- Matchup: Saint Louis Billikens vs Georgia Bulldogs
- Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
- Venue: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
- Broadcast: CBS
- Odds/Point Spread: Georgia (-3)
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This Thursday, the NCAA Tournament kicks off at the KeyBank Center, where the Georgia Bulldogs (22-10) will face off against the Saint Louis Billikens (28-5). According to Vegas odds, the Billikens are 3-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 169 points.
In their last outing, the Saint Louis Billikens faced off against Dayton but fell short, losing 70-69. The Billikens recorded a field goal percentage of 43.1% by making 22 of 51 attempts, including 10 of 28 from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, they excelled, hitting 15 of 17 for a strong 88.2%. On the boards, they secured a total of 33 rebounds, contributing 7 offensive boards. The team also dished out 19 assists while forcing 9 turnovers and registering 7 steals. Defensively, they held Dayton to a 34.5% shooting rate (19 of 55). The Flyers registered 15 assists and notched 5 steals. Notably, Dayton shot 82.8% at the free-throw line, converting 24 of 29 attempts while shooting 33.3% from three, making 8 of 24 attempts. The foul count saw Saint Louis committing 16 fouls compared to Dayton’s 21.
Amari McCottry was a standout performer for the Billikens, scoring 16 points on 7 of 11 shooting in 29 minutes on the court. He also grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 5 assists, finishing with a field goal percentage of 63.6%.
Saint Louis enters this game with an impressive record of 28-5. They average 12.5 turnovers per game and commit around 18.3 fouls. Collectively, the team averages 39.9 rebounds and has accumulated 605 assists this season, ranking 8th nationally for assists. The Billikens are shooting 40.1% from three-point range (360 of 898) and hitting 74.4% from the free-throw line, averaging 87.2 points per game, placing them 10th in Division 1 while shooting 50.9% from the field.
Defensively, the Billikens force an average of 11.7 turnovers per game while allowing 16.5 personal fouls. They limit opponents to 29.4% shooting from the three-point line and rank 63rd in the nation in points per game allowed, surrendering an average of 69.5 points. The Billikens allow a shooting percentage of 37.9% (756 of 1,997) and pull down an average of 32.4 rebounds each game, placing them 67th in assists allowed with 389 on the season.
In their latest game, the Georgia Bulldogs were defeated by Ole Miss, ending the game at 76-72. Georgia collected a total of 36 rebounds, including 22 defensive and 14 offensive. They committed just 11 turnovers while making 11 steals throughout the game. Ole Miss committed 20 fouls, which allowed the Bulldogs to take 25 free-throw attempts, successfully converting 15 for a 60.0% free-throw percentage. From three-point range, Georgia made 9 of 38 attempts (23.7%). At the end of the game, Georgia had a field goal percentage of 36.4%, shooting 24 of 66, while Ole Miss managed to shoot 45.0% by hitting 27 of 60 attempts. The Bulldogs permitted Ole Miss to connect on 9 of 20 three-point attempts, finishing the game 72.2% from the charity stripe (13 of 18). In total rebounds, Ole Miss outperformed Georgia with 38 boards (8 offensive).
Kanon Catchings played a crucial role for Georgia in this matchup, scoring 19 points with a shooting accuracy of 43.8% (7 of 16) and securing 6 rebounds in his 30 minutes of play, although he did not register any assists.
The Georgia Bulldogs maintain a record of 22-10 this season. Offensively, they excel with a shooting percentage of 47.1%, ranking them 63rd nationally. Georgia has amassed 2,874 points overall (averaging 89.8 per game) while pulling down 38.2 rebounds per game. Their assist rate stands at 14.9 assists per game, placing them 112th in Division 1, while turning the ball over 10.7 times per game. The Bulldogs average 17.0 personal fouls and have a free-throw percentage of 75.4%.
Defensively, Georgia allows 33.7% shooting from three-point range (262 of 778), with opponents converting on 71.7% of their free-throw attempts. The Bulldogs surrender an average of 13.4 assists and 37.5 total rebounds per game, ranking them 186th and 334th, respectively. They are currently positioned 315th in college basketball for points allowed per game, yielding 79.2 points. Georgia forces an average of 13.8 turnovers while allowing teams to shoot at a rate of 43.8% from the field (154th nationally).
Who will cover the spread in tonight’s NCAA showdown?
Prediction: Pick Georgia (-3)
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