The No. 12 seed Grand Canyon Antelopes look to win their first NCAA Tournament game in program history as they take on the No. 5 seed Saint Mary's Gaels in a West Region matchup on Friday night. The Antelopes (29-4) won the WAC regular season and tournament titles under coach Bryce Drew, and most recently defeated UT-Arlington last Saturday night, 89-74. The Gaels (6-7) defeated Gonzaga, 69-60 last Tuesday to win the West Coast Conference Tournament Championship in addition to their regular season title. While GCU previously made the Big Dance in 2021 and 2023, Saint Mary's has reached the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season under coach Randy Bennett, having won their first round game in each of the previous two editions.
Tipoff is set for 10:05 p.m. ET in Spokane, Wash. The latest Saint Mary's vs. Grand Canyon odds via SportsLine consensus list the Gaels as 5.5-point favorites. The over/under is 131.5. Before making any Grand Canyon vs. Saint Mary's picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Grand Canyon vs. Saint Mary's. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for Saint Mary's vs. Grand Canyon:
- Saint Mary's vs. Grand Canyon spread: Saint Mary's -5.5
- Saint Mary's vs. Grand Canyon over/under: 131.5 points
- Saint Mary's vs. Grand Canyon money line: Saint Mary's -234, Grand Canyon +191
- Saint Mary's vs. Grand Canyon picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Grand Canyon can cover
Grand Canyon was dominant in the WAC this season, going 17-3 in regular season play before winning its two conference tournament games handily. Senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster led the way for the Lopes, averaging 19.8 points per game this season. Fellow guards Ray Harrison (13.7 PPG) and Gabe McGlothan (13.0 PPG) were instrumental in the team's success as they averaged 79.8 points per contest (44th nationally).
In the WAC Championship Game, Grant-Foster once again led the way, scoring 22 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the win. He did miss 11 of his 18 free throws, which is surprising since he came into the game above 80%. In what should be a fairly tight game throughout, GCU will have to execute with precision on offense to beat a tough St. Mary's defense. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
Why Saint Mary's can cover
The Gaels' stout defense has helped them rebound from a 3-5 start in late-2023 as they have only lost once since the calendar turned to 2024. Coach Randy Bennett's team allows 58.7 points per game, second nationally behind Houston. Teams struggle to score against Saint Mary's and are being held to a poor 39.5 percent shooting this season..
Saint Mary's is led by WCC Player of the Year, Augustas Marciulionis, who averaged 12.4 points, 5.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals this season. His backcourt mate, Aidan Mahaney, led the team averaging 13.9 points per night, with center Mitchell Saxen scoring 11.7 points and grabbing 7.5 rebounds nightly. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Grand Canyon vs. Saint Mary's picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 140 points. It also says one side of the spread hits over 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Saint Mary's vs. Grand Canyon, and which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that is 29-19 on top-rated college basketball spread picks this season.
