Pepperdine at Saint Mary's odds, picks and predictions
The Pepperdine Waves (10-16, 3-8 WCC) and Saint Mary's Gaels (20-6, 11-0) meet Thursday at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, Calif. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook's lines around the Pepperdine vs. Saint Mary's odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Pepperdine snapped a 6-game losing streak with a 72-63 road win against Loyola Marymount on Saturday, cashing as a 6.5-point underdog as the Under (145) hit. The Waves have covered the past 2 games after an 0-5 against the spread (ATS) skid.
Saint Mary's spanked Portland 76-51 on the road last time out on Saturday, and the Gaels have registered 12 straight victories while covering 7 of the past 9 outings. The Under is on a 3-0 run for SMC, too.
The Gaels have won 4 straight meetings, and 7 of the past 8 in the series, while Saint Mary's has covered the past 3 outings.
Saint Mary's is No. 19 in the Paste BN Sports Coaches Poll.
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Pepperdine at Saint Mary's odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access Paste BN Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:34 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Pepperdine +1400 (bet $100 to win $1,400) | Saint Mary's -4000 (bet $4,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Pepperdine +18.5 (-102) | Saint Mary's -18.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 132.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Pepperdine at Saint Mary's picks and predictions
Prediction
Saint Mary's 81, Pepperdine 60
Moneyline
Saint Mary's (-4000) will cost you 40 times your potential return, and that's obviously way too much risk, and not enough reward.
However, you cannot trust a Pepperdine (+1400) side which has won just once in the past 7 games. Saint Mary's is playing much better basketball, and it is the play at home against the number.
PASS.
Against the spread
Play SAINT MARY'S -18.5 (-102), although you'll obviously need a good start. The Gaels have covered 7 of the past 9 games, while going 4-2 ATS in the past 6 games as a double-digit favorite.
And in this series, SMC has covered the previous 3 meetings, winning by an average of 22.7 points in the stretch. The Gaels have covered a double-digit underdogs in each of those 3 meetings, too.
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Over/Under
OVER 132.5 (-110) is worth a look. The total has gone high in 2 of the past 3 meetings in Moraga.
The total has gone high in 6 of the past 10 games for the Waves, with Pepperdine going for 71 or more points in 7 of the past 10 outings, while coughing up 77 or more points in 8 of the previous 11 contests.
Be careful, though, as the Under has hit in 3 in a row for Saint Mary's, while cashing in 2 of the past 3 meetings with Pepperdine.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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