The Saint Louis Billikens head to New York to face the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on Friday evening in an important Atlantic 10 Conference matchup. Saint Louis enters this matchup with an 18-1 overall record and a perfect 6-0 record in conference play. St. Bonaventure is 12-7 overall but just 1-5 against A-10 foes, trying to pull off an upset on their home floor in this matchup. Before the game begins in Olean, you will find my breakdown of this game below, as well as my Saint Louis vs St. Bonaventure prediction.
Our Saint Louis vs St. Bonaventure Pick
Pick: St. Bonaventure +8.5
Confidence: ★★☆☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Saint Louis Billikens @ St. Bonaventure Bonnies
- Date & Time: Friday, January 23, 2026, 5:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Reilly Center, Olean, New York
- Broadcast: ESPN2
Key Storylines
- Saint Louis has emerged as one of the top teams in the Atlantic 10, with an impressive 18-1 overall record and undefeated conference record at 6-0. Their 12-game winning streak is one of the longest active streaks in college basketball and solidifies them as favorites in this matchup. Saint Louis leads the nation in scoring margin at +24.1 and averages over 91 points per game while posting elite defensive numbers in field goal and three-point percentage allowed. Their rebounding also ranks among the nation’s leaders, helping them control possessions and earn second-chance opportunities.
- The Bonnies are trying to right their season after a tough start in A-10 play. Their recent 84-70 home victory over Loyola Chicago snapped a six-game conference losing streak and could provide confidence moving forward. Frank Mitchell has been a standout for St. Bonaventure, leading the team in scoring and rebounding and averaging a double-double. Darryl Simmons II provides perimeter scoring for the Bonnies, making him a key offensive threat. However, St. Bonaventure’s struggles against A-10 opponents could be a problem for them again here.
- St. Bonaventure has played incredibly well at home this season, going 8-2 on their home court. Saint Louis is undefeated on the road this year, though they have played just four road games and the sample size is small for now.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
- In the all-time series, Saint Louis leads St. Bonaventure 17-16, including four consecutive wins against the Bonnies. Saint Louis won their last meeting 73-68.
- Against the spread, Saint Louis has been solid with an 11-7 mark this season, while St. Bonaventure has been below average against the spread at 6-12.
- Saint Louis has gone over the total in 10 of their first 18 games, while the Bonnies have gone over the total 13 times in 18 outings.
Saint Louis vs St. Bonaventure Model Projection
Score Projection: Saint Louis 81 – St. Bonaventure 78
Win Probability: Saint Louis 76%, St. Bonaventure 24%
Final Thoughts
This should be a tight game in the A-10 despite the Billikens being a better team by a wide margin so far this season. I’m going to take the points with Saint Bonaventure, as they should be able to keep this game close down the stretch and make the Billikens earn everything they get in this conference matchup.
