Saint Mary's Vs San Diego Basketball Prediction
The Background
The Saint Mary's Gaels and the San Diego Toreros are two of the most dominant teams in the West Coast Conference. Both teams have a strong history of success in the conference, and both have high hopes for the coming season. The Gaels finished last season with a record of 26-8 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, while the Toreros finished with a record of 21-14 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT. The two teams will face off in what is sure to be an exciting game of basketball on February 20th at 7 pm Pacific Time.
The Teams
The Saint Mary's Gaels are led by head coach Randy Bennett, who has been with the team since 2001. Bennett has led the team to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and has a record of 424-194 during his time with the Gaels. The team is anchored by senior forward Malik Fitts, who averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last season. Junior guard Tommy Kuhse is also a key player for the Gaels, averaging 10.8 points and 4.9 assists per game last season.
The San Diego Toreros are led by head coach Sam Scholl, who took over midway through the 2018-2019 season. Scholl has a record of 28-18 during his time with the Toreros. The team is led by junior forward Joey Calcaterra, who averaged 14.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season. Senior guard Braun Hartfield is also a key player for the Toreros, averaging 13.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season.
The Matchup
The Saint Mary's Gaels and the San Diego Toreros have faced off 92 times throughout their history, with the Gaels holding a dominant 74-18 advantage in the series. The last time the two teams met was on February 22nd, 2020, when the Gaels defeated the Toreros 92-63. However, the Toreros are a strong team and will not go down without a fight.
Both teams have strong offenses, with the Gaels averaging 74.9 points per game last season and the Toreros averaging 72.2 points per game. The key to the game will be defense, as both teams allowed an average of around 63 points per game last season. Whichever team can step up on defense and limit their opponent's scoring will likely come out on top.
The Prediction
This game is sure to be a close one, with both teams fighting hard for the win. The Saint Mary's Gaels have the advantage in terms of history and experience, but the San Diego Toreros have a strong team and could certainly pull off an upset. In the end, it is likely that the Gaels will come out on top, but expect a close final score. Prediction: Saint Mary's Gaels 75, San Diego Toreros 70.
