The Saint Mary's Gaels take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in Spokane, WA. Tip-off is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Gonzaga is favored by 9.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -600. The total is set at 148.5 points.
Here’s my Saint Mary's vs. Gonzaga predictions and college basketball picks for January 31, 2026.
Saint Mary's vs Gonzaga Prediction
My Pick: Under 148.5 (Play to 147)
My Saint Mary's vs Gonzaga 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.
Saint Mary's vs. Gonzaga Odds
| Saint Mary's Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 +100 | 148.5 -110 / -110 | +450 |
| Gonzaga Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -120 | 148.5 -110 / -110 | -600 |
- Saint Mary's vs Gonzaga spread: Gonzaga -9.5
- Saint Mary's vs Gonzaga over/under: 148.5 points
- Saint Mary's vs Gonzaga moneyline: Saint Mary's +450, Gonzaga -600
Saint Mary's vs Gonzaga College Basketball Betting Preview
Saint Mary's Basketball
Saint Mary’s has put together another solid season under head coach Randy Bennett, as the Gaels sit at 19-3 overall with an 8-1 record in conference play.
This team profiles similarly to many of the great Gaels teams we've seen in recent years. Saint Mary’s can lock down defensively and win low-scoring grinders, but the offense is potent enough to score 80 points on almost anyone on a nightly basis.
The offense is led by junior forward Paulius Murauskas, who averages 19.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and has been a force in the paint this season.
Joshua Dent and Mikey Lewis each average 13 points, and both guards can handle the ball really well.
The Gaels are an excellent offensive rebounding team and the second-chance opportunities generally create easy looks inside or trips to the foul line.
The Gaels know what they're in for in this matchup, as every board or loose ball will be highly contested.
Saint Mary's defense has been very efficient this season, ranking 24th in effective field goal defense and 39th in adjusted efficiency. The Gaels are one of the best at keeping the opposition off the foul line and preventing second-chance possessions.
Andrew McKeever averages 9.5 rebounds per contest and has recorded 20 blocked shots this season.
The Gaels have excellent post size, and this will be a fun battle in the paint against Gonzaga.
Gonzaga Basketball
The Zags have been cruising since an early-season loss against Michigan in the month of November. The Bulldogs have won 14 consecutive games and are expected to get Graham Ike back in the lineup on Saturday.
Ike is a versatile post player who averages 18 points and nine rebounds per game. He's also an exceptional passer out of the post.
Tyon Grant-Foster is averaging 11.5 points, and a handful of other players have seen their utilization go up since Braden Huff went out with injury.
This offense is fun to watch, and when the shots are falling and the defense gets the pressure turned up, the Zags can put it on you in a hurry.
The Bulldogs' defense has operated very well this season. The unit ranks 12th in the latest KenPom efficiency rankings, and the Gaels are top-20 nationally in effective field goal percentage, turnover rate and at preventing offensive rebounds.
Saint Mary's is going to have to be deliberate on offense and really make every possession count if it's to stay within shouting distance.
Saint Mary's vs. Gonzaga Betting Analysis
This line opened with Gonzaga listed as a favorite of 10.5 points with a total set at 148.5. I like the under here.
Saint Mary’s has a long and storied history with Gonzaga and has actually gotten the better of its counterpart in recent history. The Gaels have won four of the last six regular season meetings and Bennett has done well to defend against the Gonzaga offensive system.
The Gaels have a strong post presence, and I believe the defense will be effective enough to limit the Gonzaga offensive output. Gonzaga has seen its offensive output drop without Huff and Ike in the fold. Getting Ike back will be a big lift, but I believe we'll see effective defense from Saint Mary’s in the post.
Gonzaga is going to have to score in other ways. The Bulldogs lead the country in points in the paint by a wide margin and have been able to exploit less talented defenses in the painted area. That won't happen here, so the guards are going to have to hit jumpers.
I fully expect Saint Mary’s to muck this game up and slow the pace down. The Gaels handle ball pressure well and don't get sped up on offense. This is going to be a pace war that I believe Saint Mary’s will be able to control.
This is going to be a fun atmosphere in Saturday and the gravitas of the game will be felt throughout. I think these two efficient defense step up big in this game, and we see this one finish under the total.
My Pick: Under 148.5 (Play to 147)
