Portland Looks for Second Straight Win

Portland is looking for their third straight game and they have all kinds of confidence right now. Two games ago against Oregon State, they won 84-72, and in the last game against Loyola Marymount, they won 89-78. In the last game, Portland scored 57 points in the second half to help pace them. Max Mackinnon had a strong game putting up 29 points eight rebounds, and four assists. There were four different players that put up at least 14 points to help pace them. The last loss came on the 7th against Santa Clara and they ended up losing that game 97-50. 

Portland sits with a 10-17 record overall and they have gone 12-13 against the spread. Away from home this season they have gone 2-7. Portland is averaging 72.1 points while their defense is giving up 81 points per game. The offense is ranked 242nd while the defense is ranked 352nd. Max Mackinnon is averaging 14.1 points while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the three-point line. 

St Mary’s is On Fire

St Mary’s is on fire heading into this game, and they just keep beating up on teams. St Mary’s in the last game faced off against Washington State and they scored 77 points while the defense gave up only 56 points on the way to the victory. Paulius Murauskas had a huge game to help pace the team putting up 30 points and 10 rebounds. St Mary’s had three different players that put up at least 12 points. Two games ago against Santa Clara, it was much of the same as they were able to secure the 73-64 victory. 

St Mary’s currently sits with a 23-4 record overall and they have gone 13-13 against the spread. At home this season they have gone 13-1 straight up. St Mary’s is averaging 74.7 points while their defense is giving up 60.5 points per game. The offense is ranked 167th in the league while the defense is ranked 4th in the league. Augustas Marciulionis is averaging 14.3 points while shooting 45 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from behind the three-point line. 

St Mary’s vs Portland Prediction

St Mary’s is averaging 74.7 points, and they are going to have no issue here. Yes, Portland’s offense has been good heading into this game, but remember their last loss when they scored 50 points while the defense gave up 97 points? It’s going to be something similar here. Portland’s defense overall is giving up 81 points per game, and they are going to really struggle here. St Mary’s is going to end up cruising up here to victory. Back St Mary’s against the spread here.

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Oregon State Beavers Betting Preview

Oregon State got off to a great start through their first dozen games. The Beavers have been pretty choppy since then, though. Oregon State took out Utah Tech, Weber State, Western Oregon, Cal State Fullerton, UC Davis, Idaho, UC Irvine, Sacramento State, Charleston and Oakland in those first 12 outings, falling to only Oregon and North Texas otherwise. Since then the Beavers are a shaky 7-6 overall. The wins have come versus Portland, San Diego, Pacific, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, Santa Clara and Washington State. Otherwise it’s been losses to Nebraska, Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. That gives the Beavers a 17-8 overall record through their first 25 games of the season.

In the Saint Mary’s matchup over the weekend, the Beavers opened the game with a rough 30-19 deficit. Oregon State didn’t end up getting any closer than that, falling further behind on a 33-30 run for a 63-49 defeat in the end. The team’s only double-digit scorer was Isaiah Sy, who came off the bench for 10 points and two rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Nate Kingz led the starters with a modest seven points and one rebound. Both Parsa Fallah (five rebounds) and Damarco Minor (three rebounds) chipped in six points apiece as well.

Portland Pilots Betting Preview

Over on the Portland side, they’ve had a rough season so far. The Pilots haven’t been able to win consecutive games just yet. During a 3-7 start, Portland fell to UC Santa Barbara, Oregon, South Florida, Ohio, Princeton, Kent State and Kansas City. After a 2-1 run with wins over Willamette and Lafayette (with a loss to CSU Bakersfield), Portland fell to Washington State, Oregon State, Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and San Francisco in succession. It’s been a 3-4 run since then featuring wins over Pacific, San Diego and Pepperdine among losses to Washington State, Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara. That gives Portland a rough 8-17 overall record through 25 games so far this year.

Matched up against Santa Clara last Thursday, the Pilots came out of the locker room facing a 41-31 deficit. Portland got blitzed 56-19 the rest of the way, limping to a blowout loss 97-50 in the end. Leading the way in the defeat was Christ Austin with 12 points and four rebounds. Vukasin Masic came off the bench to provide 11 points with four rebounds and one assist. Max Mackinnon added eight points with three rebounds and one assist in 32 minutes as well.

Why the Portland Pilots will win

• Oregon State has lost each of its last 15 Thursday road games.
• The home team has won six of Oregon State’s last seven games.
• Oregon State has lost the first half in four of its last five night games against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Why the Oregon State Beavers will win

• Portland has lost four of its last five night games following a home loss.
• The road team has won three of Portland’s last four games.
• Portland has lost the first half in 12 of its last 14 games against the West Coast Conference.

