The No. 9 Saint Louis Billikens play the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, New York. Tip-off is set for 9:45 p.m. ET on CBS.
Georgia is favored by 2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -148. Meanwhile, Saint Louis is the underdog at +2.5 with a moneyline of +124. The total is set at 167.5 points.
Here’s my Saint Louis vs. Georgia predictions and college basketball picks for March 19, 2026.
Saint Louis vs Georgia Predictions, Pick
My Pick: Georgia -2.5 (Play to -3)
My Saint Louis vs Georgia best bet is on the Bulldogs to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Saint Louis vs Georgia Odds, Spread, and Over/Under
| Saint Louis Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -120 | 167.5 -112o / -108u | +124 |
| Georgia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 +100 | 167.5 -112o / -108u | -148 |
- Saint Louis vs Georgia spread: Georgia -2.5
- Saint Louis vs Georgia over/under: 167.5 points
- Saint Louis vs Georgia moneyline: Saint Louis +124, Georgia -148
Saint Louis vs Georgia Expert NCAAB Pick
Saint Louis Preview
Saint Louis looked like a potential second weekend darling, starting the season with a 24-1 record and an 12-1 mark in A-10 play. The Billikens finished the season on a 4-4 stretch and look like a shell of themselves.
They're all floor-spacing and shooting, led by “hub” five-man, Robbie Avila.
Avila is the engine for an Saint Louis offense that ranks 51st in offensive efficiency, shooting 40% from 3 (second-best) and 58% from inside the arc (15th).
The roster is more than just Avila, though. The Billikens boast excellent depth and superb role allocation.
They have a trio of snipers who shoot over 40% from deep: Trey Green (46%), Ishan Sharma (43%) and Brady Dunlap (42%). Green is the type of player who can get hit and make five or six 3s to lead Saint Louis to a win.
Josh Schertz can also deploy the group of Amari McCottry, Dion Brown, Kellen Thames and Paul Otieno in various ways. McCottry and Brown start next to Avila, giving the Billikens the faster lineup they covet. However, teams will play the numbers game and dare McCottry and Brown to shoot 3s instead of driving.F
The sudden cold streak for a high-volume shooting team would lead you to believe their shooting just went cold, right? Notably, Saint Louis hit 36.7% from 3-point range in those eight games.
The pressing issue revolves around Saint Louis’s inability to hang onto the ball — a season-long issue that's peaking at the wrong time. On the season, Saint Louis is turning the ball over 17% of the time, but that number ballooned to 19% during the cold streak.
On the defensive end, Saint Louis has dealt with some bad luck during its four losses, allowing teams to shoot 38% from deep. This season, Saint Louis is holding teams to 30% from 3, a top-10 mark in the country. The truth likely lies in the middle.
Georgia Preview
Georgia won five of its final six regular-season games, but it lost to Ole Miss in the first round of the SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs went 10-8 in SEC play.
I think the Bulldogs could create some real chaos for Saint Louis by pressuring full-court — like usual — and forcing Saint Louis to make snap decisions. Georgia boasts an 18% defensive turnover rate and can do what Dayton did in its win over Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10 Tournament semis.
In all, Georgia is just 80th in defensive efficiency. It holds teams to 49% on 2s (99th) and 33.7% from 3 (167th). So, what's the real issue? The Bulldogs can't rebound, as they allow opponents to grab 34% of their misses. Saint Louis won't take advantage of its rebounding issues, so Georgia should be fine there.
On the offensive end, Georgia is terrific, ranking 16th in offensive efficiency. Over their past 10 games, the Bulldogs went 6-4 and shot 39% from deep, boosting their season-average to 34%. Before that, Georgia hovered in the low 30s for most of the season.
Perhaps Georgia got hot for a little bit and will see some regression, but 34% for the season feels like things leveled out.
They have a pair of electric guards who change the game. Jeremiah Wilkinson is a pure bucket-getter, and Marcus "Smurf" Millender is a joy to watch. Millender is small, speedy and can hit shots from anywhere on the floor.
Kanon Catchings can be the real X-factor for Georgia. You know when he's on the floor, it's to do one thing: shoot the ball. At 6-foot-9, 220 pounds, Catchings is a real mismatch with his 39% shooting ability. He can take bad shots, but he stands four inches taller than McCottry, who plays the four for Saint Louis.
How To Bet My Saint Louis vs. Georgia Expert NCAAB Pick
I'm taking Georgia here.
For one, the Billikens limped into the tournament, and that matters to me.
Georgia can complicate things for Saint Louis with its pressure, and that create real issues for a typically efficient Billikens offense.
My Pick: Georgia -2.5 (Play to -3)
