Gonzaga vs. BYU Odds & Picks: Will Zags’ Offense Be Too Much?

Gonzaga vs. BYU Odds

• Odds: Gonzaga -2
• Over/Under: 158.5
• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN2

Gonzaga will put its 40-game WCC winning streak on the line when it travels to Provo to take on BYU.

The Zags boast an elite offense once again and blew out the Cougars in their first meeting, but BYU was without star forward Yoeli Childs.

Let's dive into this matchup.

Odds as of Saturday morning and via DraftKings. Get up to a $1,000 sign-up bonus at DraftKings today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.

Odds Moves for Gonzaga-BYU

Bettors are flocking to Gonzaga, which shouldn't be a surprise. The Zags are attracting 71% of bets and 64% of money, but that hasn't moved the line much off -4.5.

The total has dropped from an opener of 162 to 158.5.– Steve Petrella

When Gonzaga Has the Ball

There is no possible way to downplay what Gonzaga is doing offensively, as they are the top team in the nation in adjusted efficiency. The Zags point distribution heavily favors the 2-point shot, but a shooting percentage of 39.4% from beyond the arc is a weapon Mark Few has not had to display against many teams.

Gonzaga’s last second 3-pointer for a 17-point victory left plenty of -16.5 ticket holders happy against San Francisco earlier this week.

If there is a weakness to this team, it is at the charity stripe. Gonzaga is 68% on free throws for the season for a rank of 265th.

BYU will have plenty of issues defending the Zags. The Cougars rank 240th nationally against 2-point shots and 320th in defensive blocks. Gonzaga should have no issues in transition, getting to the hoop and executing short range shots. — Collin Wilson

When BYU Has the Ball

The Cougars love to shoot the three ball with a point distribution rank of 13th in the nation from beyond the arc. BYU also ranks No. 1 in the nation in 3-point percentage at 41.9%. That number has only increased in West Coast Conference play with a long range shooting percentage of 44.5%. For the Cougars sake, they must have their best shooting day of the year to beat the Bulldogs.

Gonzaga is top 20 in defensive rebounding while BYU is 347th in offensive rebounding.

Where BYU has one of the most experienced rosters in Division I, Gonzaga is third in the nation in average height and will present the biggest challenge to BYU shooters. The Bulldogs are the best perimeter defense in the WCC, limiting conference opponents to just 28.4% from 3-point range.

This will take a herculean shooting effort for BYU to outscore Gonzaga, better than the 30% shot in the Cougars previous loss on Jan. 18. — Collin Wilson

Stuckey: Why I Like BYU

What a treat this should be. Gonzaga has another uber-talented team as Mark Few and his staff continue to crush the recruiting trail all across the globe. The Zags currently have a ridiculous seven players averaging double figures, which no team has done in decades. They’ve also won 40 straight regular season WCC games!

The offense is a treat to watch but so is the BYU offense, led by a now healthy Yoeli Childs inside, surrounded by shooters all over the court. The Cougars lead college basketball with a 41.1% clip from beyond the arc and also rank fifth in offensive adjusted efficiency. And I still do have some questions about the Gonzaga defense, which isn’t close to as elite as the offense.

BYU will be out for blood in front of a zoo in Provo, looking to avenge an embarrassing loss earlier in the season at Gonzaga (it’s worth noting Childs didn’t play in that game and BYU is simply a different team with him in the lineup).

I could go on and on about the matchups but this one is pretty simple for me: I make the line Gonzaga -1.2, which means I see a ton of value in the current line of BYU +4.5.

I’m a believer in the Cougars even if I’m a little worried about some 3P regression as they’re shooting a touch over 44% in conference play. My fears are put at ease a bit by the fact that Gonzaga’s defense has also been fairly fortunate in WCC play in regards to opponent free throw and 3P shooting.

Also, don’t forget that Gonzaga struggles from the free throw line at 68% (265th in the nation) which could potentially open up the backdoor if Gonzaga leads late.

Call me crazy but I think Gonzaga’s remarkable WCC streak is in jeopardy tonight. Let’s just hope this doesn’t turn into another St. Mary’s debacle from a few Saturdays ago. Yikes. — Stuckey

Stuckey's Pick: BYU +4.5