The death-machine that is the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs are virtually assured of the top spot in the WCC, but anything can still happen. They have the Loyola Marymount Lions in Spokane this coming Thursday. Could the Lions shock the college basketball world with a huge Quadrant 1 victory? Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Loyola Marymount Lions vs Gonzaga Bulldogs NCAA College Basketball Game on February 4 2021
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center
When: Thursday, February 4, 2021, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Loyola Marymount Lions (odds) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs (odds) – view all 2021 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: TBA
Betting on the Loyola Marymount Lions (odds)
Record: 8-6 Overall / 3-3 Conference
Loyola Marymount is going to a gladiator battle that is the Gonzaga game with some momentum behind the Lions. After losing back to back to the Saint Mary’s Gaels and to the Santa Clara Broncos, the Lions eked out a morale-boosting 75-50 win over the Portland Pilots. While beating a team like Portland doesn’t really prove anything, at the very least, Loyola Marymount can have something to feel good about heading into the showdown with the Bulldogs. Loyola Marymount makes 54.9 percent of their shots against the Pilots and hit 13 threes. The Lions are only hitting 31.8 percent of their 3-pointers on the season, but they have three games in which they drilled at least 11 3-pointers on 39.5 percent shooting or better. The Lions use their size well in getting rebounds. They are third in the conference with 36.7 rebounds per game. Because of their size (20th in height in the nation), the Lions are able to swat lots of shots at the rim, as they are averaging 4.3 blocks per contest — the best mark in the WCC.
The over is 3-1 in Loyola Marymount’s last four games overall.
Betting on the Gonzaga Bulldogs (odds)
Record: 17-0 Overall / 8-0 Conference
Gonzaga is so dominant, the Bulldogs have become boring because their games are predictable. They enter a game, wallop their opponents with their offense, leave the contest with a win, and prepare for the next. Wash, rinse, repeat. In their most recent outing, the Bulldogs stomped all over the Pepperdine in a 97-75 road win last Saturday. Gonzaga shot an unholy 59.7 percent from the field while limiting the Waves to just 41.3 percent shooting from the floor. Drew Timme top-scored for Gonzaga with 19 points, while Corey Kipsert had 16 and Anton Watson 12. The bench also came up big for Gonzaga, with Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Cook combining for 32 of the second unit’s 35 points. There are just too many sources of offense in this Gonzaga team that is leading the nation with 94.3 points per game and 61.0 effective field goal percentage. Loyola Marymount typically wins the rebounding battle because of their size, but they could find to do against a Gonzaga team that is also among the tallest in the nation. Gonzaga is 21st in average height and second in the conference with 39.3 total rebounds per contest.
Gonzaga is 3-1-1 against the spread in its last five home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Gonzaga wins, 90-64.
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