by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Feb 28, 2024
Game Time: 11:00 pm ET, Thursday, February 29, 2024
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Where to Watch: ESPN2
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Gonzaga -4.5, San Francisco +4.5; Over/Under: 155.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Gonzaga -4.5, San Francisco +4.5; Over/Under: 155.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Gonzaga -4.5, San Francisco +4.5; Over/Under: 155.5 points
Season Record
Gonzaga Bulldogs: 22-6 (12-2) (2nd place, WCC)
San Francisco Dons: 22-7 (11-3) (3rd place, WCC)
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Recent Form
Gonzaga Bulldogs: 5-0 last 5
San Francisco Dons: 4-1 last 5
Gonzaga Bulldogs vs San Francisco Dons Preview and Analysis
Gonzaga is entering this game with a 22-6 record overall, a 12-2 record in conference games, and they are 6-2 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are coming off a win against the Santa Clara Broncos in their last game. Graham Ike led the team in points per game in that game with 26 while Nolan Hickman was next on the team with 20. Ryan Nembhard led the team in assists with 6 in that game while Graham Ike led the team in rebounds with 7. They were 56.7% from the field, 50% from 3-point range, and 69.2% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 86.1 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 69.1 PPG against them. Gonzaga has an ATS record of 12-15 this season and their O/U record is 13-14.
San Francisco is entering this game with a 22-7 record overall, an 11-3 conference record, and they are 14-1 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are coming off a win against the Pepperdine Waves in their last game. Ndewedo Newbury led the team in points in that game with 19 while Jonathan Mogbo was next on the team with 14. Marcus Williams led the team in assists with 8 in that game while Ndewedo Newbury led the team in rebounds with 5. They were 59.7% from the field, 48% from 3-point range, and 60% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 79 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 65.3 PPG against them. San Francisco has an ATS record of 17-11 this season and their O/U record is 15-13.
Gonzaga vs San Francisco Prediction
The current betting odds have Gonzaga listed as a 4.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Gonzaga has looked really good in their games this season with their 22-6 record overall which has them ranked inside the top 25 teams in the country. They have looked great in the WCC this year with their 12-2 conference record which has them right near the top and they have also looked good in their road games with their 6-2 road record. Meanwhile, San Francisco has also looked really good in their games this season with their 22-7 record overall and their 11-3 conference record which has them right near the top of the WCC. They have also looked great on their home court this year with their 14-1 home record. San Francisco has been one of the best teams in the WCC all season and they have been hot in their games lately too, going 4-1 in their last 5 games, but those 3 losses against WCC opponents have been a key part of their season since there is not much margin for error in the WCC and they have shown they just can't compete with the stronger teams in the conference right now. Gonzaga got off to a rocky start this year and they are clearly not as good as they were last season, but they have been getting really hot in their games lately with their 5-0 record in their last 5 games and they are starting to look like the tournament team they are expected to be. Both of these teams have looked great overall this season but Gonzaga is the hotter team coming into this one right now and they are going to be looking to prove themselves still so they can solidify themselves as a tournament worthy team. The best way to place a bet here is on Gonzaga to cover the spread in this game.
Gonzaga San Francisco Prediction: Our NCAAB Pick for Thursday, February 29, 2024 (11:00 pm ET start time) is Gonzaga 86 San Francisco 77.
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NCAAB Betting Trends
Gonzaga Bulldogs: 10-18 ATS in all neutral court games. 5-11 ATS after a win by 10 points or more. 3-8 ATS after a game where they made 50% of their 3 point shots or better. 9-4 UNDER after playing 4 consecutive games as favorite. 19-8 UNDER after 2 straight games committing 8 or less turnovers.
San Francisco Dons: 10-3 ATS as a neutral court underdog of 3.5 to 6 points. 21-9 ATS off a blowout win by 20 points or more over a conference rival. 9-5 ATS after playing a home game. 14-4 UNDER in all neutral court games. 27-19 UNDER after playing a home game. 22-14 UNDER off a home win.
Key Injuries
Gonzaga Bulldogs: None.
San Francisco Dons: I. Hawthorne (F) Ques Thurs - Concussion.
Notable Quotes
"They gave us everything they got there. I mean we had our hands full and had a real problem, especially in the first half stopping them. But, fortunately for us, our offense was clicking at a really, really high level. But yeah, [Santa Clara] is a really, really good basketball team." - Mark Few after his team’s win against Santa Clara in their last game on Saturday.
“Really proud of our team. Really proud of our approach. This was a tough game coming off a tough loss on Tuesday.” - Chris Gerlufsen after his team’s win against Pepperdine in their last game on Saturday.
Starting Lineups
Gonzaga Bulldogs
N. Hickman
G. Ike
R. Nembhard
D. Stromer
A. Watson
San Francisco Dons
J. Mogbo
N. Newbury
M. Sharavjamts
M. Thomas
M. Williams
Statistical Leaders
Gonzaga Bulldogs
PPG: G. Ike (16.3)
APG: R. Nembhard (6.3)
Reb/G: A. Watson (7.4)
San Francisco Dons
PPG: J. Mogbo (14.9)
APG: M. Williams (3.7)
Reb/G: J. Mogbo (10.1)
Coaches:
Gonzaga Bulldogs: Mark Few (25th season)
San Francisco Dons: Chris Gerlufsen (2nd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
