Saint Mary's Gaels @ Utah State Aggies | Week 4 Game Preview

When: Thursday, December 2, 2021 at 9:00 pm E.T.

Where: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, Utah.

How: ESPN +.

Spread: Utah State - 1.

Total: 127.5.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

The 7-1 Saint Mary's Gaels head to Utah to take on the 6-1 Utah State Aggies.

Gaels Spotlight

Saint Mary's is coming off a 67-50 win over UC Riverside on Monday, and now face their first true road test at Utah State. On offense the Gaels are mediocre, scoring 67.9 points per game on average, ranking 261st in the country, and also rank below average in every major offensive category. It’s worth noting that the Gaels are a poor free throw shooting team at 65.79%, which in a close game might make the difference.  Defensively, the Gaels shine allowing only 57.6 points per game ranking them 19th.  

Aggies Spotlight

The Aggies are coming off 93-63 thrashing of Carrol college, and have won six straight including wins over Richmond, New Mexico State and Oklahoma.  On offense, the Aggies are scoring 81.7 points per game ranking 42nd.  Utah State is 26th in field goal percentage and 62nd in 3-point field goal percentage.  It's worth noting the Aggies make 78.86% of their free throws, ranking them 20th in the nation. Defensively, the Aggies are allowing 68.1 points per game ranking them 177th.

Final Say

Both teams are playing well right now.  I don't expect being on the road to affect the experienced Gaels squad too much but it will play a factor as Utah state is 12-2 at home in their last 14 games. The Aggies are 5-0 ATS in their last five games and the Gaels are 0-4 ATS in their last four games as a road underdog. In a close game that might come down to free throws, give me the home team shooting almost 80% from the stripe. Utah state wins at the line in a close game.

Pick: Utah State -1