The No. 7 Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-4, 18-1 WCC) and the San Francisco Dons (18-14, 10-9 WCC) clash in the West Coast Conference Tourney at Orleans Arena. Gonzaga opened as a 13-point favorite, while the Over/Under (O/U) for the game has been set at 140.5 points. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on Monday, March 5, 2018, and it can be seen on ESPN.
San Francisco Dons vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Free Preview
The Dons barely escaped the Pacific Tigers in their last contest, 71-70. With 17 points and eight assists, San Francisco’s Frankie Ferrari played well. San Francisco dominated nearly every stat category in the game. They had a solid effective field goal percentage of 0.550 (above their season average of 0.497) and an offensive rebounding percentage of 24.2 (below their season average of 28.9). Pacific was 0.482 and 21.9, respectively, for those same stats.
The last time the Bulldogs played, they defeated the Loyola Marymount Lions, 83-69. Gonzaga’s Johnathan Williams played a key role with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Gonzaga played a nearly flawless game. They had an offensive rebounding percentage of 33.3 (below their season average of 33.8) and an effective field goal percentage of 0.735 (above their season average of 0.572). For those same stats, Loyola Marymount was 20.0 and 0.492, respectively.
The prolific offense of Gonzaga will face off against the mid-tier defense of San Francisco. The Bulldogs rank second in offensive efficiency, while the Dons are 126th in defensive efficiency. The Bulldogs figure to have the edge on that side of the ball.
Of San Francisco’s 28 games with betting action, 16 have finished under the O/U total, while 15 of Gonzaga’s 29 games have finished under the O/U total. The Bulldogs have the substantial advantage straight up (SU) (28-4 vs. 18-14), but both teams have similar against the spread (ATS) records. Gonzaga is 12-17, while San Francisco is 12-16 ATS.
Both teams have had a player heat up over their last five games. For the Dons, it’s been Ferrari, who has averaged 17.4 points and 7.0 assists, while the Bulldogs have received great contributions from Williams (13.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks).
These two teams have already met twice this season, with the Bulldogs winning both. In the most recent contest, Killian Tillie scored a game-high 16 points and the Bulldogs defeated the Dons 82-73 but could not cover as 18.5-point favorites. He also had eight rebounds. The two teams combined for 155 points, which was 12.5 points above the projected point total of 142.5 points. The Bulldogs played a nearly perfect game. They had a fantastic free throw rate of 0.339 and a turnover percentage of 10.8. For those same stats, the Dons were 0.145 and 19.0, respectively.
San Francisco Dons vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Prediction
Pick: SU Winner – Gonzaga, ATS Winner – Gonzaga, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- The Dons rank eighth in three pointers allowed per game (16.6) while the Bulldogs rank 110th (20.9).
- Gonzaga ranks 23rd in steals allowed per game (5.0) while San Francisco ranks 63rd (5.6).
- Gonzaga ranks 13th in rebounds per game (39.9) while San Francisco ranks 178th (34.6).
- The Bulldogs rank 33rd in blocks allowed per game (2.6) while the Dons rank 169th (4.1).
- Gonzaga ranks 43rd in assists per game (15.8) while San Francisco ranks 167th (13.3).
Betting Trends:
- Gonzaga is 2-3 ATS with 3 overs and 2 unders in their last five games.
- Over their last five games, San Francisco is 3-2 ATS with 3 unders and 2 overs.
- The Bulldogs average margin of victory in their last five games has been 15.4, down from 17.0 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Dons have scored an average of 71.6 points per game (2.7 above their season average) and allowed an average of 66.8 points per game (1.0 below their season average).
