Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Saint Mary's Gaels: Latest betting odds for WCC men's basketball game [3/2/24]
The Gonzaga Bulldogs and Saint Mary's Gaels renew their West Coast Conference rivalry in a top-25 matchup on Saturday in Moraga, California.
Gonzaga (23-6, 13-2 WCC) has won six games in a row and 12 of its last 13 overall after an 86-68 win over San Francisco on Thursday at the Chase Center. The Bulldogs trailed early on and held a one-point lead at halftime before starting the second half on a 24-3 scoring run to pull away from the Dons late. Graham Ike led with 26 points while Nolan Hickman added 22, 19 of which came in the second half.
The Bulldogs improved to 13-15 against the spread, including 8-7 in WCC games, on the season after the 18-point victory snapped a three-game skid of failing to cover. Per teamrankings.com, Gonzaga's only win ATS versus a ranked opponent came in its 89-85 win at then-No. 17 Kentucky. That game on Feb. 10 was also the only other time the Bulldogs were underdogs on the road.
During its six-game win streak, Gonzaga ranks fifth in the nation in offensive efficiency per Bart Torvik. It's averaging 92.0 points while shooting 56.4% from the field in that span. Overall, the Bulldogs lead the WCC in field goal percentage (51.9%, second-best in the country), scoring (86.1 points per game, fifth in the country), rebounds (40.0 per game) and assists (16.2 per game).
Saint Mary's (24-6, 15-0 WCC) clinched the WCC regular-season title on Thursday when it beat Pepperdine, 83-57, to extend its 16-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the nation. Since starting the season 3-5, the Gaels have won 21 of their last 22 games. Only two opponents in that stretch have managed to score 70 or more points.
Saint Mary's is No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense (58.1 points allowed per game) and fourth in field goal percentage defense (38.7%). It also leads the country in rebound margin (11.9) and is sixth in scoring margin (16.7).
Following the 26-point win over the Waves, the Gaels are 16-12 ATS on the season and 10-5 in WCC play. They're 9-7 ATS when favored at home and 2-4 ATS with just one day of rest in between games.
The Gaels won the previous matchup over the Zags in a 64-62 final from Spokane on Feb. 3. Gonzaga led for much of the night after an 11-4 start, though Saint Mary's weathered the storm before taking a 60-55 advantage late in the second half following a 6-0 scoring run. Gonzaga shot just 9-of-27 (33.3%) from the field in the second half.
Saturday is the 13th time the Bulldogs and Gaels meet with both teams ranked in the AP Top 25. Gonzaga won 10 of the previous 12 such meetings, though Saint Mary's has won the last two head-to-head matchups in Moraga. In the last 10 matchups, both sides have covered four times and twice have pushed (both came in 2022).
Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary's Betting Odds
Check out the latest betting odds for this matchup per SI Sportsbook.
Money Line: Saint Mary's (-143)
Spread: Saint Mary's -2.5 (-111)
Over/Under: 141.5 (-118)
