The second-ranked Baylor Bears (3-0) face the top-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-0) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in the Jimmy V Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Below, we analyze the Baylor-Gonzaga college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
The Bears were ranked No. 1 and the Bulldogs No. 2 in the preseason USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Poll.
Baylor vs. Gonzaga: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:25 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Baylor +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Gonzaga -155 (bet $155 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Baylor +2 (+105) | Gonzaga -2 (-125)
- Over/Under: 159.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Baylor vs. Gonzaga: Three things to know
- Baylor (-4.5) defeated No. 5 Illinois 82-69 Wednesday in its first game of the Jimmy V Classic in Indianapolis, pulling away in the final seven minutes after being tied at 43-all. G Adam Flagler led the Bears with 18 points off the bench. Baylor, which is 3-0 ATS, also owns wins against Washington (86-52) and Louisiana (112-82). G Jared Butler is the Bears’ top scorer at 16.3 points per game.
- Two of Gonzaga’s three victories are against top-11 teams. The Bulldogs beat then-No. 6 Kansas 102-90 (as 4-point favorites) in the Fort Myers Classic Nov. 26, and recently knocked off No. 11 West Virginia 87-82 Wednesday – failing to cover as 8.5-point favorites – in their first Jimmy V Classic tilt. The Mountaineers game was a dogfight as the Zags trailed 39-34 at the half and, after being tied 67-all, produced a 20-5 run in the final 6:31 to pick up the victory. F Drew Timme (23.3 PPG) and F Corey Kispert (22.3 PPG) lead the Zags in scoring so far.
- Both teams likely were going to be No. 1 seeds in the 2020 NCAA Tournament, which was canceled due to COVID-19. Gonzaga was No. 2 and Baylor No. 4 in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll when the season was halted. The Zags are 5-0 in the all-time series, most recently claiming an 83-71 second-round victory in the 2019 NCAA tourney.
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Baylor vs. Gonzaga: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Gonzaga 89, Baylor 85
Money line (ML)
PASS. I’m calling for a Gonzaga win, but I prefer to lay the 2 points at a -125 ATS price (below) compared to backing the -155 money line.
Against the spread (ATS)
GONZAGA -2 (-125) is worth a small play – half your usual wager – as this is no “gimme.” Expect a battle down to the wire. Gonzaga will have to do a better job on the boards than it did vs. West Virginia as it was outrebounded 41-36. What gives the Bulldogs the nod vs. Baylor is freshman G Jalen Suggs. In his college debut, the five-star recruit scored 24 points in the Kansas win. Against West Virginia, he exited the first half with a left ankle injury but returned in the second half. He only finished with 4 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. However, his presence played a key role in Gonzaga’s final surge.
Over/Under (O/U)
The OVER 159.5 (-110) is the STRONGEST PLAY – 1½ times your usual wager. The two teams already have played a game in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, so an unknown neutral court won’t be an issue. Through their first three games, Baylor is averaging 93.3 PPG, while Gonzaga is scoring at a 93.0 PPG clip.
This should be a fun one!
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| Johnny’s 2020 CBK record / Strongest plays | 0-0 / 0-0 |
| 2019-20 CBK record / Strongest plays | 5-3 / 5-0 |
| 2020 overall record (all sports) | 154-113-3 |
| Strongest plays (all sports) | 76-43-1 |
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