The FAU Owls take on the Saint Mary's Gaels in Moraga, CA. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Saint Mary's is favored by -13.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -1400. The total is set at 147 points.
Here’s my FAU vs. Saint Mary's predictions and college basketball picks for December 19, 2025.
FAU vs Saint Mary's Prediction
My Pick: Under 147
My FAU vs Saint Mary's best bet is on the under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
FAU vs. Saint Mary's Odds
| FAU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+13.5 -110 | 147 -110 / -110 | +850 |
| Saint Mary's Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-13.5 -110 | 147 -110 / -110 | -1400 |
- FAU vs Saint Mary's spread: Saint Mary's -13.5
- FAU vs Saint Mary's over/under: 147 points
- FAU vs Saint Mary's moneyline: FAU +850, Saint Mary's -1400
FAU vs Saint Mary's College Basketball Betting Preview
FAU Basketball
FAU is off to an 8-3 start in year two under John Jakus. The Owls currently rank 117th on KenPom, including 74th in offensive efficiency and 206th on the defensive end.
In their three toughest games to date — at Liberty, at George Mason and against St. Bonaventure — FAU came up short, losing by an average margin of 11.3 points.
The Owls feature an interesting roster made up of eight international players representing seven different countries, with a couple of strong guards leading the way.
Sophomore Devin Vanterpool leads the team in points (17.5), rebounds (7.3) and steals (1.6). Kanaan Carlyle, a high-major transfer with previous stops at Stanford and Indiana, adds 15.3 points per game.
Jakus’ group also has a unique defensive profile with some notable outlier metrics. Opponents average 18.5 seconds per possession, the 16th-longest mark in the country.
At the same time, FAU is allowing opponents to shoot a scorching 38.8% from 3, a top-20 rate nationally.
A major strength for the Owls is their rim protection, as they rank 12th in block percentage. This number is driven largely by sophomore Devin Williams, who's averaging a ridiculous 3.1 blocks per game.
Saint Mary's Basketball
Randy Bennett’s Gaels are once again an NCAA Tournament–level team. The metrics love the Gaels, largely because they dominate lesser competition and pile up strong efficiency numbers.
Saint Mary’s checks in at 33rd on KenPom, ranking 63rd offensively and an elite 20th defensively.
The Gaels sit 285th in tempo, which is actually much faster than they've played in nearly a decade (they typically hover in the 350s).
In classic Saint Mary’s fashion, the Gaels control the glass on both ends of the floor, led by massive bigs Andrew McKeever, a 7-foot-3, 285-pound presence, and 7-foot-1, 280-pound Harry Wessels, who comes off the bench.
Both are masters at tipping out offensive rebounds, and when either catches the ball deep in the post, it's almost an automatic two points.
Mikey Lewis is enjoying a breakout sophomore season, providing much-needed shot creation for this offense. He's also knocking down 46% of his looks from 3.
Defensively, Saint Mary’s allows just 66.1 points per game, the 26th-best mark in the country. That number would be closer to the top five if not for a 96-point outburst by Vanderbilt in the Bahamas, one of the few teams capable of speeding the game up and carving up this Gaels defense.
FAU vs. Saint Mary's Betting Analysis
The core of this handicap comes down to how FAU has looked against somewhat similar competition. All three of the Owls’ losses have come against slower-paced, half-court teams.
FAU is averaging 90.6 points per game in wins, but it failed to crack 70 in each of its three losses.
While I would lean toward laying the two touchdowns with the Gaels — who should make life difficult for FAU’s backcourt and wear down the Owls’ bigs inside — I prefer the under.
This game could easily be played in the 60s, as only two Saint Mary’s opponents have topped 70 points so far this season.
My Pick: Under 147