Portland vs Oregon State Prediction

I’ll stay with Oregon State. The Beavers need a good effort after falling to Saint Mary’s at home, and this is a good spot to get it. Oregon State shot just 36.5 percent from the field in the loss to the Gaels, giving up 53.1 percent shooting on the other side. The 30-28 rebounding deficit didn’t help either. The Beavers have been below 61 points in two of the last three games now, losing both of those outings.

The last time these teams met up back on December 30, Oregon State powered out an 89-79 win at home. The Beavers shot very well in that one, hitting 61.4 percent from the field. That said, Oregon State also gave up 51.9 percent shooting on the other side, however the 29-19 rebounding advantage helped significantly. In any case, the Beavers are certainly the better team in this scenario but I’d like to see them clamp down a little better on defense this time on the way to a more convincing road win in the rematch. Oregon State could certainly use it.

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Gonzaga Recap

The Gonzaga Bulldogs come into this game looking to bounce back from a 103-99 loss at the hands of Santa Clara last time out to fall to 14-6 on the year. After this game, Gonzaga will head home for a game against Oregon State.

Bulldogs Drop Back-To-Back Conference Games

Graham Ike leads the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding with 17.2 PPG and 7.4 RPG while Khalif Battle has 12.8 PPG with 3.6 RPG. Ryan Nembhard has 11.8 PPG with 3.4 RPG and a team-high 9.77 APG to lead the Zags in assists as well as 1.8 SPG to lead the way in steals as well. Braden Huff has 11.3 PPG with 3.6 RPG and Ben Gregg has 10.6 PPG with 6.1 RPG. Nolan Hickman has also chipped in 10.8 PPG and 3 RPG as well, rounding out the group of double-digit scorers for Gonzaga so far this season. As a team, Gonzaga is averaging 88.4 PPG on 49.3% shooting from the field, 35.2% from three and 80.3% from the foul line this season.

Why the Gonzaga Bulldogs will win

• Gonzaga has won each of its last 43 day games against the West Coast Conference.
• Portland has lost five of its last six day games following a home win.

Portland Recap

The Portland Pilots come into this game looking to build on a 92-82 win over San Diego last time out to improve to 7-14 on the year. After this game, Portland will head on the road for a matchup with Loyola Marymount.

Pilots Looking To Spring Upset

Austin Rapp leads the Pilots in scoring and rebounding with 13.9 PPG and 6.5 RPG while Max Mackinnon has 12.9 PPG with 4.7 RPG and 2.7 APG as the only other double-digit scorer for Portland so far this season. Vukasin Masic also has 8.7 PPG with 2.9 RPG and 3 APG to lead Portland in assists as well up to this point in the year. As a team, Portland is averaging 72.1 PPG on 43.1% shooting from the field, 33.7% from three and 77.4% from the foul line this season.

Why the Portland Pilots will win

• The home team has won each of Portland’s last four games.

Portland vs Gonzaga Prediction

I’m on the over here. I want to lay the points with Gonzaga because they’ve been so good historically, but this season, the Zags had just had issues covering point spreads and I don’t know if that’s going to change all of a sudden here. However, Portland’s one of the worst in the WCC this season, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if the Zags hit the century mark here. Give me the over.

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San Francisco Dons Betting Preview

The San Francisco Dons are 13-4 (3-1) this year after they lost to Washington State by a score of 91-82 in their last game. San Francisco led 49-48 at halftime, but they were outscored 43-33 in the second half in the loss. The Dons shot 41.8% from the field, 30.3% on three-pointers, and 69.6% on free throws in the game. Malik Thomas led San Francisco with 34 points and three assists, while Junjie Wang added 13 points and two rebounds in the game. 

Prior to that loss, the Dons defeated Pacific by a score of 89-81 and Santa Clara by a score of 97-94. San Francisco has won four of their last five games and their other three losses came against Bradley, Clemson, and Memphis. San Francisco has scored 77.8 points per game and they have allowed 66.8 points per game, while also averaging 36.3 rebounds and 14.5 assists per game this year. Malik Thomas is averaging 20.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, while Marcus Williams is averaging 14.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game this season. San Francisco is shooting 46.9% from the field, 68.2% on free throws, and 35.8% on three-pointers this year. 

Portland Pilots Betting Preview

The Portland Pilots are 5-12 (0-4) this season after they lost to St. Mary’s by a score of 81-58 in their last game. Portland trailed 28-19 at halftime and they allowed 53 points in the second half in the loss. The Pilots shot 37% from the field, 35% on three-pointers, and 78.6% on free throws in the game. Max Mackinnon led Portland with 12 points and three assists, while Austin Rapp added 10 points and eight rebounds in the loss. 

Prior to that game, the Pilots lost to Gonzaga by a score of 81-50 and Oregon State by a score of 89-79. Portland has lost four games in a row and they only have three wins against D-1 opponents so far this year. Portland has scored 70.4 points per game and they have allowed 79.2 points per game, while also averaging 34.2 rebounds and 14.8 assists per game this season. Austin Rapp is averaging 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, while Max Mackinnon is averaging 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game this year. Portland is shooting 43.1% from the field, 77.1% on free throws, and 33.7% on three-pointers this season. 

