PREMIUM
3-Game NCAAB SWEEPER PASS
(NCAAB) BYU vs. Saint Mary's-California,
Point Spread: -7.00 | -106.00 Saint Mary's-California (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: -7.00 | -106.00 Saint Mary's-California (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: the 22-10 BYU Cougars look to advance to the WCC championship game when they face the 27-3 St. Mary's Gaels tonight in Las Vegas. The Gaels are ranked 20th in the latest AP poll, with two of their three losses coming to Gonzaga. Speaking of the bulldogs, the Cougars are the only team to have beaten Gonzaga this season, winning 79-71 at Gonzaga in the teams' last regular season contest back on Feb. 25.
BYU: The Cougars have won six of their last seven games, including that upset victory at then-No. 1 Gonzaga. 6-10 Mika (20.4 & 9.3) stole the show in that game, scoring 29 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. He's joined up front by 6-8 freshman Childs (9.4 & 8.4) plus the Cougars own a solid trio of guards in Emery (13.2), Bryant (11.7) and a second key freshman, Haws (13.9). It's the perfect time to note that Dave Rose's team is ranked No. 335 out of 351 teams in terms of experience. BYU's challenge here is a daunting one, as the Gaels swept the Cougars in the regular season, winning 81-68 in Moraga, Calif., and 70-57 in Provo, Utah.
St Mary's has likely done enough to earn an at-large bid but a win here to advance to the championship game, would seemingly 'punch' the team's 'ticket!' The Gaels have the 6-11 Landale (16.9 & 9.4) to match up with Mika plus a pair of guards who can both run the offense. Naar averages 9.4 PPG and Rahon 8.4 PPG, plus both average 5.7 APG. A key all season has been staying injury-free and Saint Mary's is second in the nation in allowing 56.1 PPG. Not surprisingly, that ranks first in the WCC. Maybe even more impressively, the Gaels rank first in the WCC in six statistical categories other than scoring defense: Free-throw percentage (.744, 46th in NCAA), rebound-margin (10.0, second in NCAA), 3-point field-goal percentage (39.3 percent, 24th), assists per game (16.8, 18th NCAA) and assist-turnover ratio (1.6, fourth NCAA).
The pick: Counting on an at-large bid out of the WCC is always a 'crap shoot' and the Gaels have worked too hard to get this far. Expect a convincing win here and then St. Mary's will get one last shot at Gonzaga. Make St. Mary's an 8* play.
BYU: The Cougars have won six of their last seven games, including that upset victory at then-No. 1 Gonzaga. 6-10 Mika (20.4 & 9.3) stole the show in that game, scoring 29 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. He's joined up front by 6-8 freshman Childs (9.4 & 8.4) plus the Cougars own a solid trio of guards in Emery (13.2), Bryant (11.7) and a second key freshman, Haws (13.9). It's the perfect time to note that Dave Rose's team is ranked No. 335 out of 351 teams in terms of experience. BYU's challenge here is a daunting one, as the Gaels swept the Cougars in the regular season, winning 81-68 in Moraga, Calif., and 70-57 in Provo, Utah.
St Mary's has likely done enough to earn an at-large bid but a win here to advance to the championship game, would seemingly 'punch' the team's 'ticket!' The Gaels have the 6-11 Landale (16.9 & 9.4) to match up with Mika plus a pair of guards who can both run the offense. Naar averages 9.4 PPG and Rahon 8.4 PPG, plus both average 5.7 APG. A key all season has been staying injury-free and Saint Mary's is second in the nation in allowing 56.1 PPG. Not surprisingly, that ranks first in the WCC. Maybe even more impressively, the Gaels rank first in the WCC in six statistical categories other than scoring defense: Free-throw percentage (.744, 46th in NCAA), rebound-margin (10.0, second in NCAA), 3-point field-goal percentage (39.3 percent, 24th), assists per game (16.8, 18th NCAA) and assist-turnover ratio (1.6, fourth NCAA).
The pick: Counting on an at-large bid out of the WCC is always a 'crap shoot' and the Gaels have worked too hard to get this far. Expect a convincing win here and then St. Mary's will get one last shot at Gonzaga. Make St. Mary's an 8* play.
