One more win. That’s what the Gonzaga Bulldogs need in order to seal a perfect 17-0 record in the West Coast Conference this season. The Zags will be in the friendly confines of home to see out the conference sweep, but they must stop the nation’s highest scoring team in the BYU Cougars, who are looking for a big upset to boost their tournament dreams.
Can the Cougars crush the Zags’ dream of a perfect conference slate? Read on for our preview of this WCC regular season finale. Kentucky is also right on the cusp of an unbeaten conference campaign. See if they can go up to 16-0 in our preview of Arkansas vs. Kentucky.
[sc:MarchMadness ]Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. BYU Cougars Betting Preview
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane
When: Saturday, February 28, 10:00 PM ET
Line: BYU Cougars at Gonzaga Bulldogs – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the BYU Cougars
Tyler Haws made a bit of history in BYU’s (22-8, 12-5 WCC) 82-69 win over Portland on Thursday. The senior dropped 21 points to surpass Jimmer Fredette as the school’s all-time leading scorer. Haws is averaging 22.4 points per game (No. 4 in the nation), the top scorer for BYU’s offense, which is tops in the nation at 84.4 points per game.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Haws has topped 20 points in all but three conference games this season, one of them coming against Gonzaga. Haws scored 17 points, but was limited to 4-of-12 from the field, his worst shooting performance in conference play. Haws will need a much better game to bring down the Bulldogs in Spokane.
Likewise, two or three out of Anson Winder, Kyle Collinsworth, Chase Fischer and Skyler Halford – the team’s No. 2-4 leading scorers – will need to step up. Winder has been slowed by a groin injury, but Halford (17-plus points in four of his last five games) and Collinsworth (16 points per game in his last six) have been playing excellently of late.
Chase Fischer could also play a big role in providing some added offense and spacing for the Cougars. He’s averaging 13 points and shooting 41 percent from three this season, but had a bad shooting night (eight points, 2-of-7 from the field) in the first meeting against the Zags.
BYU has struggled on the road this season, going just 5-3 (5-3 against the spread) in conference play. Two of those losses came against St. Mary’s and Pepperdine, the other two teams aside from Gonzaga which have a winning record in the conference.
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Betting on the Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga (29-1, 17-0 WCC) has been letting its opponent stick around in the first half in recent games, but they have eventually turned it on in the second half to run away comfortable winners. They have a plus-eight point differential in the first halves of their last four games, which balloons up to plus-48 during the second half.
The Bulldogs have ratcheted up their defense during the latter stages, giving up an average of just 24 points. On Thursday, they had it locked in for close to the whole game, holding San Diego to 39 total points and 30 percent shooting. That defensive performance was no fluke, either. They held BYU to just 40 percent shooting and 28 percent from three.
Gonzaga should like its chances to put up another strong defensive stand against BYU on its own floor. The Zags’ defense has been imperious at home, where it’s giving up just 50 points per game during conference play.
Kyle Wiltjer had an off-night with five points against San Diego, but he had been averaging 24 points per game in six prior February games. He scored exactly 24 points to lead the Zags in their first win over BYU, while senior point guard Kevin Pangos had 21. Wiltjer should be able to continue causing the Cougars and their undersized front line all sorts of problems in the paint.
Gonzaga is a perfect 5-0 (5-0 against the spread) in five meetings all-time at home against BYU.
Writer’s Prediction
Gonzaga seals the deal as it wins and covers at home over BYU.
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