UConn Favored in Elite Eight Rematch with Gonzaga
UConn vs Gonzaga Odds: Huskies Holding Steady at -4
No. 5 UConn visits No. 10 Gonzaga on Friday (10 p.m. ET) at Climate Pledge Arena in one of the top college basketball matchups of the weekend. It’s a rematch of last year’s Elite Eight, where UConn won 82-54 along its way to the national championship.
The Huskies opened as 4-point favorites and received enough betting action to bump the line to -6. But as of Friday morning, it’s back down to -4.5. UConn is also -180 on the moneyline, with Gonzaga coming in at +155. The projected total is 152.
Can the Huskies take care of business? Read on as we break down the UConn vs Gonzaga odds.
UConn Huskies at Gonzaga Bulldogs 
Day/Time:
Location: Climate Pledge Arena; Seattle
Stream: ESPN2, ESPN+
Betting Trends
The UConn Huskies are 6-4 ATS, including 3-0 at neutral sites. The Huskies are also 5-4-1 against the Over/Under. Meanwhile, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are 4-5 ATS, including 2-2 at neutral sites. The Bulldogs have gone Under the projected total in five of their nine games. That’s important to remember when assessing the UConn vs Gonzaga odds.
As Good as Advertised
The UConn Huskies are on a roll, showing no signs of a championship hangover as they climb to No. 5 in the AP poll. The Huskies are 9-1, with the lone blemish a 69-65 loss to No. 2 Kansas on the road. They won their other two Top 25 games, defeating No. 19 Texas and No. 9 North Carolina.
While the Huskies lost three starters to the NBA in Jordan Hawkins, Andre Jackson and Adama Sanogo, the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, they’ve adequately replaced them. In fact, the Huskies have experienced hardly any drop off, beating teams by an average of 24.2 points.
Accordingly, UConn has seen its odds of repeating climb from +1600 to +1300. At the moment, only Purdue (+1000), Arizona (+1000) and Kansas (+1100) have better odds to win March Madness. The Huskies are also +360 to make the Final Four.
UConn’s covered the spread in its last two games and is 15-5 ATS dating to last season. It’s been favored in every game, with the exception of Kansas. Keep that in mind when analyzing the UConn vs Gonzaga odds.
Tristen Newton has been UConn’s No. 1 option offensively, averaging 17 points and 6.1 assists. But the Huskies have also gotten solid contributions from Rutgers transfer Cam Spencer, who is averaging 15.8 points and 3.8 assists. On top of that, UConn could soon get a boost from freshman phenom Stephon Castle, who’s been slowed by a knee injury.
Back Where They Belong
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are 8-2 and find themselves back in the AP top 10 for the 10th consecutive season. Gonzaga’s lone losses came to No. 3 Purdue in the Maui Invitational and unranked Washington on the road, in which the Bulldogs were a 4-point favorite.
The 10th-ranked Bulldogs have been favored in every game, with the exception of Purdue. They’ve been difficult to trust for bettors, covering in just two of their last six games.
Gonzaga is currently priced at +2500 to win the NCAA title, matching Baylor for the 11th best odds. The Bulldogs are also +650 to reach the Final Four.
With two-time All-American Drew Timme gone, Graham Ike has stepped up to become Gonzaga’s top option in the post. The 6-foot-9 Wyoming transfer averages 14.2 points on 58.8% shooting to go with 7.9 rebounds. He’s one of five Bulldogs averaging double figures, as balanced scoring has keyed the team’s strong start.
Gonzaga is shooting a healthy 49.9% as a team, ranking 29th in Division I. UConn’s been a tad better at 50.9%.
Handicapping the Odds
It’s hard to find any faults in UConn’s resume. The Huskies have been remarkably impressive, maintaining their place among the country’s best college basketball teams. Although it’s early, they’re a real threat to become the first team to repeat since Florida in 2006-07.
UConn doesn’t have any real weaknesses, and it should only get stronger once Castle and 7-2 sophomore Donovan Clingan get healthier. The Huskies are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games in December, and they’ve demonstrated an ability to win away from home.
This is a tall order for Gonzaga, even in its own backyard.
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