College Basketball on Thursday and we will see the BYU Cougars to the great northwest to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The game is scheduled for an 11:00 pm (Eastern) start time and will be televised on ESPN 2. Currently the odds for the game have Gonzaga favored by 9.5 points while the total sits at 149. Check out Sportsbook Spy to see who the Public is taking on all of today's games.
Free Analysis: BYU has won seven of its last eight games to improve to 15-5 overall and 5-1 in WCC action, just off the pace set by first-place Gonzaga, which comes in at 17-2 on the season and a perfect 4-0 in conference. The Cougars took out visiting San Diego last Saturday, 74-57, which was a nice bounce-back effort following their lone league loss at home to Saint Mary's-CA three days prior. It was also important in that it was coach Dave Rose's 200th career victory (200-59). BYU has been dominant at home this season (10-1), but has been vulnerable outside of Provo (3-2 in true road games, 2-2 in neutral- site affairs). Sophomore guard Tyler Haws has scored 20 or more points in seven consecutive games after pouring in 25 during the victory over San Diego. Haws has 14 20-point outings and has failed to score in double digits once all season. He is averaging a team-high 21.6 points and is shooting 91.9 percent from the free-throw line. Senior center Brandon Davies also is having a strong season, averaging 18 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds. Davies has been a force defensively with 27 steals and 26 blocked shots. As a team, BYU averages a robust 78.3 ppg in hitting 46.1 percent of its total shots and 73.3 percent of its foul shots. The Cougars own favorable margins in both rebounding (+5.6) and turnovers (+2.3).
Gonzaga stepped out of conference last Saturday to tangle with No. 8 Butler in Indianapolis, and it was the hometown Bulldogs who prevailed in what turned out to be a 64-63 final. The loss snapped an eight-game win streak for the Zags, who will be trying to secure their ninth win in 10 home games with a victory this evening. Sophomore guard Kevin Pangos had only five points in the loss to Butler to continue a pattern of inconsistency. Pangos has scored in single digits in three of the past seven games and also has outings of 31, 23 and 22 points during that stretch. Pangos has scored in single digits nine times despite ranking third on the team with a 12.1 average. Junior forward Kelly Olynyk isn’t experiencing any issues while shooting 65.7 percent from the field and averaging a team-best 18 points. Olynyk has 14 consecutive double-digit outings, topping 20 points on seven occasions. Senior forward Elias Harris (14.9) had 20 points in the loss to Butler and has scored in double digits 16 times. As a team, the Bulldogs are averaging a healthy 79.4 ppg while permitting 63.2 ppg. The Zags are shooting 51.2 percent from the floor, which includes a 36.5 percent showing from beyond the arc. They typically control the glass without much trouble, laying claim to a +7.3 rebounding differential, and they are +2.7 in turnover margin as well.
Free Pick: We know that both teams can score in bunches, but these teams also play good defense and that Is why I am going with the under in this one. BUY has allowed 74 ppg on the road, but their defense overall has been very good of late, allowing just 61.8 ppg in their last 8 games. Gonzaga has allowed 67.5 ppg at home, but just 65.4 ppg in their last 5 games overall. This is a huge game for both teams and that usually means tightness and a bit more defense than offense. I look for around 140 in this one.
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