T.M. Selection: Portland.

I'm expecting a "closer than most expect" battle here between these teams. Yes, Saint Mary's is at the top of the West Coast Conference and having a huge season. However, the Gaels have a massive game against 2nd place Gonzaga up next and the Bulldogs are rivals of Saint Mary's. I just can't foresee the Gaels being fully focused on the Pilots here and that leaves the backdoor open for a cover here late if we need it. Honestly I have a strong feeling that Portland is inside this inflated number all the way. The Gaels have only 4 wins by more than this number this season! The Pilots have a little extra confidence right now as they are off B2B wins and have won 5 of 9 games overall. Also, only 2 of last 10 Portland games have been losses by more than 25 points. I expect this one to be decided by only about a dozen as the set-up is perfect with Saint Mary's already peeking ahead to their showdown with rival Gonzaga. Grab the massive points here!

T.M. Prediction: 75-63 Saint Mary's.