No. 3 Gonzaga can’t run the table in the West Coast Conference after last week’s upset loss, but the Zags still have an outright WCC title and potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament to play for as they host San Diego on Thursday. The Zags are heavy favorites on the Mybookie NCAAB odds. Let’s see how the College Basketbball odds will be for the San Diego vs Gonzaga.
San Diego vs Gonzaga 2020 College Basketball Game Preview & Betting Odds
- When: Thursday, 9 PM ET
- Where: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane
- TV: Root Sports
- Opening NCAAB Lines: Gonzaga -26.5 (total 146)
San Diego vs Gonzaga First Meeting
The Zags were No. 1 in the nation when they blasted San Diego 94-50 on Jan. 9. Joel Ayayi scored 20 points and Filip Petrusev had 17 for Gonzaga. The Zags raced to a 53-16 halftime lead. They continued to dominate the series against the Toreros, beating them for the 11th straight time, the 22nd time in the last 23 games and for the 44th time in 47. Braun Hartfield, Yauhen Massalski and Jared Rodriguez scored nine points apiece for USD, which only led 1-0. The Toreros fell to 0-3 vs. No. 1-ranked teams all-time.
Gonzaga leads the all-time series 74-21.
Why Bet on San Diego?
San Diego (9-20, 2-12) is second to last in the West Coast Conference. The Toreros have one victory in their past eight. They come off a 92-63 blowout at Saint Mary’s last Saturday. Malik Fitts scored 27 points and Jordan Ford scored 22 and Saint Mary’s used the second half to blow the game open.
Braun Hartfield’s jump shot with 4:14 before halftime put San Diego up 30-25 before the Gaels went on a 13-4 run to close the half. After the break, Saint Mary’s went on a 13-2 run for a 14-point lead with 12:50 remaining. Saint Mary’s finished 39-of-70 shooting (55.7%). The three turnovers by Saint Mary’s were the fewest committed by a USD opponent this year, besting the previous figure of six set by LMU on January 2.
USD outshot the Gaels in the first half 48.4% to 47.1% but the Toreros were 11-of-28 from the field (39.3%) in the second half and 0-of-5 from three. It was their 14th straight loss in the series.
Hartfield led USD in scoring with 15 points on 6-of-15 shooting (0-of-5 from three). The redshirt junior also had three rebounds and three assists, tied for the team-high. Hartfield continues to be USD’s most important scoring threat as he is averaging 20.2 points on 47.8% shooting (43-of-90) and 35% (14-of-40) from three-point range in the last six games.
Yauhen Massalski had nine of his 13 points in the second half and pulled in eight rebounds vs. Saint Mary’s. Massalski now has 122 blocks in his career. He trails Dondi Bell by seven (129, 1987-91) for fourth on USD’s all-time list.
The Toreros have lost 19 in a row at Gonzaga in the regular season and 22 overall when including the WCC Tournament hosted in Spokane. USD’s last win at Gonzaga was in 2000 (82-70). The Toreros are 2-27 against a Gonzaga team ranked in the AP poll (0-16 vs. top-10 Gonzaga).
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 66.1
- Field Goal %: 41.65
- Three Point %: 31.2
- Free Throw %: 65.09
- Total Rebounds: 34.1
Defense
- Total Score: 71.69
- Field Goal %: 44.61
- Three Point %: 32.14
- Free Throw %: 70.42
- Total Rebounds: 34.45
Why Bet on Gonzaga?
The Zags (27-3, 13-1) would clinch the outright WCC title as they are two games ahead of second-place BYU, which upset Gonzaga 91-78 in Provo last Saturday to knock the Bulldogs out of the No. 2 spot in the AP Top 25. BYU never trailed after halftime in ending Gonzaga’s 19-game winning streak. Gonzaga scored a single basket over the final seven minutes.
Yoeli Childs led BYU with 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Bulldogs turned it over 14 times and allowed BYU to score 18 points off those turnovers. The Cougars had no trouble finding a rhythm, shooting 53% from the field and 41% from 3-point range.
Killian Tillie scored 18 points and Corey Kispert added 16 to lead the Bulldogs. Filip Petrusev added 14 points and Admon Gilder chipped in 13. Gonzaga had won the previous five meetings in Provo before Saturday. Coming into the game, the Bulldogs had won 40 straight regular-season conference games and 39 straight road contests against WCC opponents.
The Bulldogs still have clinched a share of their eighth straight West Coast Conference regular season title, 23rd overall. GU’s 37 straight wins at home is the longest active streak in the nation, and third longest in program history. The Zags have won 33 in a row at home vs. unranked team. Gonzaga is 7-0 overall this season on Thursday.
The Zags are first in the nation in scoring offense (87.6), scoring margin (20.0), second in field goal percentage (51.2), third in total assists (495), fourth in rebound margin (8.7), fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.49), sixth in total rebounds (1,166) and seventh in three-point percentage (38.5) and assists per game (17.1).
Adam Morrison, who helped usher the Gonzaga program into national prominence, will be honored before the game. Morrison will become the third player in program history to have his jersey displayed in the McCarthey Athletic Center, joining John Stockton and Frank Burgess.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 87.59
- Field Goal %: 51.23
- Three Point %: 38.51
- Free Throw %: 68.52
- Total Rebounds: 40.21
Defense
- Total Score: 67.62
- Field Goal %: 41.79
- Three Point %: 31.77
- Free Throw %: 68.31
- Total Rebounds: 31.55
San Diego vs Gonzaga Game Trends
- San Diego are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Diego’s last 8 games.
- San Diego are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games.
- San Diego are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against Gonzaga.
- Gonzaga are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 10 of Gonzaga’s last 11 games.
San Diego vs Gonzaga Expert Prediction
Gonzaga 89, San Diego 61
