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Posted at 12:40 PM EST.

10:00 PM EST. The Lions of Loyola Marymount aren't going to be invited to the Big Dance, but they have proven to be a tough out all season. While the Lions are just 2-10 in conference play, they had a nice win recently over BYU as a 10-point pooch, and they hung around with a pair of Power Five schools in Washington State and Oregon State earlier in the season, losing by just a combined seven points. Loyola Marymount has little to no market presence, which makes them the perfect foil for this fade tonight.

Saint Mary's is tops in the WCC at 12-0 and are 23-2 overall on the year, which is its best start in program history. The Gaels have not lost a game since November 26th, and even more impressive perhaps, is the fact they have not fallen on the road since January 17th, 2017. Saint Mary's has the longest active winning streak in Division I after Purdue fell to Ohio State last night, but all of that previous success will mean nothing if they lose to number one rival Gonzaga on Saturday.

Saint Mary's is ripping through their conference sked, but Gonzaga is the only game left that matters. Despite their success this season, the Gaels are still living in the Bulldogs' giant shadow. St. Mary's has played second fiddle to the 'Zags for over a decade and it might take the Gaels three times as long to dish out enough punishment to make up for all those wasted seasons. St. Mary's is ranked #12 in the nation, which puts a huge target on its backs. The Gaels should no doubt get the Lions' best shot tonight in Los Angeles. Covering a number this large with the biggest game of the season on deck should not be a top priority for St. Mary's. The Gaels have to take a breather at some point and we cannot over emphasize how big the game on deck against the Zags is or how badly the Gaels want to beat them. For the Gaels, this game becomes an afterthought, thus setting up this hugely favorable spot for the home dog.

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