Why San Francisco will beat Portland

• San Francisco has won each of its last 14 games at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
• Portland has lost eight of its last nine games at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
• Portland has lost the first half in each of its last six games against the West Coast Conference.

San Francisco vs Portland Prediction 

Portland comes into this matchup really struggling to start the season and they are trying to snap their four-game losing streak here. The Pilots are allowing over 79 points against per game this year and they have allowed 81+ points in four straight games. San Francisco is coming off of a loss to Washington State last time out, but they have been great so far this year. The Dons are the better team in just about every metric and they have impressive wins over Boise State and St. Louis, while also battling Memphis in a loss. I expect San Francisco to score into the 80’s in this game and I like them to get the easy win here. Take the Dons to cover. 

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Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Preview

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are 10-4 (1-0) this year after they defeated Pepperdine by a score of 89-82 in their last game. Gonzaga led 50-32 at halftime, but they were outscored 50-39 in the second half in the win. The Bulldogs shot 54.5% from the field, 13.3% on three-pointers, and 78.9% on free throws in the game. Khalif Battle led Gonzaga with 21 points and three assists, while Braden Huff added 19 points and six rebounds in the win. 

Prior to that game, the Bulldogs lost to UCLA by a score of 65-62 but did beat Bucknell by a score of 86-65 before that. Gonzaga has won three of their last four games, but they have done a pretty good job against these lesser teams. Gonzaga has scored 87.3 points per game and they have allowed 70 points per game, while also averaging 39.9 rebounds and 18.9 assists per game this season. Graham Ike is averaging 16.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game, while Khalif Battle is averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game this season. Gonzaga is shooting 49.7% from the field, 80.5% on free throws, and 33.3% on three-pointers this year. 

Portland Pilots Betting Preview

The Portland Pilots are 5-10 (0-2) this season after they lost to Oregon State by a score of 89-79 in their last game. Portland trailed 46-39 at halftime and while they did play well in the second half, they couldn’t make the comeback. The Pilots shot 51.9% from the field, 40% on three-pointers, and 92.9% on free throws in the game. Austin Rapp led Portland with 22 points and six rebounds, while Max Mackinnon added 14 points and four assists in the loss. 

Prior to that game, the Pilots lost to Washington State by a score of 89-73 but did beat Lafayette by a score of 74-64 before that. Portland has lost five of their last seven games and they are 0-2 in conference play, which is last in the WCC. Portland has scored 72.6 points per game and they have allowed 79.0 points per game, while also averaging 34.1 rebounds and 15.2 assists per game this season. Austin Rapp is averaging 14.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, while Max Mackinnon is averaging 10.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game this year. Portland is shooting 44.2% from the field, 77.2% on free throws, and 34.9% on three-pointers this season. Portland will face St. Mary’s following this one.

Why Gonzaga will beat Portland

• Portland has lost each of its last 23 games against AP-ranked opponents.
• Gonzaga has won each of its last 18 games against Portland.
• Gonzaga has won the first half in each of its last 16 night games against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Total Points Facts

• Nine of Portland’s last 10 night games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 161 or fewer points.
• Each of the last three games between Portland and Gonzaga has produced a total of 160 or fewer points.

Gonzaga vs Portland Prediction 

Gonzaga comes into this matchup after winning three of their last four games and they are ranked #19 in the country. The Bulldogs do have four losses on the season, but they have played a very difficult schedule. Portland has struggled to start the season and they have lost eight of their last 11 games. The Pilots allowed 89 points in each of their last two games and their defense is going to have trouble against this high-scoring Gonzaga attack. The Bulldogs are shooting nearly 50% from the field and they are averaging 87.3 points per game. I know Gonzaga struggled in the second half against Pepperdine, but I like them to pick up a dominant win at home here. 

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Portland Pilots Betting Preview

The Portland Pilots are 3-5 this year after they defeated Denver in double overtime by a score of 101-90 in their last game. Portland blew a nine-point lead at the half, but they were able to escape with the win in the second overtime. The Pilots shot 48.4% from the field, 34.5% on three-pointers, and 85.3% on free throws in the game. Vukasin Masic led Portland with 27 points and five rebounds in the game. 

Prior to that win, the Pilots lost three games in a row against Princeton, Ohio, and South Florida. Portland has scored 72.3 points per game and they have allowed 81 points per game, while also averaging 38.3 rebounds and 13.9 assists per game this season. Vukasin Masic is averaging 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, while Portland is shooting 42% from the field, 73.1% on free throws, and 32.2% on three-pointers this year. 

