Gersten Pavilion features an NCAA basketball betting clash between the host Loyola Marymount Lions and the visiting BYU Cougars in college hoops action on Saturday.

The Cougars will try to spoil to the party on Saturday; they are 13-15-1 ATS against the number this season, while the Lions are 9-16 ATS. BYU is 9-14-1 on the totals; Loyola Marymount is 8-14.



View BYU vs Loyola Marymount Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
The Lions were listed as 8.5-point underdogs at most sportsbooks tracked by Odds Shark earlier in the day. It opened first at Sportsbook, where the total was expected shortly.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Lions sit at No. 256 in the current college hoops power poll here at Odds Shark, while the Cougars sit at No. 60 on the same chart. The computers running our scores simulations have concluded that the Cougars will win this game 78-66.



How They Match Up:
Rating these schools in several key categories is important for handicappers and Loyola Marymount has the nation's No. 231-rated offensive output, at 65.4 PPG. The visiting Cougars defense ranks No. 240 allowing on average 69.1 PPG. The Lions FG% has averaged 40.4% so far, less than the Cougars marksmen have achieved on the year, 45.8% per game.

Defensively, BYU features the nation's No. 273-rated defense on the road, allowing 73.8 points per game. Loyola Marymount, meanwhile, comes in at No. 225 nationally in scoring at home.

BYU was a 70-65 loser in their most recent outing at home against Gonzaga. They earned a push of the 5-point spread as underdogs. Tyler Haws scored 19 points in a futile effort to lead the Cougars to a win (they lost 70-65 to Gonzaga at Marriott Center on Thursday).

Loyola Marymount lost its last outing, a 79-56 result against Santa Clara on February 28. They failed to cover in that game as a 13.5-point underdog. Loyola Marymount was run off the court by the Broncos on Thursday as Santa Clara routed them 79-56 at Leavey Center.


BYU Cougars Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
After playing Gonzaga are 4-1
After a loss are 7-3

Loyola Marymount Lions Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 3-7
After playing Santa Clara are 1-9
After a loss are 0-10

A few Cougars at Lions trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of BYU's last 6 games on the road
BYU is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games on the road
BYU is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Loyola Marymount's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Loyola Marymount's last 5 games at home
Loyola Marymount is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games
Loyola Marymount is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home