Plan on staying up late tonight? The third round of the WCC Championship takes place as the No. 7 seed Loyola Marymount Lions (17-14) face the No. 6 seed Washington State Cougars (18-13).
LMU picked up a 100-74 win over San Diego to advance, whereas Wazzu is making its first appearance in the tournament.
My Loyola Marymount vs. Washington State predictions are bullish on the underdog heading into tonight's contest. Find out why in my college basketball picks for Saturday, March 8.
Loyola Marymount vs Washington State prediction
Who will win Loyola Marymount vs Washington State?
LMU (+135) will pull off the upset. The Lions have the talent to compete at the top of the WCC, and now’s their time to prove it.
Washington State’s defense is the lowest-graded unit on the court, and that deficiency can be exploited in a tournament setting. The Cougars are playing their worst basketball of the season and haven’t picked up a win against a Top-240 KenPom team since January 4.
My best bet
Loyola Marymount +3 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
Loyola Marymount took care of business a night ago, posting a 26-point victory over San Diego. The Lions now face a quick turnaround against a reeling Washington State team that has lost eight of its last 11 games.
The underlying metrics are pretty ugly in combination with the uninspiring record. Wazzu ranks 187th at BartTorvik during that span, behind LMU at 147th.
Are we sure the right team is favored?
The Cougars haven’t been able to string together enough stops defensively, ranking 305th in adjusted defensive efficiency during that span. The Lions (124th) should hold a significant advantage on that side of the ball.
Wazzu is tough to trust outside of the Palouse, going 4-7 ATS on the road and sitting 244th in Haslametrics’ Away From Home metric. The Cougars have covered just one of their last seven games outside of Pullman.
Nothing that David Riley’s squad has done in its last 10 contests gives me any confidence heading into the postseason. They beat the conference’s bottom teams (Pepperdine twice, San Diego once) by an average of just five points per game but suffered losses of 20+ points to Santa Clara, Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, and San Francisco.
Include a bad loss to Pacific, and it’s evident that Wazzu is limping to the finish line. The Cougars rank 352nd in Haslametrics’ Momentum metric, and the box scores back that up.
LMU is a talented team that is capable of playing much better in a tournament setting. Four players average double figures, and the bench has notable transfer portal wins like MJ Amey and Jan Vide.
The Lions have more momentum, play better away from home, and are arguably the more talented team.
Loyola Marymount vs Washington State same-game parlay (SGP)
Under 148.5
Loyola Marymount moneyline
One could choose to view this total similarly to LMU’s game yesterday against San Diego. After all, the total was similar (147.0), and the Lions were playing against a fast-paced team that struggles defensively. That’s why my best bet was on the Over in that matchup.
LMU prefers to slow things down (206th in adjusted tempo per KenPom), but was happy running with San Diego because Johnson knew his team had the superior offensive firepower and could win that game handedly, regardless of tempo.
It’s a different story on Saturday as Wazzu averages 78.5 ppg and has five players averaging double figures. Johnson and the Lions likely put the brakes on to avoid a shootout, which would maximize Wazzu’s chances of prevailing.
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Loyola Marymount vs Washington State odds
Loyola Marymount vs Washington State live odds
Loyola Marymount vs Washington State opening odds
- Spread: Loyola Marymount +2 (-110) | Washington State -2 (-110)
- Moneyline: Loyola Marymount +110 | Washington State -130
- Over/Under: Over 149.5 (-110) | Under 149.5 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365
Loyola Marymount vs Washington State betting trend to know
Washington State is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games away from home. Find more college basketball betting trends for Loyola Marymount vs. Washington State.
How to watch Loyola Marymount vs Washington State
| Location | Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV |
| Date | Saturday, 3-8-2025 |
| Tip-off | 11:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
Loyola Marymount vs Washington State key injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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