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Gonzaga vs UCLA Basketball Prediction & Picks: Best Bets for Bulldogs-Bruins

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Gonzaga vs UCLA Basketball Prediction & Picks: Best Bets for Bulldogs-Bruins cover

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One of the best matchups of the Sweet Sixteen sees Gonzaga take on UCLA in the second of tonight’s West Regional semifinals at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (9:45 pm ET, CBS).

Both the third-seeded Bulldogs (30-5) and second-seeded Bruins (31-5) are looking to make it back to the Elite Eight after falling victim to a Sweet Sixteen upset last season. Gonzaga fell to Arkansas at this stage of the tournament last year, while UCLA went down to North Carolina.

Who will advance to a regional final matchup with either ninth-seeded Arkansas or fourth-seeded UConn? Read on for our Gonzaga vs UCLA prediction and picks.

Looking for More College Basketball Picks?

Over the next few couple of weeks, we will have predictions and picks for men’s and women’s March Madness, as well as the NIT.

Michigan State vs Kansas State Prediction & Picks (East Regional Semifinal)
Arkansas vs UConn Prediction & Picks (West Regional Semifinal)
FAU vs Tennessee Prediction & Picks (East Regional Semifinal)

And if you are interested in checking out picks for the games we don’t cover, there are a number of reputable sports handicapping services that we recommend.

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Gonzaga vs UCLA Odds

Odds are via BetOnline as of Thursday, March 23, 2023.

Spread

Gonzaga +1.5 (-120)
UCLA -1.5 (-102)

Over/Under

Over 145.5 (-105)
Under 145.5 (-115)

Moneyline

Gonzaga -110
UCLA -110

Can Gonzaga Score on UCLA?

Tonight’s matchup between the Bulldogs and Bruins is very much about an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.

Gonzaga’s offense is the unstoppable force, as the WCC champions rank first at KenPom in adjusted offensive efficiency.

UCLA is the immovable object on the other end, ranking second behind Tennessee in adjusted defensive efficiency.

For Gonzaga, the magic number may be 75. UCLA has given up 75 or more points only 11 times over the last two seasons. In those 11 games, they are just 3-8 SU and 1-10-0 ATS.

Eleven is the number of times that Gonzaga has scored 75 or more points in a row since a 78-70 overtime loss at Saint Mary’s on February 4. And in those 11 games, the Bulldogs are 11-0 SU and 6-5-0 ATS.

This season, the Bulldogs have scored 75 or more points in 28 of their 35 games, and they are a perfect 28-0 SU when they have hit or exceeded that number. Overall, Gonzaga has won 47 straight games when scoring 75 or more points.

To date, the most recent time they suffered an SU loss despite scoring 75 or more points was their 91-82 loss to Alabama on December 4, when the Crimson Tide stunned them in Seattle.

Gonzaga vs UCLA Prediction and Picks

Prediction for Gonzaga vs UCLA: Gonzaga to win

Picks for Gonzaga vs UCLA: Gonzaga ML (Best Value: Bovada Sportsbook & BetMGM)

There have been a few teams this season who succeeded in limiting Gonzaga, and all except Loyola Marymount reached at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

So, it certainly can be done. But the Bulldogs also hung 100 points on Alabama, who is one spot behind UCLA in adjusted defensive efficiency. And they scored 77 points in regulation twice against Saint Mary’s (ninth in adjusted defensive efficiency), who didn’t allow any other team to score 75 or more in regulation this season.

So, if there’s any team that can break the Bruins down, it’s Gonzaga. Will they be able to do it? We’ll see, but I’m backing the Bulldogs here.

Where to Bet on Gonzaga vs UCLA

Here are four legal sports betting sites that we highly recommend and have reviewed, where you can bet on this year’s NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments, as well as the 2023 NIT.