Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s prediction, odds: 2023 WCC Tournament Championship picks, best bets by proven model

For the second year in a row and for the fourth time in five years, the 16th-ranked Saint Mary’s Gaels will battle the No. 9 Gonzaga Bulldogs in the West Coast Conference Tournament Championship Game on Tuesday. The Gaels (26-6, 14-2 WCC), who are 4-10 in WCC title games, are looking to win their first tournament title since 2019, when they beat Gonzaga 60-47. The Bulldogs (27-5, 14-2), who are 20-8 in the tournament championship games, won last year’s title game by defeating Saint Mary’s 82-69. Gonzaga has dominated the all-time series with the Gaels, winning 79 of 112 meetings.

The game from Orleans Arena in Paradise, Nev., will tip off at 9 p.m. ET. Gonzaga is averaging 88 points per game, while Saint Mary’s averages 71.9. The Bulldogs are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 139.5. Before locking in any Saint Mary’s vs. Gonzaga picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters conference tournament week 76-51 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,200 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns. 

Now the model has zeroed in Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Saint Mary’s vs. Gonzaga:

• Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s spread: Gonzaga -2.5
• Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s over/under: 139.5 points
• Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s money line: Gonzaga -150, Saint Mary’s +126
• GON: The Over is 8-1 in the Bulldogs’ last nine games overall
• STM: The Gaels are 4-0 against the spread in their last four neutral site games
• Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Gonzaga can cover

Senior forward Anton Watson entered the tournament averaging 11.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He registered four double-doubles during the regular season, including a 15-point and 10-rebound effort against San Francisco on Feb. 9. He had 16 points and 13 rebounds at Pacific on Jan. 21. In two games against the Gaels, he is averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

Senior guard Rasir Bolton averages 10.9 points, 2.6 assists and 1.8 rebounds. During the regular season, he reached double-figure scoring 18 times and started all 31 games. He scored a season-high 24 points in an 88-72 win over No. 4 Kentucky on Nov. 20. For his career, he averages 12.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Why Saint Mary’s can cover

Senior guard Logan Johnson powers the Gaels. Entering the 2023 WCC Tournament, he had scored 20 or more points in each of the final three regular-season games, including a 27-point performance at Gonzaga on Feb. 25. He had 29 points and seven assists in an 83-52 win over Pacific on Feb. 23. For the season, he is averaging 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Freshman guard Aidan Mahaney has played a big part in Saint Mary’s success. He is averaging 14.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and two assists per game. He is connecting on 44% of his field goals, including 40.9% of his 3-pointers, and 73.8% of his free throws. In two games against Gonzaga, he is averaging 13.5 points and three assists per game.

How to make Saint Mary’s vs. Gonzaga picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 150 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine. 

So who wins Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s? And which side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.