Gonzaga at San Diego Spread, Free Pick & TV Info

Posted by Michael Hunt on Wednesday,February 22, 2017 11:13, EDT in

NCAA Basketball News, Betting Tips, Picks & Previews

I can’t tell you whether or not No. 1 Gonzaga will win a national championship and finish unbeaten (doubt it though). But the Zags can finish the season without a true road loss if they win on Thursday night at San Diego. It’s the Bulldogs’ final road game of the season before they close at home vs. BYU on Saturday. They will be double-digit favorites in San Diego on NCAAB spreads.

Gonzaga at San Diego Spread, Free Pick & TV Info

When: Thursday, Feb. 23, 10 PM ET
Where: Jenny Craig Pavilion, San Diego
TV: None nationally
Stream: West Coast Conference website
Radio: Gonzaga / San Diego
Opening NCAAB Lines: Gonzaga favored by TBA

Why Bet On Gonzaga?

The Zags (28-0) are chasing history. No regular-season unbeaten has won it all since 1976. Since the 1975-76 Indiana national championship team, five schools have made it to where Gonzaga is now, going 28 for 28 to start the season. None of those five who started 28-0 won the national title. The good news for Gonzaga: Four of five reaching 28-0 since 1976 made the Final Four. Gonzaga has never made a Final Four.

The Zags are off an 82-61 win over Pacific on Saturday. Nigel Williams-Goss had 18 points and seven assists to lead Gonzaga. Johnathan Williams had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and five players scored in double figures for Gonzaga, whose 28-game winning streak is the longest in the nation. Zach Collins blocked five shots. Gonzaga opened the second half with a 10-3 run to extend its lead to 20 points. The lead later grew to 70-43 and the Tigers did not threaten again.

Williams-Goss was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week Monday. He totaled 48 points in GU’s 27th and 28th straight victories. The redshirt junior made 15 of his 24 shots from the field (62.5 percent) and all 14 of his free-throw attempts. He added 14 assists, 11 rebounds and five steals.

The Bulldogs’ 21 straight wins versus conference foes is the longest streak in the country. GU has won 10 straight games on the road, which is also the longest streak in the nation. They’re 28-0 with 25 double-digit wins, with victories over the current first-place teams in the Pac-12, SEC and MAC. – Gonzaga has seven top-50 RPI wins, including four against top-25 ranked programs.

Gonzaga will clinch the outright West Coast Conference title with a win here. Gonzaga has already clinched at least a tie for the program’s 20th West Coast Conference title. The Bulldogs clinched at least a share of their 16th conference championship in 17 years, and 18th out of the last 20 years. GU has won five straight versus the Toreros, 16 of the last 17, and 38 of the last 41 matchups. The Bulldogs are 39-4 against San Diego under Mark Few.

Why Bet On San Diego?

Sophomore guard Tyler Williams connected on a 17-foot jumper from the right elbow to give USD a double-overtime 60-58 win over the Santa Clara Broncos on Saturday. The win snapped a 5-game skid and also avenged USD’s home loss to the Broncos by two points earlier this season.

USD (12-16, 5-11) made 10-of- 26 three-pointers and out-rebounded the Broncos 40-32. Cameron Neubauer scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Brett Bailey added 10 points in 50 minutes. Bailey leads San Diego averaging 15.9 points (7th in WCC) and seven rebounds (5th in WCC) per game. Olin Carter III adds 15.2 points per game. Neubauer chips in 11 points per game.

The Toreros’ last win in the Gonzaga series came on Feb. 22, 2014, 69-66, at San Diego. Gonzaga is 28-13 all-time at San Diego. The Zags have won seven of their last eight at USD. This game also marks just the second time USD has faced a #1 team in the NCAA Division I ranks. USD hosted #1 Kansas at the San Diego Sports Arena during the 1995-96 campaign, dropping a 101-71 decision.

In their first meeting, the Toreros dropped a 79-43 decision to the then No. 3 ranked Bulldogs on Jan. 26 in Spokane. The Bulldogs made their first 5 shots from the field in jumping out to a 10-2 lead. USD finished 16-50 from the field (32.0%) while GU made 34-64 (53.1%). The taller Bulldogs scored 50 of their 79 points in the paint. Williams-Goss finished with 25 points for Gonzaga.

USD owns a 6-9 record in games played at the JCP, but is just 1-6 in WCC home games. The Toreros are averaging 66.2 ppg & 33.3 rpg while surrendering 71.2 ppg & 35.7 rpg.