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The No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats (7-1) take on the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs (7-1) Saturday evening. Tip-off from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle is set for 10 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the Kentucky vs. Gonzaga odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
This is a “neutral-site” game, though it’s a 4-hour trip from Gonzaga.
UK is coming off its first loss of the season as the Cats fell to Clemson 70-66 as 1.5-point favorites Tuesday. G Otega Oweh led the team with 17 points, and he has scored in double figures in each game this season. The Wildcats will be looking for another statement win after taking down Duke as 5.5-point dogs Nov. 12.
Gonzaga dismantled Davidson 90-65 as Stephen Curry was nowhere in sight to save these Wildcats. F Graham Ike had 18 points and 10 boards while G Ryan Nembhard dished out 14 dimes. F Ben Gregg came off the bench to lead the team with 24 points. The Zags’ lone loss came to West Virginia Nov. 27, entering as 15-point favorites.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll
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Kentucky vs. Gonzaga odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college basketball odds. Lines last updated at 2:30 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Kentucky +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | Gonzaga -275 (bet $275 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Kentucky +6.5 (-115) | Gonzaga -6.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 166.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Kentucky vs. Gonzaga picks and predictions
Prediction
Gonzaga 81, Kentucky 78
Moneyline
This game features the top-scoring team in the country with UK dropping 92.9 PPG, and Gonzaga is tied for 4th with 90.4. Kentucky has the advantage from the arc, as it drills 10.6 per game to Gonzaga’s 8, and UK is 4th in the country with 40.1 rebounds per game.
This is a long way to travel, though, and the environment should be very pro-Zags. I’m not willing to go with UK on the ML, but I am with it on the spread.
Instead, I’ll take OTEGA OWEH OVER 14.5 POINTS (-115). This is going to be a track meet, and he has crossed this barrier in 3 of 4.
Against the spread
As mentioned, I like UK to cover here. It has the high-end talent that won’t be road weary, but the Zags are just too good offensively to discount.
Take KENTUCKY +6.5 (-115).
Over/Under
UK is 5-3 O/U thus far, and Gonzaga is 6-2. However, when UK played Duke, the teams battled to an Under 159.5. Similarly, when the Zags faced a ranked Indiana squad, that game totaled 162, which would be south of this number. How all of this correlates here is that competition tends to bring out the best in one another defensively. So I don’t see either team reaching the 90 it would take to cash an Over.
Take the UNDER 166.5 (-110).
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