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The No. 8 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-8) and the No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (31-4) meet Saturday at Intrust Bank Arena in an NCAA Tournament Midwest Region second-round game in Wichita, Kansas. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 8:40 p.m. ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Gonzaga vs. Houston odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Gonzaga got off to a hot start against the No. 9 seed Georgia Bulldogs in the opening round, scoring the first 13 points of the game enroute to an 89-68 rout. The Zags shot 55.0% (33-of-60), while limiting UGA to 35.0% (21-of-60), with 4 starters finishing in double digits. G Khalif Battle had 24 points, including 4 triples, while G Nolan Hickman and F Braden Huff each had 18 points.
The Zags didn’t have their best season. The No. 8 seed is their lowest since 2016 when they were an 11. Gonzaga has won at least 2 games in each of its past 9 NCAA Tournament appearances since bowing out in the second round in 2014.
Gonzaga has won 10 of its past 11 games, while going 6-2 against the spread (ATS) in the past 8 outings. The Over is on a 4-1 run in the past 5 games.
Houston annihilated the SIUE Cougars 78-40 in the first round, led by G Milos Uzan with 16 points and G L.J. Cryer with 15 points. F J’Wan Roberts (ankle) was able to play, logging 20 minutes while finishing with 6 points.
The Cougars didn’t tear it up, going just 40.9% (27-of-66) from the field, but they turned it over just 7 times, while outrebounding the smallish SIUE team by a 50-27 margin. Houston also had 11 steals and 5 blocked shots.
Houston enters with 14 consecutive victories, and it has covered 3 in a row. The Under is 3-0 in the past 3 games, and 7-2 across the previous 9 contests.
This is the first time these programs have met in the NCAA Tournament.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll
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Gonzaga vs. Houston odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 6:12 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Gonzaga +185 (bet $100 to win $185) | Houston -225 (bet $225 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Gonzaga +5.5 (-115) | Houston -5.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 139.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Gonzaga vs. Houston picks and predictions
Prediction
Houston 74, Gonzaga 70
Moneyline
Houston (-225) barely broke a sweat against SIUE in the opening round, but that should change against Gonzaga. Still, you can’t risk more than 2 times your potential return in what should be a very close game. Both teams enter playing very good basketball.
PASS, and look to the spread instead.
Against the spread
GONZAGA +5.5 (-115) is worth a look catching the points. For whatever reason, coach Mark Few always seems to have his team playing its best basketball of the season come tournament time. This season has been no exception, as the Zags are easily playing their most quality basketball to date.
The Bulldogs fired out of the chute to stun Georgia, leading wire-to-wire. Gonzaga obviously figures to get a much better game from the No. 1 seed Houston. But, at this time of year, it’s not a good idea to bet against the Zags. F Graham Ike didn’t even have his best game, and G Ryan Nembhard was nearly invisible, yet the Zags showed their depth with Battle, Hickman and Huff leading the charge against UGA.
Over/Under
OVER 139.5 (-110) is worth a look in this solid second-round matchup.
Gonzaga has cashed high in 4 of the past 5 games. However, Houston enters with 3 straight Under results, while the total has gone low in 7 of the past 9 outings. Houston has scored 72 or more points in 4 postseason games to date, and Gonzaga is going to want to crank up the tempo, trying to make Houston play its game, rather than the slow, methodical style the Cougars employ.
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