Saint Mary's Edges Northern Iowa in Close Contest
Monday, December 22, 2025, 10:00 PM ET · University Credit Union Pavilion
Saint Mary's Gaels 63, Northern Iowa Panthers 58, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
The next free pick, for your email
Team, bet, price and the hash it was sealed under, on this page the moment you send. Lose or win, it stays public.
or by email
Public record of the main pick, losses included: 115 won, 44 lost. See every pick
One free pick a day by email until you unsubscribe, in one click. 21+.
Quick answers
Who won Northern Iowa Panthers vs Saint Mary's Gaels?
Saint Mary's Gaels beat Northern Iowa Panthers 63-58 at University Credit Union Pavilion on December 22, 2025.
Who was favored in Northern Iowa Panthers vs Saint Mary's Gaels?
Saint Mary's Gaels were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -800 (about 89% implied). The favorite won.
In a tightly contested matchup, the Saint Mary's Gaels narrowly defeated the Northern Iowa Panthers with a final score of 63-58 at the University Credit Union Pavilion on December 23, 2025. This game was significant as it showcased the resilience of both teams, particularly Saint Mary's, who maintained a strong home record of 11-2, while Northern Iowa fell to 9-4 overall after this loss.
Saint Mary's entered the game with a recent form of 8-2 over their last ten games, currently riding a one-game winning streak. They averaged 79.4 points scored per game while allowing 65.4 points, indicating a solid offensive performance coupled with a decent defensive effort. Their last match before this one was a convincing victory against the Florida Atlantic Owls, where they won 88-75. At home, the Gaels boasted a perfect record of 5-0 this season, demonstrating their ability to capitalize on home-court advantage.
Northern Iowa, on the other hand, also held an impressive record of 8-2 in their last ten games, with a two-game winning streak leading into this contest. The Panthers averaged 71.0 points scored and allowed only 57.7 points, highlighting their strong defensive capabilities. Their most recent game was a victory against the UIC Flames, winning 60-54. Northern Iowa's away record stood at 3-1 prior to this game, showcasing their ability to compete effectively on the road.
The matchup was also notable due to the betting lines set by DraftKings, which favored Saint Mary's with a spread of -11.5 and a moneyline of -800, while Northern Iowa was listed at +550. The total points for the game were set at 132.5, with odds of -108 for the over and -112 for the under. These odds reflected the market's expectation of a competitive game, though ultimately, the final score fell under the projected total.
As the game unfolded, it was marked by a series of scoring plays that kept fans on the edge of their seats. The second half saw a back-and-forth exchange, with Northern Iowa briefly taking the lead at 58-57 after a driving layup by Trey Campbell. However, Saint Mary's responded with crucial free throws, including a pair from Mikey Lewis that sealed their victory. The final moments were tense, as both teams fought hard for every point, but Saint Mary's managed to hold on to their slim lead.
In terms of injuries, the block did not provide specific details on player availability, which could have influenced the game dynamics. However, both teams appeared to be at full strength for this important matchup.
Overall, this game was a testament to the competitive spirit of both teams, with Saint Mary's leveraging their home advantage to secure a hard-fought victory against a resilient Northern Iowa squad.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | SMC -11.5 | 132.5 o -108 / u -112 | Northern Iowa Panthers +550 · Saint Mary's Gaels -800 |
Leaders
- PointsPaulius Murauskas20Saint Mary's Gaels
- AssistsMikey Lewis3Saint Mary's Gaels
- ReboundsDillan Shaw9Saint Mary's Gaels
- PointsTrey Campbell18Northern Iowa Panthers
- AssistsTrey Campbell5Northern Iowa Panthers
- ReboundsTrey Campbell5Northern Iowa Panthers
Recent form
Saint Mary's Gaels
Last 10: 8-2Streak W179.4 scored · 65.4 allowed per game5-0 at home
- W88-75vs Florida Atlantic OwlsDec 20
- L67-68at Boise State BroncosDec 14
- W70-61at Davidson WildcatsDec 7
- L71-96at Vanderbilt CommodoresNov 28
- W77-66at Virginia Tech HokiesNov 27
- W70-65at Wichita State ShockersNov 27
- W96-42vs UC Merced BobcatsNov 23
- W85-72vs Arkansas State Red WolvesNov 20
- W80-49vs North Texas Mean GreenNov 15
- W90-60vs Ohio BobcatsNov 12
Northern Iowa Panthers
Last 10: 8-2Streak W271 scored · 57.7 allowed per game3-1 away
- W60-54at UIC FlamesDec 17
- W75-63vs Oakland Golden GrizzliesDec 13
- L69-74vs Wichita State ShockersDec 7
- W99-34vs Coe KohawksDec 2
- L60-63at Tulsa Golden HurricaneNov 26
- W72-51at Loyola Chicago RamblersNov 25
- W70-69at UC Irvine AnteatersNov 23
- W70-57vs Northern Illinois HuskiesNov 19
