Once Upon A Time In Las Vegas
Gonzaga Bulldogs (13-3) vs. Santa Clara Broncos (14-4)
The 2022-23 NCAA men’s basketball season continues with another huge Saturday slate, so we are breaking down the West Coast Conference showdown between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Santa Clara Broncos.
Gonzaga heads to Leavey Center in Santa Clara, California, as a firm 8.5-point fave, searching for its 25th consecutive victory over the Broncos. The totals open at 157.5 points, and the over is 4-1 in the last five encounters between Gonzaga and Santa Clara.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs (13-3; 5-10 ATS; 2-0 conf.) extended their winning streak to eight games this past Thursday, outlasting the San Francisco Dons 77-75 as 9.5-point road favorites. The Zags trailed the Dons for most of the game and by as many as 12 points, but Mark Few’s boys played excellent defense down the stretch and found a way to escape with a victory.
Gonzaga made 45.5% of its field goals (10-for-26 from deep) in San Francisco. The Bulldogs posted a 14/6 assist-to-turnover ratio and forced 17 turnovers, but they also allowed 13 offensive rebounds. Senior guard Rasir Bolton led the way for Gonzaga with 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field, while junior guard Julian Strawther tallied 16 points and six rebounds. Senior forward Drew Timme had an awf ul game, finishing with 11 points on 3-for-16 shooting from the field.
THE GAME WINNER !!pic.twitter.com/mQM6NUKGC5
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) January 6, 2023
The Zags boast the fifth-highest offensive rating in the country, scoring 117.2 points per 100 possessions. They shoot 58.9% from inside the arc (8th in the country) and 38.1% from beyond the 3-point line (33rd) while handing out 16.7 assists per game (26th). However, the Zags allow 96.0 points per 100 possessions (69th) on 50.8% shooting from inside the arc (261st) and desperately need more from their defense. Gonzaga is No. 9 in the AP Top 25 Poll, No. 15 in the NCAA NET Rankings, and No. 14 in the KenPom rankings.