Bears vs. Bulldogs Prediction
The No. 1 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs are big favorites tonight in their NCAA Tournament second round matchup tonight against the ninth-seeded Baylor Bears. Will Gonzaga race to a big enough win to cover the big spread?
Game Snapshot
851 Baylor Bears vs. 852 Gonzaga Bulldogs
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Vivint Smart Home Arena at 7:10PM ET
TV: TBS
Compare odds from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our College Basketball Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, the Bulldogs are a 14-point favorite on the spread line. The over-under is set at 147.5 points. As of Saturday morning, 66 percent of public bets are being placed on Gonzaga. Check out our College Basketball Public Betting Page for up-to-date information.
Bears take down Orange
Baylor advanced in the NCAA Tournament Thursday night with a 78-69 victory over Syracuse. The Bears (20-13) outscored the Orange 40-32 in the second half to secure the win. Baylor shot 28-of-52 from the floor, 16-of-34 from 3-point distance plus 6-of-9 at the free throw line. Makai Mason paced the Bears with 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting including 4-of-10 from 3-point distance plus 4-of-7 at the charity stripe. He added four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Jared Butler tallied 14 points, five boards, four assists and two steals. Mario Kegler added 13 points and four caroms.
Zags blast Knights
Gonzaga raced to an 87-49 win Thursday night against Fairleigh Dickinson to move on in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs (31-3) led by a commanding 53-17 halftime score en route to the victory. Gonzaga shot 34-of-64 from the field, 9-of-21 from 3-point distance plus 10-of-16 at the free throw line. Rui Hachimura paced the Bulldogs with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting plus 5-of-5 at the free throw line. He also grabbed eight rebounds. Killian Tillie tallied 17 points, four assists and two boards off the bench. Zach Norvell Jr. accounted for 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Brandon Clarke registered 12 points, eight caroms, three blocked shots and two assists. Geno Crandall added 10 points and four rebounds as a reserve.
College Basketball Betting Trends
Baylor
The Bears are 4-0 ATS in their last four non-conference games. Baylor is 6-0 ATS in its last six games versus the West Coast Conference.
Gonzaga
The Bulldogs are 5-0 ATS in their last five non-conference games. Gonzaga is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 games versus the Big 12.
Prediction:
I know Gonzaga has the ability to dominate foes, but this spread seems a little too steep against a tough foe. The only team as good as Baylor that Gonzaga has beaten by at least 14 points this season is St. Mary’s, twice. The Bulldogs also lost to the Gaels in the West Coast Conference Tournament final. Baylor ended the season poorly, but regrouped against the Orange and I think they can keep this one closer than what oddsmakers predict. The Bears are strong on the offense end and at least for a good portion of the game, have a good shot at sticking with the Zags.
NCAA DAILY PREDICTION: BAYLOR BEARS +14