College Hoops Odds – Vandy Hosts Saint Mary’s

Those people who keep an eye on the college basketball betting odds like intriguing matchups like the one they are going to see on Saturday afternoon, as the Vanderbilt Commodores, one of the better teams in the SEC, plays host to the #21 Saint Mary’s Gaels, with a 2 PM ET tip-off.

College Hoops Odds

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#21 Saint Mary’s Gaels (17-2 SU, 8-3 ATS) at Vanderbilt Commodores (13-4 SU, 7-4 ATS)

Live at Memorial Gymnasium

Nashville, TN

Saturday, January 22 — 2 PM ET

College Hoops Odds:  TBA

It may be a bit of an exaggeration to say that this is the most important trip east for any Saint Mary’s sports team since the legendary Slip Madigan brought his football squad to New York in 1930 to snap Fordham’s 16-game winning streak, but this game takes on some added importance because of the fact that Saint Mary’s has something very important to protect; that is, a national ranking. They were #21 in the coaches’ poll and #22 in the Associated press poll last we looked, and the only games they’ve lost were to the Top 10 teams they’ve played (BYU and San Diego State).  The Gaels have gotten off to surprisingly good start considering that Omar Samhan, their dominant big fellow, graduated; surprising enough that they have built an 8-3 ATS record against the college hoops odds thus far.

Vandy was rated in the Top 25 for a bit too earlier on, but the ‘Dores ran into some trouble from South Carolina and then dropped a tough one to Tennessee. What we can tell you about them is that they will challenge Saint Mary’s with their size; not just with Lance Goulbourne (7.9 rpg) and the athletic Jeffery Taylor, but also Festus Ezeli, angling for an all-SEC slot, who is shooting 60% and swatting away 2.4 shots per contest.

Here are some of the betting trends that are related to the college hoops odds on this game:

• Saint Mary’s has won its last eleven games SU
• Saint Mary’s has covered four of its last five games
• Saint Mary’s has played seven of its last nine games UNDER the total
• Saint Mary’s has won five of its last six road games SU
• Vanderbilt has won five of its last seven games SU
• Vanderbilt has covered one of its last five games

What Saint Mary’s brings to Nashville are some sharpshooters that are a real threat to bust through the college hoops odds. Without Samhan, they have been forced to go with more of a perimeter game, and the results have obviously been very satisfactory. Guard Mickey McConnell is nailing almost 49% of his three-point attempts, with Clint Steindl making 43.5% and Matthew Dellavedova close to 40%. Rob Jones has helped a great deal up front since his transfer from San Diego, and there is scoring balance, and that’s not to mention two guys (Dellavedova and McConnell) who you don’t want to get into a free throw shooting contest with (87% and 91%, respectively).

Still I see this as a tough task for the Gaels, who lost a thriller to Vandy on their own home floor last year in a game where the aforementioned (and departed) Samhan had 25 points and 18 rebounds for Saint Mary’s. . The Commodores bring some long-range bombers of their own to the table, including John Jenkins (41.5% treys) as well as junior Brad Tinsley, who has hit five of nine from beyond the arc over his last couple of games. The size edge tilts the scales in their favor, as the upstarts from out West get shown the door. or is it the "Dores"? It’s Vandy in the college hoops odds for Saturday.

JAY’S PLAY:  VANDERBILT BY 8

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