Who’s Playing
Saint Mary’s @ Gonzaga
Regular Season Records: Saint Mary’s 25-6; Gonzaga 25-3
What to Know
The #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs and the #17 Saint Mary’s Gaels are set to clash at 9 p.m. ET March 8 at Orleans Arena in the fifth round of the West Coast Conference Tourney. Gonzaga will be seeking to avenge the 67-57 loss they suffered the last time these two teams played February 26th.
The Bulldogs earned some postseason bragging rights after a successful outing on Monday. They took their game against the San Francisco Dons 81-71. Gonzaga got their win on the backs of several key players, and it was center Chet Holmgren out in front picking up 17 points along with eight rebounds and six blocks. Holmgren has also now had at least three blocks in his past six games.
Meanwhile, the Santa Clara Broncos typically have all the answers at home, but on Monday Saint Mary’s proved too difficult a challenge. Saint Mary’s skirted past Santa Clara 75-72. The Gaels can attribute much of their success to guard Tommy Kuhse, who had 27 points in addition to five boards.
The Bulldogs are the favorite in this one, with an expected 12.5-point margin of victory. Now might not be the best time to take Gonzaga against the spread since they’ve let down bettors for the past two consecutive games.
Two stats to keep an eye on: Gonzaga enters the matchup with 88 points per game on average, which is the best in college basketball. But Saint Mary’s ranks ninth in college basketball when it comes to points allowed per game, with only 59.8 on average. These opposing strengths should make for an exciting matchup.
How To Watch
When: Tuesday at 9 p.m. ETWhere: Orleans Arena — Paradise, NevadaTV: ESPNFollow: CBS Sports App
Odds
The Bulldogs are a big 12.5-point favorite against the Gaels, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Bulldogs…
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