Who’s Playing
Missouri State Bears @ Saint Mary’s Gaels
Current Records: Missouri State 8-4, Saint Mary’s 8-5
How To Watch
What to Know
The Saint Mary’s Gaels will be home for the holidays to greet the Missouri State Bears at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at University Credit Union Pavilion. The timing is sure in Saint Mary’s favor as the squad sits on three straight wins at home while Missouri State has not had much luck on the away from home, with four straight road losses.
Saint Mary’s has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four matches by 34 points or more this season. They took their game at home on Thursday with ease, bagging a 92-56 win over the Norse. Saint Mary’s was heavily favored coming into this contest, and the results showcase why.
Saint Mary’s got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Joshua Jefferson out in front who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 12 rebounds. Augustas Marciulionis was another key contributor, scoring 18 points along with eight assists.
Meanwhile, winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to post ten more assists than your opponent, a fact Missouri State proved on Tuesday. They put the hurt on the Lions with a sharp 79-57 win. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest win Missouri State has managed all season.
Missouri State can attribute much of their success to Alston Mason, who scored 34 points along with seven assists and five rebounds. That’s the first time this season that Mason scored 30 or more points. Another player making a difference was N.J. Benson, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The Gaels have been performing well recently as they’ve won six of their last eight matches, which provided a nice bump to their 8-5 record this season. As for the Bears, their win bumped their record up to 8-4.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Saint Mary’s have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 43.2 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Missouri State struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 41.5 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Saint Mary’s took their win against Missouri State in their previous meeting back in December of 2022 by a conclusive 66-46. Does Saint Mary’s have another victory up their sleeve, or will Missouri State turn the tables on them? We’ll have the answer soon enough.
Series History
Saint Mary’s has won both of the games they’ve played against Missouri State in the last 2 years.
- Dec 07, 2022 – Saint Mary’s 66 vs. Missouri State 46
- Dec 22, 2021 – Saint Mary’s 75 vs. Missouri State 58
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