The top-ranked and top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs will put their perfect record on the line when they face the 11th-seeded UCLA Bruins in a 2021 NCAA Tournament Final Four semifinal matchup on Saturday. The Bruins (22-9), who placed fourth in the Pac-12 standings at 13-6, have continually proven their doubters wrong since defeating Michigan State in a First Four game on March 18. The Bulldogs (30-0), who raced to a 15-0 mark in the West Coast Conference before winning the league tournament, have won 34 games in a row dating back to last season. Gonzaga is looking to become just the eighth unbeaten national champion since 1939.
Tip-off from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is set for 8:34 p.m. ET on CBS. Gonzaga leads the all-time series 3-2, with the series tied 1-1 in NCAA Tournament games. The Bulldogs are 14-point favorites in the latest UCLA vs. Gonzaga odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 145. Before making any Gonzaga vs. UCLA picks, you need to check out the 2021 NCAA Tournament Final Four predictions from SportsLine's Larry Hartstein.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach. In his last 381 college basketball picks, he is 216-165 against the spread, returning $3,413 to $100 players. And he enters the third week of the NCAA Tournament 2021 on a major heater, going 21-9 on his last 30 total college basketball picks. Anybody who has been following him is way up.
Now, he has set his sights on Gonzaga vs. UCLA in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UCLA vs. Gonzaga:
- UCLA vs. Gonzaga spread: Gonzaga -14
- UCLA vs. Gonzaga over-under: 145 points
- UCLA vs. Gonzaga money line: UCLA +700, Gonzaga -1100
- UCLA: The Bruins were third in the Pac-12 in fewest fouls per game at 16.1
- GU: The Bulldogs have won 13 consecutive games on a neutral court
Why Gonzaga can cover
The Bulldogs spread the wealth on offense and have six players averaging 7.1 points or more. Sophomore forward Drew Timme has scored in double figures in 29 of 30 games this season and is averaging 25 points per game over the Zags' last three games. In the Sweet 16, he poured in 30 points in the win over Oklahoma and scored 23 in Tuesday's Elite Eight matchup against USC. For the season, he is averaging 19 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
Also powering the Gonzaga offense is senior forward Corey Kispert, who is averaging 18.9 points, five rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Kispert has been lighting up opposing defenses from the outside, connecting on 45.3 percent of his 3-pointers. He is also connecting on 88.5 percent of his free throws. In the Elite Eight win over USC, Kispert scored 18 points, while grabbing eight boards.
Why UCLA can cover
Despite that, the Bulldogs are not a lock to cover the UCLA vs. Gonzaga spread. That's because the Bruins have been confounding their critics throughout the whole tournament. Sophomore guard Johnny Juzang was red hot in the East Region final against Michigan, scoring 28 points, his second-highest total of the season. His best game was a 32-point performance at Washington on Feb. 13. For the season, he is averaging 15.5 points, four rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He is nearly automatic at the foul line, connecting on 90.2 percent of his free throws.
Another weapon on offense for the Bruins is sophomore guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., who has come up big during the tournament. In the First Four win over Michigan State, Jaquez scored a season-high 27 points as the Bruins pulled off a stunning overtime victory. He has reached double figures in seven of the last eight games. He is averaging 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game this season.
How to make Gonzaga vs. UCLA picks
Hartstein is leaning under on the total and he's found a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Gonzaga vs. UCLA? And which critical X-factor makes one side hit hard? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from expert who has crushed his college basketball picks.
"four" - Google News
April 02, 2021 at 12:51AM
https://ift.tt/39zZDXE
2021 NCAA Tournament Final Four odds: UCLA vs. Gonzaga picks, March Madness predictions by expert on 21-9 run - CBS Sports
"four" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ZSDCx7
https://ift.tt/3fdGID3
No comments:
Post a Comment