Kent State Golden Flashes Betting Preview

The Kent State Golden Flashes are 6-2 this season after they defeated Kennesaw State by a score of 67-60 in their last game. Kent State led 35-29 at halftime and was able to maintain that lead in the second half for the win. The Golden Flashes shot 28.6% from the field, 17.2% on three-pointers, and 78.8% on free throws in the game. VonCameron Davis led Kent State with 16 points and six rebounds in the win. 

Prior to that game, the Golden Flashes lost to UC Irvine by a score of 51-39 but did beat Towson, Cleveland State, and Niagara before that. Kent State has scored 67.4 points per game and they have allowed 61 points per game, while also averaging 35.5 rebounds and 11.3 assists per game this season. VonCameron Davis is averaging 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, while Kent State is shooting 39.2% from the field, 75.2% on free throws, and 30% on three-pointers this year. 

Why Kent State will beat Portland

• Kent State has won each of its last six games at Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.
• Portland has lost eight of its last nine night games against non-conference opponents.
• Kent State has won the first half in 10 of its last 11 games against non-conference opponents at Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.

Kent State vs Portland Prediction 

Kent State comes into this matchup after winning four of their last five games, but they did score just 39 points in their loss against UCI two games ago. Portland has dropped three of their last four games and they are allowing 81 points against per game on defense. Neither team is shooting the ball very well right now and while I normally don’t recommend backing a team that is shooting below 40%, I have to go against this Portland defense. Take the Golden Flashes here. 

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Denver Pioneers Betting Preview

Denver got off to a 3-2 start this year with losses to Stanford and Colorado State among wins versus Western State, Colorado Christian, and Montana State. The Pioneers have lost to Montana, CSU Northridge, and Utah Tech since then, though.

On Tuesday versus Utah Tech, the Pioneers came out of the break with a 39-29 deficit. Denver didn’t get any closer than that in a 68-54 defeat. Josh Lee and Sebastian Akins each had a team-high 11 points with five combined rebounds between them.

Portland Pilots Betting Preview

Over on the Portland side, they went 2-2 in their first four with wins over Lewis and Clark and LBSU between losses to UC Santa Barbara and Oregon. The Pilots have lost to South Florida, Ohio, and Princeton in the three games since.

Matched up against Princeton last Sunday, the Pilots got drilled 52-29 in the first half and trailed on a 42-38 run from there in a 94-67 defeat. Vukasin Masic and Mikah Ballew led the team with 12 points and three rebounds each.

Why the Portland Pilots will win

• Denver has lost six of its last seven games against non-conference opponents.
• Portland has won three of its last four games at Earle A. & Virginia H. Chiles Center.
• Denver has lost the first half in eight of its last nine games against non-conference opponents.

Why the Denver Pioneers will win

• Portland has lost nine of its last 10 games against non-conference opponents.
• Portland has lost the first half in seven of its last eight day games against non-conference opponents.

Portland vs Denver Prediction

I’ll stick with Denver. Granted, there’s not a lot to get excited about here if you’re not a fan of either team. That said, we should have a pretty good game. The Pioneers started out on a pretty good scoring run earlier this year but they’ve notched just 114 combined points in their last pair. Denver has given up 68 or more points in four straight games on the other side, but thankfully Portland should be in the Pioneers’ wheelhouse.

Speaking of the Pilots, they’ve scored reasonably well (67 or more points) in three straight but they’ve also given up 74 or more in all three of those games. Denver should have some open looks here but whether or not they’ll take advantage remains to be seen. I’m probably staying away from this one.

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Portland Pilots Betting Preview

The Portland Pilots lost to USF and Ohio, and they play Denver, Kent State, and Kansas City next. The Portland Pilots are averaging 68.3 points on 40.9 percent shooting and allowing 77.3 points on 42.6 percent shooting. Vukasin Masic is averaging 13.6 points and 5 rebounds, while Austin Rapp is averaging 12.3 points and 7.3 rebounds. Max Mackinnon is the third double-digit scorer and Vincent Delano is grabbing 2 rebounds. The Portland Pilots are shooting 32.2 percent from beyond the arc and 67.3 percent from the free throw line. The Portland Pilots are allowing 34 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 32.3 rebounds per game.

Princeton Tigers Betting Preview

The Princeton Tigers lost to Wright State and Texas State, and they play Saint Joseph’s, Furman, and Monmouth next. The Princeton Tigers are averaging 73.4 points on 45 percent shooting and allowing 74 points on 47.6 percent shooting. Xaivian Lee is averaging 17.6 points and 4.7 rebounds, while Dalen Davis is averaging 14.4 points and 2 rebounds. Caden Pierce is the third double-digit scorer and Blake Peters is grabbing 1.7 rebounds. The Princeton Tigers are shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc and 68.2 percent from the free throw line. The Princeton Tigers are allowing 35.3 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 27.6 rebounds per game.

