Iona vs. Marist prediction, odds, time: 2023 MAAC Tournament final picks, best bets by proven model

The 11th-seeded Marist Red Foxes will look to complete an improbable run to the 2023 MAAC Tournament championship when they take on the top-seeded Iona Gaels in the title game on Saturday. The Red Foxes (13-19, 6-14 MAAC), who have won three in a row, defeated 10th-seeded Saint Peter’s 69-57 in Friday’s semifinals. The Gaels (26-7, 17-3), who have won 13 in a row, knocked off fifth-seeded Niagara 71-59 on Friday. Rick Pitno’s Iona squad swept the regular-season series, posting a 93-74 win on March 2 and an 84-57 victory at Marist on Jan. 6.

Tipoff from the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Iona leads the all-time series 53-18, including 23 of the last 26 matchups. The Gaels are 15-point favorites in the latest Marist vs. Iona odds, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 136. Before locking in any Iona vs. Marist picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters conference tournament week 76-51 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,200 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns. 

Now the model has zeroed in on Iona vs. Marist and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Marist vs. Iona:

• Marist vs. Iona spread: Iona -15
• Marist vs. Iona over/under: 136 points
• Marist vs. Iona money line: Marist +850, Iona -1400
• MAR: The Red Foxes are 3-0-1 against the spread in their last four neutral site games
• IONA: The Gaels are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall
• Marist vs. Iona picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Iona can cover

Sophomore guard Walter Clayton Jr. has been red hot. He is coming off a 22-point, six-rebound and three-assist performance in the semifinal win over Niagara, following a 21-point, 11-rebound and two steal game in the quarterfinal win over Mount St. Mary’s. Clayton has reached double-figure scoring in each of the last six games. For the season, he is averaging 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Also helping power the Gaels is junior guard Daniss Jenkins, who has reached double-figure scoring in each of the last nine games. He also has registered two double-doubles during that span, including a 21-point, 10-assist and seven-rebound performance in a 93-74 win over Marist on March 2. In Friday’s semifinals, Jenkins scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds. In 33 games, all starts, he is averaging 15.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and five assists.

Why Marist can cover

Senior center Patrick Gardner is at the heart of the Red Foxes’ offense. He is coming off a double-double in Friday’s semifinal win over Saint Peter’s. He scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out two assists. He has reached 20 points or better in four of the past six games. For the season, Gardner is averaging 19 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.

Sophomore guard Noah Harris had a solid game against Saint Peter’s on Friday, scoring 10 points, grabbing three rebounds and adding three assists. Harris is averaging 10.5 points per game against Iona, including a 14-point, six-assist and four-rebound performance in the loss at Iona on March 2. Harris has scored in double figures 12 times, including a season-high 23 points in a 72-70 loss to Boston University on Dec. 10. In 31 games, all starts, he is averaging nine points, 2.3 rebounds and two assists.

How to make Marist vs. Iona picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 139 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine. 

So who wins Iona vs. Marist? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.