It’s on to the next round for No. 2 Gonzaga. But its road to the Sweet Sixteen cannot be any more difficult as they will next face the upset-minded Iowa Hawkeyes. The seventh-seed from the South was ruthless in its blowout of Davidson on Saturday. Is an upset brewing? Read on as we break down this intriguing matchup.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have made their 17th straight NCAA Tournament appearance. They certainly took advantage of their opener as they had an excellent night from the floor. The Zags shot 52 percent from the field to match their nation-leading field goal percentage this season.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Kyle Wiltjer led the Zags with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Senior guard Kevin Pangos also caught fire, hitting 5-of-10 field goal attempts (4-of-9 from beyond the arc) for 18 points. But if there’s a team that could cool down the dynamic Gonzaga duo, it’s Iowa. The Hawkeyes have one of the best shooting defenses in the nation, limiting opponents to just 39 percent shooting from the field, 21st in the nation.
But the Zags have a pair of sharpshooting forwards to alleviate some of the pressure from Wiltjer and Pangos. Seven-foot center Przemek Karnowski and 6’10” Domantas Sabonis are both averaging about 10 points per game on over 60 percent shooting.
Gonzaga has also enjoyed more production from junior guard Gary Bell Jr. He’s averaging just 8.2 points per game this season, but scored in double-digits in his last two games.
The Zags have not won a Round of 32 NCAA Tournament game since 2009.
Betting on the Iowa Hawkeyes
Aaron White is on fire. The senior forward scored a team-high 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting to lead the Hawkeyes to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. It was his sixth straight 20-point game in just under a month’s time. Mike Gesell added 15 points and six assists, while Peter Jok chipped in 12 points in Iowa’s 83-52 rout of Davidson.
White faces a stern test in No.2 Gonzaga, though. The Zags are ranked 13th in the nation in shooting defense, limiting opponents to 38.7 percent from the field. But White can still take open shots using Iowa’s excellent ball movement. The Hawkeyes are one of the better passing teams in the tournament with 14.4 assists per game, 55th in the nation.
For the Hawkeyes to have a chance at the upset, they’ll have to spread their offense among their key players. Gesell and Jok can explode for big games, but are making 40 percent or less of their field goal attempts this season. Iowa’s second-leading scorer Jarrod Uthoff has been inconsistent, shooting under 36 percent in three of the Hawkeyes’ last five games.
Iowa’s defense can leave them within striking distance of Gonzaga, though. The frontcourt tandem of Uthoff and Olaseni are averaging at least one block per game. They should be able to limit Gonzaga’s sharpshooting frontcourt just enough to keep the game close.
The Hawkeyes are 4-1-1 against the spread in their last six games following a win.
Writer’s Prediction
Gonzaga advances to the Sweet Sixteen with a big win over Iowa. Still banking on a Zags flameout? Create a betting account now and put your pick to the test.
