The Portland Pilots (13-14, 5-7 WCC) will try to overcome one of the NCAA’s top scoring defenses when they play host to the No. 15 Saint Mary’s Gaels (21-5, 10-1 WCC) on Saturday.
Saint Mary’s dropped their last game against the Loyola Marymount Lions 78-74 in overtime at Albert Gersten Pavilion on Thursday. Logan Johnson was the standout player in the loss with 31 points. The Gaels remain first in the West Coast Conference.
Portland won on Thursday at Earle A. Chiles Center, beating the Pacific Tigers 81-73. Moses Wood had 26 points and eight rebounds to lead the team. The Pilots are seventh in the West Coast Conference. This marks the last meeting of the season between the teams.
Saint Mary’s will be pursuing a season sweep against Portland after winning the only prior matchup 85-43 at University Credit Union Pavilion on January 7, their 11th straight head-to-head victory. Mitchell Saxen led the Gaels with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Alden Applewhite had 13 points in defeat.
Aidan Mahaney is averaging 15.3 points per game to lead the Gaels in scoring this season. Meanwhile, Saxen is grabbing 8.4 rebounds per game, and Johnson is dishing 3.6 assists. Wood and Tyler Robertson have powered the Pilots’ offense, averaging 15.2 and 15.0 points per game, respectively.
Wood also has collected 6.2 rebounds per game, while Robertson has distributed 5.5 assists per game. Holding opponents to 58.5 points per game, the Gaels are one of the best scoring defenses in the nation (5th).Saint Mary’s is 9-1 in the last 10 games with an average margin of +15.5 (75.0-59.5).
Portland has split the last 10 (5-5), allowing 83.5 points per game on average while scoring only 77.0 (-6.5 margin). The Pilots are averaging 77.4 ppg for the full season while allowing 77.1.
GAELS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Luke Barrett: 2.4 | 4.5 | -2.1
Points per game:
Logan Johnson: 16.4 | 12.9 | +3.5
Rebounds per game:
Logan Johnson: 3.2 | 4.7 | -1.5
Assists per game:
Logan Johnson: 2.6 | 3.6 | -1.0
PILOTS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Mike Meadows: 15.6 | 11.0 | +4.6
Alden Applewhite: 6.5 | 13.1 | -6.6
Points per game:
Juan Sebastian Gorosito: 10.4 | 7.6 | +2.8
Alden Applewhite: 3.8 | 8.6 | -4.9
Rebounds per game:
Tyler Robertson: 6.8 | 5.4 | +1.4
Kristian Sjolund: 3.4 | 4.7 | -1.3
SportsTips’ College Basketball Pick:
Saint Mary’s -11.5 (-110)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