Why the Princeton Tigers will win

• Portland has lost eight of its last nine games against non-conference opponents.
• Princeton has won 28 of its last 36 games.
• Portland has lost the first half in each of its last seven games against non-AP-ranked opponents at a neutral venue.

Princeton vs Portland Prediction

The Princeton Tigers are the more talented team and should be favored, but we’ve seen them lose 3 of their last 4 games outright as favorites. Princeton has to figure things out defensively before we can back the Tigers in the favorite role. This is also a ridiculously early game on the East Coast, and it makes you wonder how sloppy things will actually be. I’m not laying double-digit chalk. Give me the Portland Pilots and the points.

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Ohio Fell Just Short

Ohio was competitive on Thursday against Middle Tennessee, but they ended up falling short in overtime. Ohio shot 40.3 percent from the field and 20.7 percent from behind the three-point line. If they want to find success in this game, Ohio is going to need to improve their shooting from deep. AJ Clayton had a strong game from the field, putting up 18 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists. Two games ago against Memphis, Ohio scored 70 points, but the defense gave up 94 points and that led to the defeat. The Bobcats are averaging 77.2 points while their defense is giving up 85.2 points per game. The offense is ranked 189th while the defense is ranked 354th. 

Slow Start for Portland

On Thursday, it was a slow start for Portland against South Florida, and that led to the 74-68 defeat. They were outscored 38-33 in the first half and they couldn’t bounce back in the second half. Portland shot 36.7 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from behind the three-point line. They need to shoot better or this is going to be a long game. Max Mackinnon had a strong game putting up 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Vincent Delano came off the bench and put up 14 points. In this game, they are going to need balanced scoring from the bench again. 

Portland is averaging 67.4 points while their defense is giving up 75.8 points per game. The offense is ranked 318th while the defense is ranked 267th. The offense has to get out to a fast start here. 

Portland vs Ohio Prediction

Ohio is going to have no issue running up the score here. Ohio is averaging 77.2 points per game and they are going to have no issue running up the score here. Portland’s offense is going to have an answer and that will be the difference here. Ohio is going to over the 85-point mark here and that is going to be the difference here as Ohio is going to end up cruising here. Back Ohio against the spread. 

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Portland Looks to Bounce Back

Portland in the first game faced off against Lewis & Clark and they sure looked good. The offense scored 83 points and they ended up winning by 13 points. In the last game against UC Santa Barbara though they really struggled. Portland scored only 53  points, and the defense gave up 94 points on the way to the defeat. Vukasin Masic had a strong game putting up 24 points, five assists, and three rebounds. Forward Austin Rapp had a strong game also putting up eight points, seven rebounds, and one assist.

Oregon Has Dominated to Start the Season

Oregon has dominated to start the season and they come into this game with a 2-1 record overall. Oregon in the first game against UC Riverside and they were able to secure the 91-76 victory. In the last game against Montana, Oregon scored 79 points and they ended up winning by 31 points. At the end of the first half, they were up 44-20 and they never looked back on the way to the win. Center Nate Bittle was the top player putting up 17 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. There were three different players that put up at least 12 points. Oregon shot 45 percent from the field and 36 percent from behind the three-point line. They held Montana to only shooting 15.8 percent from behind the three-point line and they are going to need a similar production here. If the defense steps up, they will be in good shape to win with ease. 

Oregon vs Portland Prediction

Oregon is going to have no issue running up the score here. In the last game, they held Montana to only 15.8 percent from deep and their defense is going to step up again in this game. Portland’s offense only scored 53 points in the last game and they are going to really struggle to get the offense going here. Portland’s defense is going to struggle too and this game will get out of control here. Back Oregon against the spread here. 

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What Loyola Marymount Team Shows Up?

Loyola Marymount has won two of their last three games, but they are coming off a loss in the last game. Two games ago against San Diego, Loyola Marymount was able to secure the 96-62 victory. In the last game against Portland, the offense only scored 60 points and they ended up losing by 10 points. Justice Hill was the top player for Loyola Marymount in the last game putting up 16 points. The Lions are averaging 72.5 points while their defense is giving up 71.2 points per game. Dominick Harris is averaging 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. 

More College Basketball Picks: Boise State vs San Diego State Prediction!

Portland Has Some Confidence

Portland is playing well heading into this game having won two games in a row. Two games ago against Santa Clara, Portland was able to secure the 80–75 victory and in the last game against the Lions they won 70-60. Portland is averaging 72 points while their defense is giving up 80 points per game. The defense for this team has struggled, and they are going to need the defense to be better here. Tyler Robertson has been the top player for Portland averaging 16.5 points while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from behind the three point line. 

Loyola Marymount vs Portland Betting Prediction

These two teams just faced off against Portland won, and it’s going to be no different in this game. Portland is averaging 72 points per game and in this game, their defense is going to step up here. Loyola Marymount is going to struggle to keep up here, and that is going to be the difference here as Portland is going to get the job done. Back Portland to cover the spread. 

