Expert prediction
NCAA First Round: Kennesaw State vs Gonzaga Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 19)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- The Owls make their second NCAA Tournament in program history.
- The Bulldogs won the tournament title in their last WCC season.
- This marks the first all-time matchup between the two programs.
The WCC Tournament will come to a close on March 10 when the No. 12 Gonzaga Bulldogs take on the Santa Clara Broncos in the championship game. The former shines as the solid favorite, presenting a remarkable duel to see who gets to automatically punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
How to Watch
- When: Thursday, March 19, 10 pm ET
- Where: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
- How to Watch: TBS
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennesaw State | -110 | +20.5 | O 152 |
| Gonzaga | -110 | -20.5 | U 152 |
Game Preview
The Owls (21-13) finally punched their ticket to the D-1 NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history, their first happening in 2023. They took down Western Kentucky, Sam Houston and Louisiana Tech in the CUSA Tournament to automatically secure their place in the Big Dance. RJ Johnson averages a team-high 14.5 points per game, making 55 threes at 43.3 percent, while dishing out a team-best four assists per outing as well. Braedon Lue adds 11.1 points, while Frankquon Sherman scores 10.3 points per game. Sherman grabs a team-high 8.4 rebounds per game.
The No. 12 Bulldogs (30-3) played their final WCC Tournament game as a member of the conference, taking down Santa Clara to win the title one last time. Gonzaga leads the WCC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9, 4th in NCAA), assists (18.3, 10th), bench points (34.73, 5th), effective field goal percentage (.563), fast-break points (15.24, 20th), field goal percentage (51.0, 7th), field goal percentage defense (39.5, 11th). Graham Ike won the WCC Player of the Year Award and was named the conference tournament Most Outstanding Player for the second straight season.
Kennesaw State vs Gonzaga Head-to-Head
The two programs are facing each other for the first time in their respective histories.
Kennesaw State vs Gonzaga Predictions
The winner of this matchup would advance to play the winner of the sixth-seeded BYU vs. 11-seeded Texas contest on Saturday. Gonzaga’s extensive experience of winning the early games of the tournament bodes well for them as Kennesaw State’s inexperience will be put to the test. Expect the Bulldogs to set the tone early on and coast to a solid first-round win. Our betting pick here is for the Bulldogs to cover a 20.5-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: Gonzaga Bulldogs -20.5
NCAAB
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