Saint Mary’s NCAA Basketball Betting
The Saint Mary’s Gaels men’s basketball team was a perennial loser in the early 2000s but is now considered one of the top mid-majors in the country. Saint Mary’s has appeared in 13 NCAA tournaments—12 since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
The Gaels have never gone deeper than the Elite Eight, but they do own five WCC Tournament titles and have been conference regular-season champs nine times. That’s why the Gaels will be a betting favorite if legal online sports betting ever comes to California.
Here’s what you need to know to make any social sportsbook or daily fantasy sports (DFS) picks on Saint Mary’s basketball, including up-to-date game selections, futures odds and team data.
Saint Mary’s basketball lines explained
Think back to when Saint Mary’s met UCONN in an NCAA Tournament matchup. The line at top social sportsbooks would looked something like this:
| Moneyline | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | -145 | -2.5 (-110) | Over 126.5 (-110) |
| St. Mary's | +120 | +2.5 (-110) | Under 126.5 (-110) |
The Huskies won in a 70-55 blowout that was not as close as the sportsbooks initially thought. That meant the UConn -145 moneyline would have paid $100 for every $145 bet, and the UCLA -2.5 point spread hit.
There were a total of 125 points scored, which meant the 126.5 line was almost spot on and the under hit, at sportsbook sites like BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings California.
This is what things would have looked like if sports betting was legal in California. It looks a bit different than using a social sportsbook or a DFS app.
Making live picks on Saint Mary’s basketball
You can’t make any sort of live bets on St. Mary’s basketball in California because sports betting has yet to be legalized. Instead, you can make live picks using a social sportsbook or a DFS app. Odds for these live picks change with the action on the court. And that action changes fast.
In the example above, let’s say UConn jumped out to an early lead after it was the favorite to begin with. That live pick line would have rose quickly and continued to go up throughout the game. You would have needed to wager more money to return the same (if not less) money than if you would have been pregame, in this scenario. Again, though, this does not apply to California residents.
Where does Saint Mary’s play?
- Venue: University Credit Union Pavilion (McKeon Pavilion from 1978-2025)
- Location: 1928 Saint Marys Road in Moraga, California
- Owner/Operator: Saint Mary’s College of California
- Capacity: 3,500
- Opened: 1978
- Known as: A very small and intense gym
- Crowd: Loud student section bleachers known as Gael Force
- Possible renovation: Removal of the wall standing behind one basket to add 1,000 seats; funding still required
Saint Mary’s March Madness history
Saint Mary’s has appeared in 13 NCAA tournaments and advanced to the Elite Eight once. The Gaels have a 7-13 record in tournament games. The last time they made the Sweet Sixteen, they lost to Baylor by 23.
Saint Mary’s has never been a higher seed than they were in 2022, 2o23, and 2024. They nabbed a No.5 seed each year. In 2022 and 20, the team won both opening games before falling in the Round of 32. In 2024, St. Mary’s opened the tournament with a nine-point loss to 12-seed Grand Canyon in the Round of 64.
The Gaels did win the only First Four game in the school’s history, beating Middle Tennessee by 13 to get into the 64-team field in 2013.
Saint Mary’s players in the NBA
Saint Mary’s has a handful of players currently in the NBA, including:
- Alex Ducas (Thunder)
- Jock Landale (Rockets)
- Patty Mills (Clippers)
Plus, notable alumni that have made a mark on the NBA in the past include Matthew Dellavedova and Brian Shaw.
Current Saint Mary’s coaching staff
- Randy Bennett – Head Coach
- Mickey McConnell – Associate Head Coach
- Joe Rahon – Assistant Coach
- Dan Sheets – Assistant Coach
- EJ Rowland – Assistant Coach
- Trey Touchet – Assistant Coach
Saint Mary’s basketball all-time leaders
- Points Per Game: Jordan Ford – 21.9 (2019-20)
- Rebounds Per Game: Bob Turner – 13.5 (1964-65)
- Assists Per Game: Nick Pappageorge – 7.9 (1976-77), Emmett Naar – 7.9 (2017-18)
- Steals Per Game: Erick Newman – 2.7 (1988-89)
- Blocks Per Game: Brad Millard – 3.0 (1996-97)
Where to watch Saint Mary’s basketball in California
Saint Mary’s game broadcast can be found on TV stations and streaming options such as the WCC Network, ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN2, CBS Sports Network, FLOSPORTS, ESPNU, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports California and TBS.
Placing social sportsbook and DFS picks on Saint Mary’s games
With sports betting still not legal in California, the options residents have are using a social sportsbook or a DFS app to make their picks. These platforms are free to sign up for and offer a number of bonuses for new players. They do not require any money to sign up or make picks.
Betting on Saint Mary’s games outside of California
And while you can’t bet on Saint Mary’s Gaels games in California, but you can in nearby Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. These states even have mobile sports betting, which means all you have to do is step over the state line and you can place bets with your phone.
Nevada sportsbooks force you to register for an account in person, but Arizona sportsbook apps do not. Neither does the DraftKings Sportsbook state lottery app in Oregon.
That means you can get the apps, make deposits, look through game lines from California and place bets as soon as you cross into the next state over.
While you wait for California to legalize and regulate sports betting, crossing the state line into Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon will allow you to bet on Saint Mary’s basketball games.
Related Pages:
Saint Mary's Basketball FAQ
Saint Mary’s Gaels basketball ticket prices at University Credit Union Pavilion average $41.08, but tickets are extremely limited.
The Gaels have zero national championships, but the team has won five conference tournament titles: in 1997, 2010, 2012, 2019, and most recently in 2024.
The Gaels have retired three players’ numbers, including:
- 4 – Matthew Dellavedova (2009-2013)
- 13 – Patty Mills (2007-2009)
- 31 – Tom Meschery (1958-1961)
“On To Victory” is Saint Mary’s official fight song. Saint Mary’s official mascot is Gideon, a Gaelic warrior. But the mascot was Gael Force One, a knight in shining armor, before 2008.
Gaels are Scottish Highlanders from Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.