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Gonzaga Preview

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are 20-6 (10-2) this year after they defeated Pacific by a score of 102-76 in their last game. Gonzaga led 47-34 at the half and they scored 55 second half points in the blowout win. The Bulldogs shot 66.1% from the field and were +8 in rebounding margin in the game. Gonzaga has also defeated Loyola Marymount, Kentucky, and Portland during this winning streak. The Bulldogs are scoring 85.8 points per game with 40 rebounds per game and 16.2 assists per game, while allowing 68.8 points against per game this year. Graham Ike is averaging 15.8 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game, and 1.0 assist per game. Gonzaga is shooting 51.4% from the field, 71.5% on free throws, and 34.3% on three pointers this season.

More College Basketball Picks: Washington vs Arizona State Prediction!

Portland Preview

The Portland Pilots are 9-19 (3-10) this season after they lost to Pepperdine by a score of 91-70 in their last game. Portland trailed 52-36 at halftime and allowed another 39 points in the second half in the loss. The Pilots shot 47.2% from the field and were -5 in rebounding margin in the game. Portland has also lost to San Diego, St. Mary’s, and Gonzaga during this losing streak. The Pilots are scoring 72 points per game with 33.8 rebounds per game and 13.4 assists per game, while giving up 80.7 points against per game this season. Tyler Robertson is averaging 16.1 points per game, 4.0 rebounds per game, and 3.5 assists per game. Portland is shooting 43.8% from the field, 72.2% on free throws, and 33.7% on three pointers this year. 

Gonzaga vs Portland Betting Prediction

Gonzaga rolls into this matchup as the second best team in the WCC and they should have no issues picking up a win here. The Bulldogs are one of the best offensive teams in the country and they are shooting 51.4% from the field. Portland is allowing over 80 points against per game on defense and they are only shooting 43.8% from the field. Gonzaga just beat Portland by a score of 96-64 on February 7th and I don’t see how this game is any better. Gonzaga is miles ahead of Portland this season and I expect an easy Gonzaga win. 

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Portland Pilots

The Pilots started out the year pretty well, but then went roughly two and a half months without winning consecutive games. Portland is 2-6 in their last eight with losses to Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Diego, LMU and San Francisco again before wins over Pacific and Pepperdine.

In the Pepperdine game on Saturday, the Pilots jumped out to a nice 52-41 edge by the break. Portland was outscored 48-41 from there but still held on for the victory 93-89 in the end. Tyler Robertson was the team’s leading scorer on 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

More College Basketball Picks: Creighton vs Providence Prediction!

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Over on the Gonzaga side, they started the year at 11-5 with losses to Purdue, Washington, UConn, San Diego State and Santa Clara. After wins over Pepperdine, San Diego, San Francisco, Pacific and Loyola Marymount the Bulldogs took another loss to Saint Mary’s.

Matched up against Saint Mary’s on Saturday, the Bulldogs had a slim one-point lead going into the second half. Gonzaga was outscored 31-28 the rest of the way in a tough loss 64-62. Tops in scoring was Ryan Nembhard with 18 points, while Anton Watson doubled on 16 points and 10 boards.

ANDREW’S FREE PORTLAND VS GONZAGA PREDICTION

I’ll stay with Gonzaga. The line’s probably too thick to mess with, though. The Bulldogs need a return to form after falling in a tough one to Saint Mary’s over the weekend, and this is a good spot to get it. Gonzaga shot a rough 21.4 percent from 3-point range (21.4 percent) in their latest defeat but otherwise didn’t play too badly outside of surrendering 45.5 percent from the field on defense. It was the first time the Bulldogs had been below 74 points in 11 games.

As for Portland, they’ve got a couple of consecutive wins in the bag and should be feeling pretty good right now. This is going to be a tough matchup though, and with a talented Gonzaga team coming off a loss I don’t think the Pilots will hang around for too long.

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Portland Pilots

The Pilots went a shaky 6-5 over their first 11 games this year, losing to Tennessee State, Nevada, Portland State, Air Force and North Dakota State along the way. After losses to Grand Canyon, Hawaii, UMass and Temple, Portland finally got another victory versus Pacific on Saturday.

In the Pacific matchup, the Pilots were up 33-30 in the locker room. Portland got better from there on a 45-34 run and ended up taking the big win 78-64. Leading the team in scoring was Tyler Robertson with his 19 points and nine rebounds alongside eight assists and three steals.

Saint Mary’s Gaels

Over on the Saint Mary’s side, they started the year on a shaky run themselves at 3-5. Those wins were versus Stanislaus State, New Mexico and Davidson. The Gaels are 8-1 since then though, with wins over Cleveland State, Colorado State, UNLV, Middle Tennessee, Northern Kentucky, Kent State, San Diego and LMU.

