Baylor vs. Gonzaga Picks, Predictions College Basketball: Bulldogs Favored in Top-25 Matchup
The Baylor Bears and Gonzaga Bulldogs meet for a neutral-court top-15 matchup on Friday night. Read on for our top Baylor-Gonzaga picks based on the latest odds.
The Bears are 5-2 to start the season, but they're coming off a blowout loss to the Marquette Golden Eagles. They played from behind for the final 35 minutes of that game and faced a 26-point deficit at halftime.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs rebounded from a blowout loss of their own against the Purdue Boilermakers, defeating the Xavier Musketeers 88-84. Gonzaga has been uncharacteristically inconsistent to start 2022-23. Which team will show up on Friday?
Here are our top picks for the college basketball matchup between Baylor and Gonzaga (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and BetMGM; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Baylor vs. Gonzaga Game Info
Date: Friday, Dec. 2, 8:00 p.m. ET
TV: Peacock
Location: Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, SD
Baylor vs. Gonzaga Odds
Baylor vs. Gonzaga Odds Analysis
The Bulldogs opened as 1.5-point favorites before the line drifted to two points quickly. However, it's gone back down to 1.5 at all of the major sportsbooks, with Baylor starting to receive some support.
As for the total, it opened at 165 and has come crashing down since. It's currently 162.5 at FanDuel, PointsBet, and BetMGM, and the total has dropped all the way to 162 at DraftKings.
Baylor vs. Gonzaga Picks
Baylor vs. Gonzaga ATS Pick
Baylor +1.5 (-105) ★★
Neither one of these teams is off to the start it expected. Gonzaga already has already logged two nearly 20-point losses, while the Bears are just 1-2 against quality opponents.
Yet the Bears have still been slightly more impressive. Baylor beat UCLA prior to its blowout loss to Marquette, and the team's seven-point loss to the Virginia Cavaliers was far from embarrassing.
The good news for the Bears is that Gonzaga doesn't play a similar style to Marquette. The Golden Eagles forced 20 turnovers in that game. This is a toss-up, but look for the Bears to settle down and take advantage of an inconsistent Gonzaga team.
Baylor vs. Gonzaga O/U Pick
Under 162.5 (-110) ★★
This is a really high number, which is the only reason to take the Under. Baylor is averaging 88.1 points per game, while Gonzaga is at 83.7. Each squad is also giving up over 70 points per contest to start the year.
Both teams could finish in the 80s if this is a tightly contested matchup throughout. But can these schools keep it close? Of the four losses between the two, only Baylor’s 86-79 defeat to Virginia was a single-digit loss.
The Bulldogs have scored just 66 and 74 points while losing, while the Bears have notched only 70 and 79. These two teams could play excellent offense and the total could still only end up in the mid-150s.
Therefore, lean toward the Under, even if this number feels right. Start thinking about taking the Over if it gets under 160.
Baylor vs. Gonzaga Prop Pick
Keyonte George Over 13.5 Points (-125) ★★★
The Bears' offense is primarily centered around LJ Cryer. He is the team’s leading scorer while averaging 17.9 points per game. But his line is right on the money from sportsbooks. So to find a valuable player prop, take a look at Keyonte George, Baylor's second-leading scorer.
George is averaging 14.4 points per game, and he's logged two 20-point contests in 2022-23. The key for the Over to hit will be George hitting his threes. He's made three-plus shots from distance in a game three times in 2022-23, going over this total in each matchup.
The good news for George is this should be a high-scoring contest, and the Bulldogs are ranked 220th in college basketball in 3-point field-goal percentage allowed.
Where to Bet on Baylor-Gonzaga Picks
Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:
Baylor-Gonzaga picks made 12/2/2022 at 7:29 a.m. ET.
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