- W70-54vs Furman PaladinsNov 15
- W65-58vs South Dakota State JackrabbitsNov 9
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont | 26-6 | - | 16-4 |
| Bradley | 21-13 | 3 | 13-7 |
| Illinois State | 23-13 | 4 | 12-8 |
| Murray State | 20-13 | 4 | 12-8 |
| UIC | 19-16 | 4 | 12-8 |
| Northern Iowa | 23-13 | 5 | 11-9 |
| Valparaiso | 18-15 | 5 | 11-9 |
| Southern Illinois | 16-16 | 6 | 10-10 |
| Drake | 14-20 | 10 | 6-14 |
| Indiana State | 11-21 | 12 | 4-16 |
| Evansville | 7-25 | 13 | 3-17 |
| Gonzaga | 31-4 | - | 16-2 |
| Saint Mary's | 27-6 | - | 16-2 |
| Santa Clara | 26-9 | 1 | 15-3 |
| Oregon State | 17-16 | 7 | 9-9 |
| Seattle U | 21-14 | 8 | 8-10 |
| Pacific | 18-15 | 8 | 8-10 |
| San Francisco | 17-16 | 8 | 8-10 |
| Washington State | 12-20 | 9 | 7-11 |
| Loyola Marymount | 15-17 | 10 | 6-12 |
| Portland | 15-19 | 10 | 6-12 |
| San Diego | 12-21 | 11 | 5-13 |
| Pepperdine | 9-23 | 12 | 4-14 |
Box score
| Stat | Northern Iowa Panthers | Saint Mary's Gaels |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 24-55 | 17-53 |
| Field goal % | 44 | 32 |
| Three-pointers | 7-20 | 4-20 |
| Three-point % | 35 | 20 |
| Free throws | 3-4 | 25-27 |
| Free throw % | 75 | 93 |
| Rebounds | 25 | 43 |
| Offensive rebounds | 3 | 15 |
| Defensive rebounds | 22 | 28 |
| Assists | 18 | 10 |
| Steals | 7 | 6 |
| Blocks | 3 | 5 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 11 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 13 | 8 |
| Fast-break points | 4 | 7 |
| Points in the paint | 26 | 24 |
| Fouls | 23 | 11 |
| Largest lead | 8 | 6 |
| Lead changes | 11 | 11 |
| Time in front | 77 | 19 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half29-28Tristan Smith makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Trey Campbell assists)
- 2nd Half29-30Paulius Murauskas makes layup
- 2nd Half31-30Trey Campbell makes 14-foot pullup jump shot (Ben Schwieger assists)
- 2nd Half34-30Leon Bond III makes 26-foot three point jumper (Will Hornseth assists)
- 2nd Half34-32Tony Duckett makes driving layup
- 2nd Half34-33Tony Duckett makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half36-33Leon Bond III makes 11-foot floating jump shot (Trey Campbell assists)
- 2nd Half36-35Mikey Lewis makes layup (Joshua Dent assists)
- 2nd Half38-35Trey Campbell makes layup
- 2nd Half38-36Harry Wessels makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half38-37Harry Wessels makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half38-39Paulius Murauskas makes 1-foot dunk (Joshua Dent assists)
- 2nd Half38-41Andrew McKeever makes layup
- 2nd Half38-44Mikey Lewis makes 23-foot three point jumper (Joshua Dent assists)
- 2nd Half40-44Ismael Diouf makes 3-foot dunk (Tristan Smith assists)
- 2nd Half43-44Trey Campbell makes 26-foot three point jumper (Leon Bond III assists)
- 2nd Half46-44Leon Bond III makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half46-46Paulius Murauskas makes driving layup
- 2nd Half48-46Trey Campbell makes 9-foot pullup jump shot (Ismael Diouf assists)
- 2nd Half48-47Paulius Murauskas makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half48-48Paulius Murauskas makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half50-48Ben Schwieger makes layup (Leon Bond III assists)
- 2nd Half50-49Paulius Murauskas makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half50-51Mikey Lewis makes driving layup
- 2nd Half51-51Will Hornseth makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-52Harry Wessels makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half51-53Harry Wessels makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-54Mikey Lewis makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half51-55Mikey Lewis makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half53-55Tristan Smith makes 3-foot dunk (Leon Bond III assists)
- 2nd Half56-55Ismael Diouf makes 27-foot three point jumper (Trey Campbell assists)
- 2nd Half56-56Paulius Murauskas makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half56-57Paulius Murauskas makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half58-57Trey Campbell makes driving layup
- 2nd Half58-58Paulius Murauskas makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half58-59Paulius Murauskas makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half58-60Mikey Lewis makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half58-61Mikey Lewis makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half58-62Mikey Lewis makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half58-63Mikey Lewis makes free throw 2 of 2
Win probability
Above the line favours Saint Mary's Gaels, below favours Northern Iowa Panthers.
Venue
- University Credit Union PavilionMoraga, CA
- Attendance3500
- OfficialsRandy McCall, Bret Smith, Bill Vinovich
Elsewhere
- Carson Crawford, No. 46 in '27 class, commits to Arizona St.
- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond