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It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Merrimack-Saint Mary's prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Merrimack-Saint Mary's.
Merrimack continues its California road trip with this game, which follows an earlier Bay Area visit to Stanford. Merrimack didn't beat Stanford, but it put up a very good fight against the more talented Cardinal. Merrimack was able to hold Stanford to 74 points. The Cardinal had scored close to 90 in a few of their recent games, but the Merrimack defense was able to keep the Trees contained in a 74-68 loss. Merrimack comfortably covered the spread as a double-digit underdog on the road. Merrimack is playing solid basketball right now. That close loss to Stanford followed four straight wins. Merrimack struggled early in the season and is still 5-7 overall, but the past two weeks have showcased the best of what this team can be.
Saint Mary's is going through a lot of ups and downs, and also a nasty habit of playing to the level of the competition. A two-point loss to Boise State is nothing to be ashamed of, but SMC is playing extremely close games almost every time it takes the floor these days. Two of its last three games have gone to overtime, and one was against a not-that-great UTSA team at home. The Gaels had no business allowing UTSA to take them into an extra period. Saint Mary's also lost to Arizona State in late November, so it's clear that this team is not finding the level of consistency it needs to be a top-tier force in college basketball.
There are signs of how good SMC can become. The Gaels crushed USC by 35 points, and they won at Utah by nine. Those were very impressive performances against power conference opponents, both away from home. When you see Saint Mary's play like that, you wonder why the Gaels can't replicate those efforts more regularly. Coach Randy Bennett has to find a way to get his team to play at a steady level without the wild fluctuations in quality and focus.
Here are the Merrimack-Saint Mary's College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Merrimack-Saint Mary's Odds
Merrimack: +20.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +1600
Saint Mary's: -20.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -4500
Over: 127.5 (-115)
Under: 127.5 (-105)
How to Watch Merrimack vs Saint Mary's
Time: 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN Plus
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Merrimack Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Warriors covered the spread at Stanford by several points. They are getting 20.5 points here. The line does seem a little generous, so you could walk right through the door and take Merrimack. Don't make this any more complicated than it needs to be.
Why Saint Mary's Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Gaels are too good to be fooling around the way they are. They are playing to the level of their competition and are not maximizing their potential. That sounds like a reason to pick against them, not in favor of them, but the point is that they are bound to break out of their bad habits and deliver a thumping to a clearly inferior team. Tonight is that night for the Gaels.
Final Merrimack-Saint Mary's Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Saint Mary's, but we are not going to trust the inconsistent Gaels with our money. Stay away from this one.
Final Merrimack-Saint Mary's Prediction & Pick: Saint Mary's -20.5
