NCAA Basketball Picks: Saint Marys Gaels vs Gonzaga Bulldogs
Thursday, February 09, 2012
by Mike Stewart
West Coast Conference leader and 13th-ranked Saint Marys Gaels would like to put some distance between itself and second-place Gonzaga Bulldogs, which trails the Gaels by two games. Last season, the teams finished tied atop the conference at 11-3, but Saint Mary’s (25-9 overall last season) was relegated to the NIT while Gonzaga (25-10 overall last season) got an invite to the NCAA Tournament. A win would virtually clinch the WCC regular-season title for the Gaels. In their first meeting, the Gaels made 50.8 percent of shots while limiting the Bulldogs to 40.7 percent en route to an 83-62 victory.
- Saint Marys Gaels @ Gonzaga Bulldogs
When: 11:00 PM ET, Thursday, February 9, 2012
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, Washington
TV: ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com
The Bulldogs have opened as 3.5-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.
Saint Marys Gaels (22-2): How complete a team are the Gaels? Each of Saint Mary’s projected starters leads the WCC. Matthew Dellavedova leads in assists per game (6.3), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.25), and minutes played (884). He led the Gaels with 26 points in their first meeting with Gonzaga. Rob Jones leads the conference and is 11th in Division I with 10.7 rebounds per game. Stephen Holt leads with 49 steals, while Jorden Page is making 87.5 percent of his free throws. Brad Waldow averages a WCC-leading 52.6 percent from the field, and had 17 points and 11 rebounds against Gonzaga earlier this season.
Gonzaga Bulldogs (18-4): Center Robert Sacre will have to have a bigger impact this time against Saint Mary’s. Sacre averages 11.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs, but in the first meeting the Gaels held him to only four points and three rebounds. Forward Elias Harris led Gonzaga with 17 points and 11 rebounds against the Gaels, and leads the Bulldogs averaging 13.1 points and 7.7 rebounds this season. The Bulldogs 3-point shooting has lagged to 28.6 percent in their last five games, down from 36.6 percent on the season. Gonzaga is 11-1 at home this season.
1. Gonzaga leads the series 53-25, but the Gaels have won three of the last five, including last season’s meeting in Spokane.
2. St. Mary’s is No. 23 in the RPI; Gonzaga is No. 27.
3. Dellavedova was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award last week, which goes to the nation’s top point guard.
NCAA BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Bulldogs 72, Gaels 68.
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brad waldow - gonzaga bulldogs - harris led - jorden page - matthew dellavedova - mccarthey athletic center - rob jones - robert sacre - saint marys gaels - stephen holt
