Loyola-Marymount (17-10 straight up, 16-9-1 against the spread) has been a money-making machine at home all season, producing an 11-2 SU record and a 10-2 ATS mark. The Lions have been home underdogs twice this year, winning outright over a pair of NCAA Tournament bound foes in Nevada and Saint Mary’s.
LMU’s Cam Shelton might be the nation’s most improved player. The 6-foot-2 guard is averaging 26.0 points per game in the Lions’ last eight contests, including 31 and 36-point efforts in the last two games.
For the season, Shelton averages 20.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game for the Lions, who are 8-3-1 ATS with seven outright wins in their last 12 games as underdogs.
When these teams met in Spokane on Jan. 19, LMU ended Gonzaga’s 75-game home winning streak. Shelton scored 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the way, scoring the go-ahead bucket with 14 seconds left in the Lions’ 68-67 win as 16.5-point road underdogs.
Sure, that leaves Gonzaga (21-5 SU, 8-16-1 ATS) in revenge mode here tonight, but the Bulldogs are an abysmal 1-6 ATS in seven road games this season.
I’ll take LMU +8.5 at home.