Matched up against Loyola Marymount in their Saturday game, the Gaels went into the second half with a four-point edge. Saint Mary’s kept the pace on a 33-33 run from there and pulled off the win 68-64. Tops in scoring was Augustas Marciulionis with 22 points, three rebounds and three assists.

ANDREW’S FREE PORTLAND VS SAINT MARY’S PREDICTION

I’ll stay with Saint Mary’s. The line’s a bit too thick to mess with, though. The Gaels had something of a close call versus a scrappy LMU squad in their last outing, but everything worked out well in the end. Saint Mary’s shot pretty poorly in that one though, with 38.7 percent from the field and 18.8 percent (3-of-16) from 3-point range. During this 8-1 run, the Gaels have finished below 70 points in five outings.

As for Portland, they had a nice offensive showing in the Pacific game but had hit below 64 points in three of the previous four games. If the Pilots can’t find some consistent shooting in this one I don’t think they’ll keep a cover pace.

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Injuries

Portland hasn’t announced any new injuries coming into this game while BYU still has Hao Dong listed as out until later this month with an ankle issue and Trevon Knell is still out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Matchup History

BYU’s 71-58 win over Portland back on December 31^st, 2022, made it 13 straight wins for BYU in this head-to-head matchup.

Trends

Portland is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a win while the over is 5-0 in their last 5 games overall. BYU is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 Friday games and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games overall while the over is 4-1 in their last 5 neutral site games.

Pick

I’m leaning towards BYU here, but probably not messing with this one. The Cougars were back-pedalling into the conference tournament and I’m not sure how eager I am to back them but it beats the alternative which is a Portland team that can beat teams on their level, but they’ve also lost 13 straight meetings and 21 of the 23 meetings going back to 2008. I just feel like this is a good spot for BYU to get something going if they’re going to, so give me BYU in this one.

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Portland Pilots 

Portland managed a .500 run over their first 20 games with an 11-11 record. The Pilots put up a rough 2-5 stretch in the next seven outings, losing to LMU, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara along the way. 

On Thursday versus San Francisco, Portland was down 56-53 going into the second half. The Pilots kept the pace on 36 points from there but ended up losing 92-89. Moses Wood scored 28 points with nine rebounds and Tyler Robertson added 22 points in the defeat. 

Pacific Tigers 

Over on the Pacific side, they didn’t quite hit .500 to start the year, going 10-12 overall. The Tigers managed a 3-4 run in the next seven with losses to BYU, Portland, San Francisco and LMU alongside wins versus Santa Clara, Pepperdine and San Diego. 

Matched up against Saint Mary’s on Thursday, the Tigers were down by 17 points going into the second. Pacific was drilled 35-21 from there and lost big 83-52. Jordan Ivy-Curry was the only double-digit team scorer on 11 points. 

ANDREW’S FREE PICK 

I’m going to take a stab on Portland here. The Pilots are sitting on a three-game losing streak, but they’ve been fairly competitive in comparable matchups lately. Portland has been scoring well with 80 or more points in five of their last six games. As for Pacific, they lost 81-73 the last time these teams met up back on February 9 at Chiles Center. I like this one to be a pretty close outcome, so you could probably make a case for the Tigers. It’ll be a fun game to watch. 

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Portland Pilots 

Portland managed a .500 record over their first 22 games, going 11-11 to start the year. The Pilots are just 2-5 in the last seven, however. Portland has fallen to LMU, Gonzaga, Pepperdine, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara in that time. 

In the Santa Clara game on Saturday, the Pilots were drilled 56-36 in the first half. Portland scored another 48 points in the second but didn’t get close in a 103-84 defeat. Mike Meadows was the leading scorer on 39 points. 

San Francisco Dons

Over on the San Francisco side, they managed a 13-9 record over their first 22 games of the year. The Dons are 4-3 in their last seven, taking out BYU, San Diego, Pepperdine and Pacific with losses to Saint Mary’s, Santa Clara and Gonzaga otherwise. 

Matched up against Pacific last Thursday, the Dons were up 38-34 going into the second half. After another 38-34 run San Francisco emerged with a 76-68 victory. Khalil Shabazz (26 points) and Tyrell Roberts (25 points) led the way. 

ANDREW’S FREE PICK 

I’m sticking with San Francisco. The Dons are coming off a pretty solid all-around road win over Pacific last week. San Francisco now has consecutive wins after a string of losses to three very good teams in Saint Mary’s, Santa Clara and Gonzaga. The last time these teams saw each other was back on January 12 at Chiles Center. The Pilots took a 92-87 win in that one thanks to a 48-38 first half. San Francisco has been off the court for a full week, but if they can shake the rust off quickly here I think they’ll be fine cover-wise in the rematch. 

