Gonzaga vs BYU odds, picks and predictions tonight
Gonzaga has dominated the Cougars in recent years, beating them by double digits in each of the past five meetings. And while this year's Bulldogs team may not be as dominant as in years past, they can still handle that 6.5-point lighter spread.
Last update: January 12, 2023 11:42 a.m. ET
The #8 Gonzaga Bulldogs head to Provo to take on the BYU Cougars in the West Coast Conference on Thursday night.
Despite going on a nine-game winning streak, the Zags were one of the worst ATS teams in that country and could be tested by a BYU team that won eight of its last nine games.
College basketball prospects Hit the board with the Zags as the 6.5 best on the road with Over/Under at 151.5. Check out my best College basketball picks and predictions Gonzaga vs. BYU below.
BYU vs Gonzaga Best Odds
Gonzaga vs BYU Picks and Predictions
Gonzaga It's been bad against the spread lately but that means we should see more reasonable lines on it as odds makers adjust. This Zags team isn't as dominant as the past few seasons – or as good as most preseason ratings would predict – but BYU Not as good as it has been in recent years either.
Keep in mind that BYU was defeated by Loyola Marymount last week and lost to South Dakota and Utah Valley just a month ago. In fact, they lost by 15 points at home to the Wolverines and now host a school that has had a lot of success against them lately.
The Zags have beaten the Cougars by at least 10 points in their last five meetings and have never seen a spread shorter than -11 over that period. Last season, the Zags demolished the Cougars 90-57 in Provo with a career-best 12.5 points with a similar lineup.
The Cougars are physical on defense but have rarely been able to slow Gonzaga's high-octane offense as the Zags have scored over 80 points in their last nine head-to-head games.
BYU also shoots only 43.3% from the field against Division 1 foes and won't be able to keep up with the sharp-shooting Bulldogs, which ranks fourth in the country with a shooting rate of 50.5%.
Your best bet: Gonzaga -6.5 (-110 at bet365)
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Gonzaga vs. BYU spread analysis
Gonzaga's wild ride continues after two close wins over San Francisco and Santa Clara last week. The Bulldogs trailed the Dons in most of their competition before running away with a 77-75 victory and mounting a 14-point comeback to thrash the Broncos 81-76.
Since losing to Baylor on December 2, the Zags have a nine-game winning streak, topping it off with a 100-90 win over No. 4 Alabama. However, they have often struggled to shrink the big spreads placed in front of them and have only gone 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 games with the streaks.
The Zags rank fourth in the country in modified offensive efficiency, according to the Kinbaumbut was shaky on the other side of the field and ranked 73rd in defense.
Two-time All-American Drew Timme anchors his offense with 21.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Guards Julian Strother and Racer Bolton average 13.9 ppg and 11.3 ppg as they combine to shoot 42.5% of depth.
The Cougars are coming off a 68-48 win on the road against San Diego, which allowed them to rebound from a 64-59 road loss to Loyola Marymount last Wednesday. That defeat to the Lions was their only loss in their last nine games – a period that includes impressive wins over Creighton and Utah.
BYU is 24th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency but only 177th in offense. Not only do the Cougars struggle to drop shots consistently but they only rank 342 in turnover. One area where it stands out is on glass, where it ranks seventh in the country in bounce rate (55.6%).
The Cougars have four players averaging points with forward Fucini Traore leading the school with 12.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
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Gonzaga vs. BYU Over/Under analysis
It's hard to hold back this game's total because these teams are complete opposites when it comes to their productions on offense and defense.
The Zags averaged 83.8 ppg against Div 1 opponents but due to their fast pace and D inconsistency, they gave up 74.9 ppg.
BYU limits opponents to 66.7 ppg but also averages just 71.7 ppg — with that number dropping to just 66 ppg in the last five games.
However, while the Cougars have struggled offensively, they are playing at above average pace. They average 16.2 seconds per offensive possession period, which ranks 49th in the country and not much slower than the Bulldogs who average 15.8 seconds.
Gonzaga vs BYU betting direction to find out
Under is 5-2 in its last seven Gonzaga road games while also being 5-2 in BYU's previous seven home contests. Find more College basketball betting trends Gonzaga vs. Gonzaga State.
Gonzaga vs BYU Game Information
Location: Marriott Center, Provo, Utah
Date: Thursday, January 12, 2023
Warning: 9:30 p.m. ET
television: ESPN
Gonzaga key injuries vs. BYU
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