Gonzaga vs Pepperdine Prediction, Odds, Line, Spread, Picks, and Preview - December 31 | 2022-23 NCAA Basketball Season
The Gonzaga Bulldogs, who are ranked #10 in the nation, will be at home to face the Pepperdine Waves on Saturday. Both schools compete in the West Coast Conference, and they'll be opening up conference play today. The Bulldogs are on a six-game winning streak now, previously beating non-D1 school Eastern Oregon 120-42. For Pepperdine, they're an even 7-7, previously losing to Iona in the Diamond Head Classic on Christmas. Gonzaga has been a basketball powerhouse for quite a while now, and they've defeated Pepperdine 43 times in a row. In their history, the Waves are just 2-47 against the Bulldogs, so we'll see if they can pull off a massive upset this afternoon.
Pepperdine Waves vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Odds
Odds Courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook
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Pepperdine Waves vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Match Details
Fixture: Pepperdine Waves @ Gonzaga Bulldogs
Date & Time: Saturday, December 31, 5:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: McCarthey Athletic Center
Pepperdine Waves vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Key Stats
Pepperdine likes to play at a fast pace, ranking 30th-fastest in pace entering today's contest. As a result, they score a lot but also surrender a decent amount of points. They've had mixed results this season, and while some of that can be attributed to a somewhat hard schedule, they've underperformed especially this month. Their leading scorer, Maxwell Lewis, has had a great year, as the sophomore is currently averaging 19.4 points and 5.9 rebounds. Houston Mallette (13.4 PPG) has also been a reliable scorer, while Mike Mitchell Jr. is the team's best playmaker. Mitchell Jr. averages 4.6 assists while adding 10.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. Pepperdine has some talented offensive players, but on defense, they sometimes struggle, more so on the road.
Gonzaga is one of the best teams in the country, and they average an impressive 115.7 points per 100 possessions. They've also shot lights out, as they're converting 51.9% of their field goals, the second-best mark in all of college basketball. Senior big man Drew Timme leads the team with 21.8 points per game, the ninth-highest scoring average in the country. He also adds 8.2 boards and 3.3 dimes, so look for the experienced Timme to be key again today. Julian Strawther (12.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG), Rasir Bolton, and Nolan Hickman have been great also, and they should be a cohesive unit again versus Pepperdine.
Pepperdine Waves vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Prediction
Gonzaga and Pepperdine are two teams that love to push the ball, and three of Pepperdine's four road games have gone over already. Expect Gonzaga to take advantage of Pepperdine on offense, while the Waves should help contribute to the total as well. Also, Pepperdine has not done well against good competition in recent history, and they've failed to cover each of their past five road games. Back the 'Zags here to cover and win their ninth straight.
Prediction: Gonzaga -21 (-110)
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