The Gonzaga Bulldogs are attempting to make history during the 2020-21 college basketball season and their quest continues on Saturday evening. Mark Few's team remains undefeated, winning all 30 of its games, and the Bulldogs are the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament 2021 field. Gonzaga will face a stiff challenge on Saturday evening, though, as the UCLA Bruins are operating as giant killers in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. UCLA knocked off No. 2 seed Alabama and No. 1 seed Michigan to reach the Final Four, with the talent to make things interesting against the Bulldogs.
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will host this 8:34 p.m. ET tip on CBS. The Bulldogs are 14.5-point favorites in the latest Gonzaga vs. UCLA odds from William Hill Sportsbook, up half a point from the opening line. The over-under for total points expected is set at 147.5. Before finalizing any UCLA vs. Gonzaga picks, check out the March Madness college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of $2,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its 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:
- Gonzaga vs. UCLA spread: Gonzaga -14.5
- Gonzaga vs. UCLA over-under: 147.5 points
- Gonzaga vs. UCLA money line: Gonzaga -1200, UCLA +750
- ZAGS: The Bulldogs are 9-4 against the spread in non-conference games
- UCLA: The Bruins are 5-0 against the spread in the 2021 NCAA Tournament
Why Gonzaga can cover
The Bulldogs are known for their offense and with good reason. Gonzaga is the best offensive team in the country, according to numerous metrics, and no opponent has figured out much of a formula to slow the Bulldogs this season. With that said, Few's team is also tremendous on the defensive end, adding to its overall effectiveness. Gonzaga is a top-five team in the nation, according to adjusted defensive efficiency (88.0), and the Bulldogs are excellent on the defensive glass, grabbing 77.0 percent of available rebounds.
The Bulldogs are better than average in shooting efficiency allowed, including a 31.9 percent mark in 3-point shooting allowed and a 46.5 percent mark allowed inside the arc. Gonzaga is a top-40 team in the country in free throw prevention rate, and the Bulldogs also force turnovers at a high level. The Bulldogs create a giveaway on 19.7 percent of defensive possessions, including a 10.8 percent steal rate that lands well above the national average. UCLA is an effective offensive team, but the Bruins are 300th in 3-point attempt rate and the Bruins shoot only 49.9 percent on 2-point shots.
Why UCLA can cover
UCLA is a balanced team that saved its best basketball for the NCAA Tournament 2021. Mick Cronin's team battled injury issues, including the loss of Chris Smith (ACL) during the season, but the Bruins are very good on both ends of the floor. Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez Jr. key the offense, with Juzang averaging 21.6 points per game in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins are a top-15 offense in the country on a per-possession basis, and they are strongly above-average in turnover rate (15.8 percent), steal rate allowed (7.2 percent), offensive rebound rate (30.6 percent) and 3-point shooting (36.9 percent).
Gonzaga has few weaknesses, but one potential area to exploit is rim protection, where the Bulldogs block just 6.9 percent of attempts this season, ranking 262nd in the country. On the other side, UCLA is a strong defensive rebounding team, leading the Pac-12 by grabbing 74.8 percent of available rebounds during conference play. The Bruins are also very good in preventing free throw attempts, and 2-point defense is a strength, with opponents shooting only 49.5 percent for the season.
How to make UCLA vs. Gonzaga picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 156 points. It also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UCLA vs. Gonzaga? And which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.
