Both the Texas A&M Aggies and Gonzaga Bulldogs were Sweet-16 teams last year. As a seven-seed, the Aggies ascend was a bit more surprising, but both teams put up solid performances in the West bracket.
For Gonzaga, their trip to the Sweet-16 was their fourth straight. With that level of success despite turnover, the Bulldogs are no longer an underdog under Mark Few. This team comes into the year as one of the early favorites to cut down the nets at season’s end.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, however, we still have a number of early season non-conference contests including this interesting game with the Gonzaga Bulldogs hosting the Texas A&M Aggies in Spokane on Thursday night. You can get involved in this one by taking part in the live betting opportunities available at BookMaker.eu.
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Texas A&M Aggies vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Date and Time: Thursday, November 15, 2018, 11:30 p.m. ET
Location: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, Washington
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Aggies vs. Bulldogs TV Coverage: ESPN2
It’s been a rough start to the season for the Aggies who struggled a bit in exhibition games, including losing to Stephen F. Austin a few weeks ago. Since the start of the season, they’ve played Savannah State to a 15-point win at home and UC Irvine to a loss, also at home. Now they hit the road.
The Aggies haven’t shot well so far. Against UC Irvine, they shot just 36-percent from the floor and 21-percent from three-point range. The performance was better against Savannah State though the team was just 2-for-19 from beyond the arc in the second half in that game.
The Aggies lost a lot of size from last year’s Sweet-16 team and are in a rebuilding mode. To compete, they need to do so with a high-energy level and a fast-paced game.
Texas A&M features a four-guard rotation and supplements that with defense-first forwards in Christian Mekowulu and Josh Nebo. Both, however, has shot well in the early going.
The team goes against a high powered offense for Gonzaga on Tuesday as the Bulldogs have scored 224 points in their first two games. Can they keep that going?
The Aggies have been prone to turnovers early on and the Zags can certainly play tough on the defense end as well. They showed a big improvement on defense in their last game after leaving too many uncontested shots for Idaho State in their regular season opener.
Gonzaga holds a key advantage over the Aggies here. Both teams lost some top talent though Texas A&M lost a lot more, particularly from a strong frontcourt, leaving the team much smaller.
Meanwhile, inside the paint, the Zags have a pair of strong players in Rui Hachimura, a legit NBA prospect, and San Jose State transfer Brandon Clarke who already has a double-double under his belt.
The Bulldogs can score from the paint, but they also have a number of strong shooters on the outside. Zach Norvell made a name for himself in the NCAA Tournament last year, averaging 19 points in three games. He’s already got a 23-point game this season, too, shooting well against Idaho State.
Josh Perkins is another key for this team. The redshirt senior guard controls the ball and is the team leader in assists. His overall numbers aren’t that sexy, but he’s a reliable shooter, a good ball-handler and a seasoned veteran. All three combine for a lot of stability in the backcourt.
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Defense was a strength for the Zags last year, but the team has shown some defensive flaws early, allowing 79 points to Idaho State in their first regular season game. They got that a bit in check against Texas Southern, but these haven’t been great challenges, yet.
Offensively, there’s little to dislike. The shooting on the outside has been a bit sporadic, but they’ve owned the paint and have cruised to easy wins. Keep an eye out on the defense against a team like Texas A&M and watch what they can do on the outside.
Early season basketball is all about working out the kinks and the Bulldogs seemed to do that against Texas Southern, but their defense on the outside—as well as their shooting—will be key. The smaller Aggies bring plenty of energy. Keep an eye on the shooting on the outside for both teams as that’s where the Aggies could surprise and at least keep it close and potentially cover the spread at BookMaker.eu.
Key Player
The Bulldogs’ big men aren’t all that big compared to some other top programs, but they’re good. Gonzaga has a reputation for developing great forwards and for good reason with guys like Kelly Olynyk and Przemek Karnowski taking care of business in years past.
This year, the inside is owned by Brandon Clarke and Rui Hachimura. While Hachimura is an elite play in his own right, Clarke is the key here. Both can score. Hachimura has 50 points in the last two games. Clarke is a bit behind, but scored 15 in against Idaho State and 19 against Texas Southern.
While both can post up inside, Clarke has shown the ability to rebound and notched six blocks against Texas Southern.
Clarke’s ability to rebound and block should keep Gonzaga in possession and allow them to slow down the pace on the Aggies’ four-guard rotation that’s built on speed and pace of play. Overall, Texas A&M cannot compete on the inside thanks to Clarke and Hachimura.
Aggies vs. Bulldogs Live Betting
The Aggies come into this game having faltered in a battle with UC Irvine at home and now get to play the No.3 team in the nation while traveling to Washington State. That’s not an easy task. Texas A&M is sure to be motivated, but they’ve struggled throughout the preseason and into the early part of the regular season. Meanwhile, Gonzaga looks as good as ever.
The Bulldogs have scored 224 points in their first two regular season games, have a deep and talented roster full of NBA draft prospects and have the clear advantage on the inside. They also have plenty of talented outside shooters. Simply put, the Zags are better than the rebuilding Aggies. They’re playing better and they’re lineup is better on paper. Take them for the easy win at home.
Check out all of the live betting at BookMaker.eu for Monday’s college basketball.
NCAA Basketball Score Prediction: Gonzaga 84, Texas A&M 67
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