and Ford has been relatively consistent throughout the campaign. There are only two times where he scored in single digits and only two times where he finished with 30 or more points.
Of course, one of those two games where he finished with single digits came against Gonzaga. When these teams met in Spokane three weeks ago, the Bulldogs put it on the Gaels and handed them their worst loss of the season. The Zags more than doubled up the Gaels in a 94-46 win, and Ford had his worst performance of the season. He went just 3-12 from the field and finished the night with eight points.
Since the loss, Ford has been back to his old self. He has tallied at least 20 points in four of his last five outings, and he is starting to heat up from range again too.
There is something to keep in mind before you bet this. It’s no secret that players are more likely to get calls at home than they are on the road, and Ford is no exception. He is getting 4.6 free throws per game on the road in WCC play, and 6.9 free throws per in-conference home game. Those extra whistles could help him reach the over.
Of course, this is arguably the most talented Gonzaga team we have ever seen. The Wildcats are the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, and their defense is the 24th best in the country per Ken Pomeroy’s advanced numbers.
In years past, this would be a tricky game for Gonzaga, but I don’t see it this year. The Bulldogs are just a cut above everyone else in their conference, and with this win they would end their conference slate undefeated. I think they will play some excellent defense and slow down Ford enough for him to finish with under 20 points.
