San Francisco vs Gonzaga Betting: Bulldogs Battling Back
Zags Fall From Favor After Relatively Slow Start
What looked to be an easy game for Gonzaga several months ago has turned into anything but. With Gonzaga uncharacteristically tied for third place in the West Coast Conference’s NCAAB standings, the Bulldogs have to battle for conference wins. Gonzaga’s 9-4 start to the season saw the team fall out of the AP rankings for the first time since 2016.
The Bulldogs are 4-1 since then, but still have work to do. San Francisco is also 4-1 in WCC play and looking to bounce back after falling to St. Mary’s last time out. The San Francisco vs Gonzaga betting shows the Bulldogs are favored by 9 points. Gonzaga was favored by 14 points at home last year. The total on the game is 151.
Dons vs Bulldogs 
Day/Time:
Location: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, Washington
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
San Francisco Piling Up the Points
The Dons enter the game on an eight-game over streak that has seen them score 90 or more points five times. San Francisco is 15-5 on the season and a solid 13-6 against the point spread. The Dons are 6-3 ATS on the road this season and 3-2 in conference games.
San Francisco is averaging 78.9 points per game on the season, but are scoring 84.2 points in conference play. The Dons are pretty average shooting the 3-pointer, but strong inside the arc, making 58.3% of its 2-point attempts.
San Francisco is shooting an impressive 63.4% on 2-pointers in WCC play. The team has also picked-up its pace a little bit. The Dons average 17.6 seconds per possession, but 16.5 seconds in conference play.
The Dons are pretty solid defensively, ranking No. 40 in the KenPom defensive efficiency ratings. San Francisco does a good job at forcing turnovers and preventing offensive rebounds.
But NCAAB teams can make shots against the San Francisco defense. In conference play, the Dons are allowing 37.2% on 3-pointers and 48.5% on 2-pointers. Overall, the Dons are allowing 63 points per game, but that has gone up to 74.2 points in WCC play.
Bulldogs Put Together Solid Games
After losing to Santa Clara to open a three-game road trip, the Bulldogs put together a pair of solid games. The NCAAB scores show the Zags won and covered the spread against Pepperdine and San Diego. Gonzaga is 13-5 straight-up, but just 8-9 against the point spread and in totals.
The Bulldogs have dropped significantly in the odds to win March Madness. After being +2500 early in the season, the Bulldogs are now +9000.
Offensively, the Bulldogs are scoring 85.6 points per game and 90.8 in conference play. Gonzaga shoots 50.4% from the field and has picked that up in WCC action. The Bulldogs have seen their 3-point shooting increase from 32.8% to 35.5% in conference games, while 2-point shooting improved from 57.3% to 63.9%.
The Zags have done a good job keeping turnovers down. Gonzaga isn’t getting the same number of offensive rebounds in conference games, mainly because its shooting such a high percentage from the inside.
Defensively, the Bulldogs aren’t bad. Gonzaga is ranked No. 30 in the KenPom defensive efficiency ratings and are No. 1 in conference NCAAB games. The Bulldogs can defend the inside, ranking No. 22 in the nation and No. 1 in the conference. The 3-point defense isn’t bad and the Zags are pretty average when it comes to forcing turnovers.
What to Expect
The Dons will be out looking to break a streak that has seen Gonzaga win every game at home between the two teams since 1997. This could be its best chance in a number of years to get a win in Spokane. San Francisco should continue its up-tempo style here.
The Bulldogs also like to run and play at the fastest pace of any WCC team. If the Dons want to push the pace, Gonzaga should be more than happy to run up-and-down the court with them. The Bulldogs are solid in transition and it could work to their advantage.
Who to Bet On?
The San Francisco vs Gonzaga betting odds of Bulldogs -9 is a tough one to figure out. San Francisco was drilled by St. Mary’s 77-60 last game. But it could be a bit guilty of looking ahead a bit to this game. The Gaels are a solid basketball team. But they’re not Gonzaga. The Dons are 2-2 as underdogs this NCAAB season, while Gonzaga is 8-7 ATS when favored.
The San Francisco vs Gonzaga betting odds on the total of 151 appears to be a little bit on the low side. Although the over/under will likely be decided by the pace of the game. If the Dons come out and run, the game has a decent chance to go over the number.
If San Francisco tries to slow things down, that will bode well for under bettors. But with both teams showing an uptick in conference scoring, the over 151 is probably the best way to play this one.
For NCAAB betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
