Merrimack College Warriors vs Saint Mary’s Gaels Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Merrimack College vs Saint Mary's NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Moraga.

Merrimack College vs Saint Mary's Prediction

Betting on today's Warriors and Gaels game? Catch the action at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, CA, as the Gaels hosts this showdown at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 127.5 points, and Saint Mary's is favored by -20.5 vs. Merrimack College.

Merrimack College vs. Saint Mary's Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Merrimack College Warriors at Saint Mary's Gaels
Where: Moraga at University Credit Union Pavilion
Date: Thursday, December 19th
Betting Odds STMRY -20.5, MERRI +1950 | STMRY -5000 O/U 127.5

Warriors Preview: Do the Warriors Have a Shot at a Road Win?

Merrimack College Warriors Recent Game/Games

On Tuesday, December 17th, the Warriors fell to 5-7 on the season after a 74-68 road loss to Stanford. Despite being +15.5 point underdogs, Merrimack kept the game closer than expected.

After trailing 39-30 at halftime, the Warriors outscored Stanford 38-35 in the 2nd half. The game’s total points of 142 went over the pre-game O/U line of 135.5.

Warriors Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Merrimack put up 68 points, shooting 43.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 50.9%. They hit just 28% from three-point range, connecting on 7 of 25 attempts, while making 56.7% of their two-point shots. At the free-throw line, they converted 76.5%, going 13 for 17.

Adam Clark led the way with 32 points, shooting 66.7% overall and 50% from deep. Oziyah Sellers added 19 points, hitting 72.7% from the field and 50% from three. Jaylen Blakes was perfect from beyond the arc, going 4 for 4, and finishing with 16 points. Merrimack had just 7 assists as a team and grabbed 5 offensive rebounds.

Warriors Team Defense

Despite Merrimack College's defensive efforts, they allowed 74 points on 44% shooting from the field. The Warriors gave up 11 three-pointers, with their opponent hitting 47% from beyond the arc.

From the free-throw line, Merrimack's opponent went 13/20, shooting 65%. The Warriors also conceded 11 offensive rebounds in the game.

Gaels Preview: Is A Home Victory Likely for the Favored Gaels?

Saint Mary's fell to 8-2 on the season after a 67-65 road loss to Boise State on Saturday. The Gaels, who were -2.5 favorites, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 132, falling short of the O/U line of 139.

After trailing 32-26 at halftime, Saint Mary's made a push in the second half, outscoring Boise State 33-27, but it wasn't enough to secure the win.

Gaels Offense Breakdown

Saint Mary's struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 37.7% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.6%, and they managed 65 points, with 10 offensive rebounds and 10 assists.

Tyson Degenhart led the team with 19 points, despite shooting 38.5% overall and 16.7% from three. Augustas Marciulionis added 17 points and 6 assists, while Alvaro Cardenas contributed 14 points on 62.5% shooting, hitting his only three-point attempt.

Gaels Team Defense

Saint Mary's Gaels gave up 67 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 41% from the field on 21/51 attempts. Inside the arc, the Gaels allowed 17/37 shooting, or 45%.

From three-point range, Saint Mary's held their opponents to 4/14 shooting, or 28%. The Gaels also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 27 times, where they made 21, shooting 77%. Saint Mary's gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Warriors vs Gaels Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, Merrimack College has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 70 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
The Gaels are 3-2 ATS in their last home games and 4-1 straight-up.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Warriors have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-2.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting favorite, the Gaels have gone 0-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.