La Salle vs Saint Louis

Saint Louis rides a 16-game winning streak into this matchup, sitting at 22-1 overall and 10-0 in the A-10 and returning to a Chaifetz Arena floor where the Billikens have been dominant, which explains their massive -50000 moneyline price against a La Salle side listed at +1800. La Salle has stumbled to 7-16 3-7 A-10 and comes in off another road loss, while the recent absence and uncertain status of guard Truth Harris further thins a backcourt that already leans heavily on scoring leader Jaeden Marshall and primary creator Ashton Walker, in stark contrast to a healthy Saint Louis core built around playmaking center Robbie Avila, versatile scorer Brady Dunlap, and rugged guard Dion Brown. With Avila having already hung 18 points in an 84-72 win over the Explorers earlier this season and SLU’s top-end efficiency on both ends backing up their ranking, I’m taking Saint Louis on the moneyline for its extremely high likelihood of cashing but grading it a B because the return is minimal unless used as a parlay anchor. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 07/02/2026 12:41 espn.com

La Salle’s porous defense and recent slide set up a dangerous assignment against a Saint Louis offense that averages over 90 points per game and already shredded the Explorers’ half-court in an 84-72 Billikens win, which points me toward Over 153.5 at -120 despite the potential for a lopsided score. Saint Louis has been piling up points during its long winning streak behind Avila’s inside-out playmaking, Dunlap’s shooting surge and Brown’s work on the glass, while La Salle still has enough shot creation from Marshall, Walker and secondary wings like Rob Dockery to contribute to the total even if Harris is limited or out again. Given SLU’s pace, depth of perimeter threats, and the likelihood of extended garbage time with fouls and free throws in the second half, I’m leaning Over 153.5 and grading it a solid B, acknowledging some volatility if the Explorers’ offense completely stalls late. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 07/02/2026 12:41

Jaeden Marshall and La Salle may be badly outclassed overall, but grabbing +23.5 at -125 gives the Explorers a sizeable cushion, especially considering that Saint Louis only won the first meeting 84-72 and could again shift into cruise control late with a comfortable lead. The Billikens’ talent edge and current form are obvious with Avila, Brown, Dunlap and Trey Green all capable of stretching this out early, yet La Salle’s rotation—anchored by Marshall’s scoring, Harris and Walker in the backcourt when healthy, and Josiah Harris’ work on the glass—has just enough offensive competence to keep this from turning into a 30-point blowout if they avoid a complete second-half collapse. With SLU focused on preserving legs for March and a decent chance that end-of-bench minutes and a late Explorers push create a backdoor cover, I’ll side with La Salle +23.5 against the spread but only for a C+ grade given how thin the margin becomes if the Billikens stay locked in for 40 minutes. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 07/02/2026 12:41 espn.com