Don’t look now, but the Gonzaga Bulldogs look like they are ready to play spoiler once more. Mark Few has created a powerhouse out in Spokane, turning the Bulldogs from a lovable mid-major into a wrecking ball that is constantly demolishing the rest of the teams in the West Coast Conference. Gonzaga lost just one conference game in each of the last two seasons, and the Bulldogs are currently unbeaten in conference play this year. The BYU Cougars are hopeful they can put a halt to Gonzaga’s run this year, and they were the second-to-last WCC team to beat the Zags two years ago.
This WCC showdown will take place on Thursday, January 31, 2019. Tip-off will be at 11 p.m. ET from the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
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Odds Analysis
If BYU is going to make it to March Madness without winning the WCC tournament, the Cougars need to run the gauntlet from here, and that would mean beating Gonzaga three times. They did not acquit themselves well in non-conference play with losses to Illinois State, Weber State, UNLV, and San Diego State. They have a losing record against the other top teams in the conference too, splitting two games with St. Mary’s and losing to San Francisco by 19 points on the road.
As for Gonzaga, the Bulldogs have already done enough to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, and they are just gunning for a No. 1 seed. They were one of two teams to beat this year’s favorite (Duke), and they also have wins over Illinois, Creighton, and Arizona. Their only losses have been a neutral site loss to Tennessee and a road defeat against North Carolina. Gonzaga has shredded WCC opponents since conference play began with an average margin of victory of over 30 points. San Francisco has been its toughest test, losing by just 13 at home.
Key Injuries
Jahshire Hardnett has had a rocky month. He was rumored to be transferring out of the program at the beginning of the month, shortly after injuring his hand in a loss to Saint Mary’s. Hardnett decided to stay for now, but he has missed BYU’s last five games with the hand injury and is likely to miss this one as well.
Gonzaga has no one listed on its injury list ahead of this game.
Matchup to Watch
The Zags offense has been incredible this year. Rui Hachimura continues to be one of the most exciting players in college basketball with a mid-range game that has largely been forgotten. He is an undersized forward that knows all the tricks to get his shot off, and that’s why he’s hitting almost 60 percent from the floor despite most of his field goal attempts coming from outside of 10 feet.
Brandon Clarke has been able to dominate in the low post and is one of the most efficient scorers in the country, and the guard play has been superb. Zach Norvell Jr., Josh Perkins, and Corey Kispert have all played well and can shoot the three, and that is something BYU has struggled to stop. They rank 249th in the country in three-point defense, so those three should be able to light it up against the Cougars.
Prediction
This one should be a rout. BYU has yet to beat a real contender this season, and although they have a good home court advantage, it won’t be enough against a battle-tested team like the Zags. Gonzaga has so much talent that even its bench should be able to outscore BYU, and Killian Tillie should continue to see more action as he works his way back from injury. That’s a recipe for a big Gonzaga win in Provo.
NCAA Basketball Score Prediction: Gonzaga 87, BYU 69
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