Analysis of Gonzaga vs Houston Matchup: Odds, Picks, Props & Splits for NCAA Tournament

• The 8th-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs are 5.5-point underdogs vs the top-seeded Houston Cougars in Round of 32 NCAA Tournament play
• Gonzaga has won 10 of their last 11 games
• See the Gonzaga vs Houston odds, player props, and predictions for March 22

The 8th-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-8, 15-19-0 ATS) started their tournament with a resounding 89-68 win. We’re going to see if they can score like that on Saturday at the NCAA Tournament when they take on the #1 Houston Cougars (31-4, 19-16-0 ATS). Gonzaga the WCC Champions, looked great on Thursday night are rolling into the Round of 32. However, this is Houston.

This matchup in the Midwest Region tips off on Saturday at 8:40pm ET from INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas with TNT providing the broadcast coverage.

Check out the Gonzaga vs Houston odds, player props plus my betting prediction.

Gonzaga vs Houston Odds

The Bulldogs enter as a 5.5-point underdog in the college basketball odds, and a longer shot +195 on the moneyline. The total rolls in at 139.5 points.

Odds as of March 22 at Bet365. Read SBD’s guide to the March Madness betting strategy. 

Gonzaga reintroduced themselves to the national scene with an emphatic 89-68 win over the 9th-seeded Georgia Bulldogs, but built a 48-27 lead at Halftime before coasting in the second half. 

Their overall numbers were very good, including shooting 12-for-20 from 3-point range, a 60% clip, while making 11 of 15 free throws, and they won the rebounding margin by nine over Georgia.

Houston used their stifling defense with hot early shooting to cruise to a 78-40 win over the 16th-seeded SI-Edwardsville Cougars. While Houston scored 52 points in the opening 20 minutes to build a 28-point lead, the second half saw the teams combine for a mere 42 points.

The Houston Cougars won the turnover margin by seven and held their fellow Cougars to only 16 second-half points. That helped extend their lead to around 40 points at times on Thursday night.

Gonzaga vs Houston Public Betting Splits

The March Madness public betting splits are nearly a coin flip for both schools. If we’re talking spread, 52% of the bets and 55% of the money have the Cougars covering. However, Houston gets 84% of the bets, 62% of the money on the moneyline bet. 

Looking at the game-total.

The game-total betting is pounding the Over: 71% of the bets and 74% of the money is on the two teams cruising over the total of 139.5.

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Gonzaga vs Houston Prediction

Can Houston truly slow down Gonzaga that much?

Beating the tar out of SI-Edwardsville and holding them to 40 points is one thing, but Gonzaga averages 86.7 points per game (2nd in the nation). Houston tops the nation allowing 57.9 points per game though.

They clamped down on their fellow Cougars in Round 1, holding them to 30.6% shooting from the field, and an anemic 2-for-24 from beyond the arc, a 8.3% connect rate. 

Simply, when Houston’s defense is rolling, every shot gets contested. Houston’s speed is well documented and their ability to hold team shooting percentages down (44.1% FG, 5th in the nation).

But again Gonzaga is not like those other Cougars.

That being said, the Cougars have the second-best net rating difference behind Duke according to KenPom. Houston’s adjusted tempo is 61.6 which is higher than a few teams in the entire nation.

While Houston is one of the most stifling defensive teams of the last decade and maybe more, Gonzaga is one of the most proficient sustained offenses, period!

I like to see some points here especially early. Houston has scored 70+ points in four straight games. Gonzaga has scored 80+ points in four of their previous five contests. 

The Under feels prevalent in so many Houston games while the Over is present with Gonzaga.

Simply meet March Madness ladies and gentlemen. The Bulldogs and Cougars can put up points and take them to pile on some points Saturday night.

• Gonzaga vs Houston pick: Over 139.5 points (-110)

Gonzaga vs Houston Player Props

Gonzaga vs Houston player props from bet365 on Mar 22. Claim the current bet365 bonus code to get some help for Saturday’s NCAAM slate.

Gonzaga had 23 assists against Georgia. Keep an eye on the Braden Huff numbers in case they come back online. He had eight assists tying Ryan Nembhard for the team lead. Houston could forget about him with so much focus being on Nembhard.

The bigger question may be Khalif Battle. Battle has a habit of going off against teams like Houston. He had 24 against Georgia. His prop total is just about half of that.

For the Cougars, Milos Uzan has the highest potential to score points – the 13.5 number is reasonable and he did score 16 in Round 1 while attempting only seven shots.

And Emanuel Sharp had four steals against those other Cougars, his rebound prop at 3.5 could be interesting with more minutes.

The highly anticipated matchup between Gonzaga and Houston in the NCAA Tournament has basketball fans buzzing with excitement. Both teams have had impressive seasons, with Gonzaga boasting an undefeated record and Houston coming off a strong showing in the regular season.

When it comes to the odds for this game, Gonzaga is currently favored to win by a significant margin. The Bulldogs have been dominant all season long, with their high-powered offense and stifling defense proving to be too much for most opponents. On the other hand, Houston has shown that they can compete with the best of them, but they will have their work cut out for them against Gonzaga.

In terms of picks, many experts are leaning towards Gonzaga to come out on top in this matchup. Their depth and talent across the board make them a tough team to beat, and they have shown time and time again that they can handle the pressure of big games. However, Houston is not to be underestimated, as they have proven themselves to be a formidable opponent throughout the season.

As for props, there are a number of interesting bets to consider for this game. Will Gonzaga’s star player Jalen Suggs have a big game? Will Houston’s defense be able to contain Gonzaga’s high-scoring offense? These are just a few of the prop bets that fans can look forward to during this matchup.

When it comes to splits, Gonzaga and Houston have both shown strengths and weaknesses throughout the season. Gonzaga’s offense is one of the best in the country, while Houston’s defense is among the top in the nation. It will be interesting to see how these contrasting styles match up against each other in this game.

Overall, the Gonzaga vs Houston matchup is shaping up to be a thrilling contest between two talented teams. While Gonzaga may be the favorite, Houston has the potential to pull off an upset and advance to the next round of the tournament. Fans can expect an exciting and competitive game when these two teams take the court.