The Gaels own the WCC’s best defense and I like them to slow down the league’s top offense. This will be a tight game but I don’t think St. Mary’s should be a home dog given the Gaels’ pedigree. Grab the points.

Sure, lots of firepower on the Gonzaga side. But recent series history suggests this WCC showdown will have a hard time reaching 145. In the three meetings last season, the Zags and Gaels never got close to 145, the matchups all landed in the high 120s (126, 127, then 129 in the WCC final). If going back to the 2023 WCC title game, the final scoreline landed on...128. In seven of the last nine of these WCC showdowns, the scorelines landed in the 120s. The physicality of the Gaels defense often throws opponents for a loop, and while the Zags are built better than most to deal with that sort of suffocation, must note SMC allows only 61 ppg, ranking seventh nationally. Play Gonzaga-SMC Under