Gonzaga vs. UCLA Prediction & Odds
Number three seed Gonzaga and #2 seed UCLA head to Las Vegas to face each other at 9:45 PM ET Thursday night on CBS in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
Can the Bulldogs cover the 1.5-point spread as neutral-site underdogs?
Gonzaga is 30-5 on the year with their best wins coming over Xavier and Alabama. Their worst losses came against Loyola Marymount and St. Mary’s. The Zags are 13-20-1 against the spread this season.
UCLA is 31-5 this season with their best wins coming over Kentucky and Arizona. Their worst losses came against Illinois and USC. The Bruins are 21-13-2 against the spread this year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
641 Gonzaga Bulldogs (+1.5) vs. 642 UCLA Bruins (-1.5); O/U 145.5
9:45 PM ET, Thursday, March 23, 2023
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Gonzaga vs. UCLA Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that the public favors the Zags in this contest. Our public betting data illustrates that 56% of public bets are on Gonzaga +1.5. Do note that these numbers are subject to change and could be different once tipoff rolls around, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Gonzaga Game Notes
Gonzaga is led by senior forward Drew Timme. The 6’10” Richardson, Texas native leads the team in scoring with 21.1 points per game and rebounds with 7.3 per game. He’s shooting an astounding 62.1% from the field this season and has 18 20-point games for the Zags this year.
The X-factor for Gonzaga could be junior guard Julian Strawther. The 6’7” Las Vegas native is averaging 15.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for Gonzaga this season. He’s been efficient in 2022-23 as he’s shooting 48.3% from the field and 42.3% from beyond the arc on the campaign. Timme and Strawther will be integral to the result of this game.
UCLA Game Notes
UCLA’s best perimeter defender, Jaylen Clark, severely injured his Achilles in the Bruins’ regular-season finale and he’ll miss the rest of the season. Clark was averaging 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game for the Bruins this year.
Two other UCLA players are injury question marks for Thursday: guard David Singleton and forward Adem Bona. Singleton is averaging 9.1 points per game, and he’s dealing with an ankle injury. Bona is recording 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He’s nursing a shoulder ailment. Both players are officially listed as questionable ahead of Thursday’s tilt with Gonzaga.
Gonzaga vs. UCLA CBB Betting Trends
Gonzaga is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Thursday games.
Gonzaga is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS loss.
The over is 9-3 in Gonzaga’s last 12 games overall.
The over is 14-5 in UCLA’s last 19 games following an ATS loss.
Gonzaga vs. UCLA CBB Prediction:
UCLA’s injuries might finally catch up with them on Thursday. Not having Jaylen Clark is a huge blow to the Bruins, especially against a team like Gonzaga who has multiple guards that average over 10 points per game. It’s worth monitoring the status of UCLA players David Singleton and Adem Bona as well, as the Bruins will miss either of them if they’re unable to play.
There’s also the fact that Gonzaga is in a good spot as a slight underdog. The Zags lead the nation in offensive efficiency, rank tenth in the country in three-point shooting percentage (38.4%), and are eighth in the country in average scoring margin per game (+12.3). I think this is an entertaining and fast-paced game that could be close throughout. I think Gonzaga has enough talent and experience to win this game outright, so I’ll take the Zags as the pick in Las Vegas on Thursday night.
CBB BETTING PREDICTION: GONZAGA BULLDOGS +1.5
