The Saint Mary’s Gaels (11-2) will try to prolong their six-game winning streak against the Loyola Marymount Lions (5-6) at McKeon Pavilion. The game begins at 11 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 28, 2017.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the game has been set at 149 points with Saint Mary’s opening as a 17-point favorite.
Loyola Marymount Lions at Saint Mary’s Gaels Free Prediction
In the Lions’ last game, they were beaten by the Cal State Fullerton Titans, 88-80. Cal State Fullerton made good use of their 31 trips to the charity stripe, making 26 of them (83.9 percent). Loyola Marymount, meanwhile, was 17-20 (85.0 percent). James Batemon was the top scorer from either team with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting.
The Gaels won big over the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in their last contest, 95-69. Saint Mary’s won the rebounding battle. The Gaels had 14 offensive rebounds and 40 total rebounds, while the Bulldogs had five and 24, respectively. Jock Landale was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting.
Saint Mary’s could dominate on the offensive side of the ball as their prolific offense goes up against one of the nation’s worst defenses. The Gaels rank second in offensive efficiency, while Loyola Marymount ranks 280th in defensive efficiency. Furthermore, the Lions are among the NCAA’s elite on the offensive backboards, ranking second in offensive rebounding percentage (40.2 percent). The Gaels, meanwhile, rank 24th in defensive rebounding percentage (76.0 percent).
Loyola Marymount heads into the contest with records of 5-6 straight up (SU) and 5-3 against the spread (ATS). Games involving the Lions have a tendency to go over the projected point total (62.5 percent).
Saint Mary’s has an excellent 11-2 SU record, but they struggle covering the spread (3-6 ATS). Contrary to Loyola Marymount, games featuring the Gaels tend to go under the total (55.6 percent).
Landale has averaged 21.8 points and 11.0 rebounds over the last five games for Saint Mary’s.
After the Gaels won both matchups against the Lions last season, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. In the most recent matchup, Saint Mary’s won 81-48. The Gaels knocked down 15 of their 19 free throws (78.9 percent) and had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (40.9 vs. 17.6).
Loyola Marymount Lions at Saint Mary’s Gaels Betting Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Saint Mary’s, ATS Winner – Loyola Marymount, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes:
On the road, Loyola Marymount is 4-1 ATS with 3 overs and 2 unders.
At home, Saint Mary’s is 1-3 ATS with 3 unders and 1 over.
Saint Mary’s ranks 33rd in assists per game (17.2) while Loyola Marymount ranks 196th in assists allowed per game (15.5).
The Gaels rank seventh in steals allowed per game (4.3) while the Lions rank 147th (7.5).
Saint Mary’s ranks 12th in three pointers allowed per game (16.6) while Loyola Marymount ranks 132nd (21.9).
The Gaels are second in the NCAA with 28.2 rebounds allowed per game while the Lions are 59th with 32.6 rebounds allowed per game.
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Loyola Marymount is 3-2 ATS with 4 overs and 1 under.
Saint Mary’s is 1-2 ATS with 2 unders and 1 over over their last five games.
The Lions have been outscored by an average of 1.4 points in their last five games. For the season, Loyola Marymount has defeated opponents by an average of 1.0 point.
During their last five games, the Gaels have scored an average of 80.8 points per game (0.7 below their season average) and allowed an average of 63.2 points per game (4.3 below their season average).
