Halftime Report
The last time Saint Mary’s and Missouri State met, the game was decided by 20 points, but it sure doesn’t look like the final score will be so lopsided this time. Sitting on a score of 32-31, Saint Mary’s has looked like the better team, but there’s still one more half to play.
Saint Mary’s entered the contest having won five straight and they’re just one half away from another. Will they make it six, or will Missouri State step up and spoil it? We’ll know soon.
Who’s Playing
Missouri State Bears @ Saint Mary’s Gaels
Current Records: Missouri State 8-4, Saint Mary’s 8-5
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: University Credit Union Pavilion — Moraga, California
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $5.00
What to Know
The Missouri State Bears will head out on the road to face off against the Saint Mary’s Gaels at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at University Credit Union Pavilion. Missouri State is hoping to put an end to a four-game streak of away losses.
Missouri State was the big favorite in their most recent match, and for good reason. They blew past the Lions 79-57. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest victory Missouri State has managed all season.
Among those leading the charge was Alston Mason, who scored 34 points along with seven assists and five rebounds. That’s the first time this season that he scored 30 or more points. N.J. Benson was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Saint Mary’s came tearing into Thursday’s contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13.8 points) and they left with even more momentum. They put a hurting on the Norse at home to the tune of 92-56. Considering Saint Mary’s has won four matches by more than 33 points this season, Thursday’s blowout was nothing new.
Saint Mary’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Joshua Jefferson led the charge by dropping a double-double on 15 points and 12 rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Augustas Marciulionis, who scored 18 points along with eight assists.
The Bears’ win bumped their record up to 8-4. As for the Gaels, they are on a roll lately: they’ve won six of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 8-5 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Missouri State have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 41.5 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Saint Mary’s struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 43.2 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Missouri State is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they’re headed for a loss.
Odds
Saint Mary’s is a big 14-point favorite against Missouri State, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The line on this game has moved quite a bit since it opened, as it started out with the Gaels as a 10.5-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 129.5 points.
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Series History
Saint Mary’s has won both of the games they’ve played against Missouri State in the last 2 years.
- Dec 07, 2022 – Saint Mary’s 66 vs. Missouri State 46
- Dec 22, 2021 – Saint Mary’s 75 vs. Missouri State 58
