Game Information
Saint Louis Billikens (8-1) vs San Francisco Dons (6-4)
Time: 7pm CT Saturday
How to watch: FanDuel Sports Network, ESPN+
DraftKings Odds
Spread: SLU -11.5
Total: 154.5
KenPom Projection
SLU 80, San Francisco 69
Billikens Face Good Test
It’s a battle of Jesuit schools tonight at Chaifetz Arena as the Saint Louis University Billikens take on the San Francisco Dons.
This is SLU’s toughest remaining non-conference test with San Francisco ranked 93rd in KenPom.
SLU On A Roll
The Billikens are 6-3 against the spread and have been winning in impressive fashion. Their average scoring margin of +22.0 points ranks 11th in the nation.
SLU is 13th in the country in scoring offense, averaging 91.6 points per game. The Bills have also excelled defensively, as they rank 4th in defensive rebounds per game and 14th in defensive field goal percentage.
Dons Battle-Tested
San Francisco won’t be intimidated in this matchup, as they have played a strong non-conference schedule. The Dons have notable losses to Memphis, Colorado, and Nevada, but they have also beaten Bradley, Minnesota, and Mississippi State.
San Francisco leads the West Coast Conference with 9.6 three-point makes per game.
My Pick
The Dons will try to muck up this game with a slow pace, as their tempo ranks 297th out of 365 teams.
But the Billikens play at the 21st fastest tempo in the country, and I expect them to be able to dictate pace at home.
SLU is able to counter many of the strengths of its opponents. In this matchup, while the Dons are dangerous from deep, the Billikens are a top 25 team in the country in three-point field goal percentage defense.
And the Billikens' biggest weakness this season has been turning the ball over - but San Francisco is not set up to exploit that. The Dons rank just 322nd in the country in turning over their opponents.
SLU is too deep and has too many ways to beat teams. I think the Bills pull away in the second half and cover the number.
Pick: SLU -11.5 at -108 on DraftKings (bet to -12.5)
Eric Sontag hosts Domesticated Gamblers every Wednesday night on the STL Sports Central YouTube channel. Follow him on X @GamblingDads, and click here for his daily picks on all of our St. Louis area sports teams. Get Eric's picks for all sports by following him in the Action Network app with the username "esontag". Disclaimer