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The Santa Clara Broncos Betting Preview

The Santa Clara Broncos are averaging 75.7 points on 44.7 percent shooting and allowing 72.6 points on 43.6 percent shooting. Brandin Podziemski is averaging 19.7 points and 8.1 rebounds, while Carlos Stewart is averaging 15.2 points and 2.3 rebounds. Keshawn Justice is the third double-digit scorer and Carlos Marshall Jr. is dishing 1.3 assists. The Santa Clara Broncos are shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc and 71.8 percent from the free throw line. The Santa Clara Broncos are allowing 36.1 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 34.9 rebounds per game.

The Portland Pilots Betting Preview

The Portland Pilots are averaging 76.9 points on 45.7 percent shooting and allowing 77.2 points on 45 percent shooting. Tyler Robertson is averaging 14.9 points and 5.3 rebounds, while Moses Wood is averaging 14.8 points and 6 rebounds. Kristian Sjolund is the third double-digit scorer and Mike Meadows is grabbing 2.6 rebounds. The Portland Pilots are shooting 37.1 percent from beyond the arc and 72.8 percent from the free throw line. The Portland Pilots are allowing 37.7 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 30.3 rebounds per game.

Santa Clara vs Portland Trends 

The Broncos are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games overall. The Pilots are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 Saturday games. The over is 39-18-1 in Broncos last 58 road games. The over is 15-5 in Pilots last 20 home games. The road team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.

Randy’s Free Pick

The Santa Clara Broncos have simply been the better team this season, and I’d need the line to be steeper to consider going the other way. The Portland Pilots are not only getting outscored on the year, but they’re not playing well over the last week or so and have lost the majority of the games they’ve been expected to lose. This is one of those games. I’ll lay the bucket.

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The Saint Mary’s Gaels Betting Preview

The Saint Mary’s Gaels are averaging 70.4 points on 45.8 percent shooting and allowing 58.2 points on 39.9 percent shooting. Aidan Mahaney is averaging 15.3 points and 1.9 assists, while Logan Johnson is averaging 12.9 points and 4.7 rebounds. Alex Ducas is the third double-digit scorer and Mitchell Saxen is dishing 1.7 assists. The Saint Mary’s Gaels are shooting 37.7 percent from beyond the arc and 64.5 percent from the free throw line. The Saint Mary’s Gaels are allowing 31.9 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 34.4 rebounds per game.

The Portland Pilots Betting Preview

The Portland Pilots are averaging 77.4 points on 45.6 percent shooting and allowing 77.1 points on 45 percent shooting. Moses Wood is averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 rebounds, while Tyler Robertson is averaging 15 points and 5.4 rebounds. Kristian Sjolund is the third double-digit scorer and Mike Meadows is grabbing 2.7 rebounds. The Portland Pilots are shooting 37.2 percent from beyond the arc and 72.9 percent from the free throw line. The Portland Pilots are allowing 37.3 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 30.6 rebounds per game.

St. Mary’s vs Portland Trends

The Gaels are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games. The Pilots are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 Saturday games. The under is 5-2 in Gaels last 7 road games. The under is 4-1 in Pilots last 5 overall.

Randy’s Free Pick

The Portland Pilots aren’t a pushover, but they lack the horses to hang with St. Mary’s for 40 minutes, and they lose as underdogs by an average of 11.3 points. The St. Mary’s Gaels are one of the more balanced teams in the country, and they’re 14-9-2 ATS on the season. I’ll lay the chalk with the road team.

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Pacific Tigers

The Tigers struggled over their first 16 games this year, going just 7-9 overall. Pacific has posted a 5-4 record since then, beating LMU, San DIego, Pepperdine, Santa Clara and Pepperdine again during that time. 

On Saturday versus BYU, Pacific took a 41-30 deficit into the locker room. The Tigers were outscored 40-36 from there and lost 81-66. Tops in scoring was Jordan Ivy-Curry, doubling up on 11 points and 11 rebounds. 

Portland Pilots

Over on the Portland side, they went just 8-10 over their first 18 outings this season. The Pilots are on a 4-4 stretch in the last eight, with wins over San Francisco, San Diego, Pepperdine and San Diego again in that stretch. 

Matched up against Pepperdine on Saturday, the Pilots scored 35 points in both the first and second halves, 12 points in the first overtime and 11 in the second OT for a 94-93 loss. Tyler Robertson put up 35 points with 14 rebounds to lead the way. 

ANDREW’S FREE PICK 

I’ll probably stay with Portland. This one could probably go either way, though; it’ll be a competitive game if both teams play well. In any case, the Pilots scored pretty well in their near-miss road loss to Pepperdine on Saturday. Portland has lost three of their last four, though they’ve played a couple of tricky teams in that time. As for Pacific, they’ve hit 81 or more points in three of the last four and should post a pretty nice total here. Portland is going to have to hit the offensive gas, but I think they can keep the cover pace if the Pilots are playing to their capabilities. 

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