The No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s Gaels (28-5) will seek to continue their impressive season in the West Coast Conference as they take on the No. 10 seed Vanderbilt Commodores (20-12) from the SEC in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon. Saint Mary’s clinched the WCC regular-season championship, finishing three games ahead of second-place Gonzaga, although the Bulldogs managed to defeat the Gaels in the WCC Tournament finals. In contrast, Vanderbilt encountered much tougher competition in the SEC, ending the season in ninth place. Led by first-year head coach Mark Byington, the Commodores are making their first tournament appearance since 2017.
The matchup, set to take place at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, is scheduled to start at 3:15 p.m. ET. According to the latest odds from SportsLine Consensus, the Gaels are favored by 4.5 points, with a total point over/under set at 135.5. Before making any predictions for the Vanderbilt vs. Saint Mary’s game, it is advisable to check the insights from the SportsLine Projection Model.
This model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times and enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a record of 228-166 (+2025) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. It has generated brackets that have outperformed over 91% of CBS Sports entries in four out of the last six tournaments, successfully predicting 24 notable first-round upsets by double-digit seeds. Those following its guidance have seen substantial benefits.
Currently, the model is focusing on the matchup between Saint Mary’s and Vanderbilt and has finalized its March Madness predictions. For additional insights into the model’s selections, you can visit SportsLine. Below are the current odds and lines for the Saint Mary’s vs. Vanderbilt game:
- Spread: Saint Mary’s -4.5
- Over/Under: 135.5 points
- Money Line: Saint Mary’s -195, Vanderbilt +162
- Against the Spread (ATS): Saint Mary’s 14-18, Vanderbilt 18-14 this season
- For picks, check out: SportsLine
Reasons Saint Mary’s Could Cover
Saint Mary’s is under the guidance of experienced head coach Randy Bennett, who has been leading the team since the 2001-02 season. With an experienced roster, they look to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010. The Gaels maintained a position in the top 25 rankings during the latter half of the season and secured the WCC regular-season title convincingly.
The team returns to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year and previously achieved a season sweep against rival Gonzaga. Key players include seniors Mitchell Saxen, Augustas Marciulionis, and Luke Barrett, who collectively average 34.7 points per game, while Paulius Murauskas leads in rebounds with 8.0 per game. Defensively, they allow only 60.7 points per game.
Reasons Vanderbilt Could Cover
Vanderbilt is also striving for a chance to advance to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, a milestone they haven’t reached since 2007. With Byington at the helm, the Commodores found a coach who led James Madison to the second round last March before accepting his current position. The team features three key double-digit scorers: Jason Edwards (17.0 ppg), Tyler Nickel (10.5), and Devin McGlockton (10.4), all of whom are transfers.
Vanderbilt’s schedule this season has been significantly tougher compared to Saint Mary’s, competing in what is regarded as the highest-level conference. This experience may prove valuable as both teams battle it out on Friday. Vanderbilt boasts a high-powered scoring offense, averaging 79.6 points per game.
How to Make Saint Mary’s vs. Vanderbilt Picks
SportsLine’s model leans towards the Over, projecting a combined total of 143 points in the game and has also developed an against-the-spread pick that performs well over 50% of the time. To see the comprehensive analysis and picks from the model, head to SportsLine.
So, who will prevail in the Vanderbilt vs. Saint Mary’s matchup, and which spread will successfully cover across simulations? For detailed predictions and insights from the model that has generated over $2,000 in returns from confirmed picks, visit SportsLine now.
