Saint Mary’s vs UCLA Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions

If the opening round is anything to go by, the wrong team could be favored to progress.

Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports, and March Madness Odds for Saint Mary’s vs UCLA. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider.

Saint Mary’s Producing Gael Force

There is no slowing down the Saint Mary’s Gaels, who put on a college basketball clinic against the Indiana Hoosiers in the opening round.

The 82-53 victory came as the -2½ favorites. The 26-7 team is 21-10-2 against the spread and bettors have had a good time backing them.

It was a stout bounce back after losing to Gonzaga to close out the regular season, but the Gaels have come together and they could kick on with it.

We thought they did enough to be favorites with the sportsbook, so the +3 line is attractive.

They are one of the best defensive teams in college basketball, but after scoring 82 points on Indiana, the UCLA Bruins will need to be wary.

“We’re a gritty, not pretty team,” Logan Johnson told ESPN. “We all find ways to get it done. And we know once we get going defensively, and especially offensively, that’s when teams are in trouble and they really find out what they’re stepping into.”

Despite being unbeaten at home with a 16-0 record, the Gaels are good enough to win on neutral courts. They are 4-2, so there’s enough to suggest playing at Moda Center holds no fears.

UCLA Happy to See Second Round

There were some nervous moments for the UCLA Bruins against the Akron Zips in the opening round of March Madness.

The 57-53 win was expected to be much easier as -13½ favorites and we sensed some disappointment and relief from the players and coaches.

It wasn’t the type of performance we had come to expect from the Bruins, who have been consistent for most of the season.

They should have had no problem getting past Akron, given they have the likes of Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez Jr. on the court.

It puts doubt in our minds as to whether the Bruins are good enough to progress. They should take improvement from the victory, but Saint Mary’s is full of confidence and it could be too much for UCLA to handle.

Saint Mary’s vs UCLA Head-to-Head

This is the first recent meeting between the Saint Mary’s Gaels and the UCLA Bruins.

Saint Mary’s vs UCLA Game Information

• Game: Saint Mary’s Gaels (26-7) at UCLA Bruins (26-7)
• Location: Moda Center
• Day/Time: Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET
• Live Stream: TBS.com
• 2022 March Madness bracket

Saint Mary’s vs UCLA Betting Lines

Saint Mary’s vs UCLA Prediction

We see every reason to bet on the Saint Mary’s Gaels on both moneyline markets and points spread markets.

We’ll happily take the +3 for a team thriving off their opening round win against Indiana, which was one of the better wins of the round.

The UCLA Bruins didn’t offer much against the Zips, and although they came away with the win, they can’t be confident.

Betting online markets have favorable odds for the underdog and they’re worth snapping up.

Pick: Saint Mary’s Gaels +3

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