Tournament regulars meet when Gonzaga takes on West Virginia in the 7-vs.-10 game in the East Regional Thursday night.
The Zags, playing in the tournament for the 14th straight season after getting an at-large bid out of the West Coast Conference, and the Mountaineers, who got an at-large invitation after placing eighth in the Big East, are listed as a pick 'em.
West Virginia has been one of the best bets at tournament time over the years going 14-4 ATS in tournament games since 2001.
This game is being played at a neutral-site court (Consol Energy Center).
The Bulldogs bring a 25-6 record (13-17 ATS) to this tilt against the 19-13 Mountaineers, who are 15-14 ATS. OVER/UNDER bettors have witnessed Gonzaga go 8-21-1 so far and the Mountaineers go 17-12.
View West Virginia vs Gonzaga Odds and Stats.
Betting Line:
The Mountaineers are listed as 1-point favorites at many online sportsbooks including Sportsbook which is offering a huge bracket contest and bonus promotion.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Odds Shark Power Rankings have the Bulldogs at No. 16 and the Mountaineers at No. 25 heading into this contest. Handicapping models at Odds Shark project a 80-74 result in favor of the Bulldogs.
How They Match Up:
When it comes to rebounds, the visiting Mountaineers rank No. 23 in NCAA Division 1 with 38.4 per game. That compares with Gonzaga’s No. 44 ranking in that category. The story is different when it comes to three-point shooting where Gonzaga is college basketball's No. 148-ranked team at 6.4 per game, while the Mountaineers rate No. 257 with 5.3 per game.
Defensively, West Virginia features the nation's No. 93-rated defense on the road, allowing 66.7 points per game. Gonzaga, meanwhile, comes in at No. 61 nationally in scoring at home.
Last time out for West Virginia, they were a 71-67 loser as they battled Connecticut at home. They failed to cover in the match as a 2-point underdog. Kevin Jones scored 25 points and chipped in with 10 rebounds for a double-double, but his team still lost 71-67 against Connecticut in college basketball action at Madison Square Garden.
Last time out for Gonzaga, they were a 78-74 loser as they battled St. Mary's on the road. They failed to cover in the match as a 2-point favorite. Elias Harris scored 22 points and chipped in with 13 rebounds for a double-double, but his team still lost 78-74 against St. Mary's in college basketball action at Orleans Arena.
West Virginia Mountaineers Trends:
When playing on Thursday are 7-3
After playing Connecticut are 7-3
After a loss are 6-4
Gonzaga Bulldogs Trends:
When playing on Thursday are 8-2
After playing St. Mary's are 10-0
After a loss are 7-3
A few Mountaineers at Bulldogs trends to consider:
Gonzaga is 20-4 SU in its last 24 games
