The Gonzaga Bulldogs are in a familiar position, nationally ranked and in contention once again for the West Coast Conference crown. They are a game behind Saint Mary’s in the loss column and can’t afford any more slip-ups, which is why taking care of business next time out against the Brigham Young Cougars is crucial.
Gonzaga is the far superior team and has the home court advantage to boot, so there is every reason to think it will come away with the victory. BYU, though, is the third-best team in the conference and does have the capability to hang around if the three-point shots are falling.
The Cougars don’t have a great chance at pulling off the upset, but check in on the spread because they may be able to cover.
At 10 p.m. ET, tune into ESPN2 for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Saturday, February 3, 2018, at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
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Odds Analysis
Pacific is 10-13 straight up and 11-9-2 against the spread. The Tigers have hit the road for 11 games and has gone 4-5-2 against the spread. Pacific is 6-5-2 against the spread as the underdog this season.
Gonzaga is 19-4 straight up and 9-12-1 against the spread. The Bulldogs have covered in five of 11 games at home this season. They are 9-10-1 against the spread as the favorite.
Key Stat
88.2. That’s the number of points per game Gonzaga is averaging this season, which is the third-most in the country. The big test for BYU will be if it can keep the Bulldogs in check enough to make this a game,
Gonzaga is shooting a sparkling 51.2 percent from the field and hitting 36.7 percent of the shots from three-point range. The Bulldogs are balanced offensively. They are led in scoring by Jonathan Williams, who is averaging 13.7 points per game. Josh Perkins is averaging 13.2 points per game, Killian Tillie is contributing 12.7 points per contest while Zach Norvell, Jr., Rui Hachimura and Silas Melson are also averaging in double figures.
One of the issues for BYU will be staying true to every weapon on the court because Gonzaga has shown the ability to pass the ball around and find the best option on each possession.
Player To Watch
Elijah Bryant —BYU’s best shot at sticking close will be by feeding their leading scorer. Bryant is averaging 18.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game on the season. The junior guard is shooting 51 percent from the field and 45 percent from three-point range.
If he can shoot efficiently, this game may be much closer than most believe. While Gonzaga has the superior depth, all it takes is one player for BYU taking over to have a shot at the upset, and Bryant is most likely to be that guy.
He had a huge game last time out, scoring 28 points with seven rebounds and four assists in a win over Pacific. Bryant hit 8-of-9 from the field and made all four of his three-pointers in the contest. Another performance like that and Gonzaga will be feeling the pressure.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
While Bryant is a special talent, the Bulldogs’ depth and balance will be too much to overcome. Gonzaga knows how badly it needs to keep pace with Saint Mary’s and won’t let this one slip, although BYU could be an interesting choice against the spread.
The Cougars may be able to keep this one close but take the Bulldogs to claim the win.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Gonzaga 83, BYU 75
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