Picks, prediction for Saint Mary’s vs. VCU in First Round of 2023 NCAA Tournament

The No. 5 Saint Mary’s Gaels (26-7, 14-2 West Coast) will play the No. 12 seed VCU Rams (27-7, 15-3 Atlantic-10) in Friday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament. The game will get started at 2:00 p.m. ET from MVP Arena in Albany, New York, and can be seen on TBS.

Let’s take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.

No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 VCU picks

Spread: Saint Mary’s -4
Over/Under: 122
Moneyline: Saint Mary’s -190, VCU +160

Saint Mary’s picked up a share of the West Coast regular season title but was crushed by the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the conference title. VCU needed an Atlantic-10 Tournament win to reach the big dance and got it done as it looks for a 10th consecutive victory on Friday night.

This is a low total, but it’s not low enough. Saint Mary’s rates ninth in adjusted defensive efficiency with the fourth-slowest pace in adjusted tempo. Meanwhile, the Rams are rated 16th on the defensive end with 136th adjusted offensive efficiency. Scoring will be difficult for both teams with a low number of possessions.

Pick: Under 122