Bet UConn to Cover vs Gonzaga in Rematch

The Huskies will need a bounce back from sophomore center and NBA draft prospect Donovan Clingan. Following a dominant 12-of-13 shooting performance against New Hampshire, the Connecticut native has failed to eclipse 11 points.

Despite this depth, UConn has an X-factor in potential NBA lottery pick Stephon Castle, who will be playing in his third game after missing six games due to a knee injury. Despite only averaging five points in those two contests, Castle has stuffed the stat sheet, particularly against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, chipping in four rebounds, four assists and two steals coming off the bench.

Gonzaga Built on Depth

Both teams boast starting fives that feature four players averaging double figures. Despite the massive roster turnover, a familiar face is still a stalwart for the Bulldogs. Fifth-year senior Anton Watson averages just under 14 points and eight rebounds. He is joined by fellow big man and Wyoming transfer Graham Ike, who was averaging 19 points two seasons ago for the Cowboys before a foot injury caused him to miss all of last season. He contributes a similar 14.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Both forwards can also step out and hit threes, shooting over 38 percent from beyond the arc.

These two bigs haven’t held back freshman big Braden Huff from flourishing in his collegiate debut. In addition to six games in double figures, Huff has shot 64 percent from the floor and 47-percent from three.

Creighton transfer Ryan Nembhard, brother of former Bulldog and current Indiana Pacer Andrew Nembhard, has settled in nicely as the floor general. His 5.7 assists per game is 27th-best in the nation and he boasts over a two-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio.

UConn vs Gonzaga Betting Lines

UConn vs Gonzaga Best Bet: Huskies to Cover in Elite Eight Rematch

This will be the third ranked opponent for the Huskies in four games. Following their lone loss to Kansas, they bounced back nicely and handled North Carolina by double digits. The key for the Huskies will be 3-point shooting and getting Clingan active. Though he struggled against player of the year candidate Hunter Dickinson, the 7-foot-2 center holds a distinct height advantage over any Bulldog. That advantage and UConn’s excellent rebounding is something that should be considered when making your college basketball picks. They are fourth in the nation in rebound margin and third in defensive rebounding percentage.

This will be a battle of two deep teams that pride themselves in strong defense, allowing their opponents no more than 66 points per game. If this does turn into a defensive showdown, Gonzaga will need contributions from Watson, Graham and Huff in the paint to slow down the Huskies’ strong presence at the rim.

We think that won’t be enough as UConn will take the rematch while covering the college basketball spread. But if either team gets hot from three, that could be a different story.

CBB Pick: UConn -4

UConn vs Gonzaga Game Information

• Game: UConn (9-1) vs Gonzaga (8-2)
• Location: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
• Date/Time: Friday, Dec. 15, 10 p.m.
• UConn vs Gonzaga Live Stream: TBS.com

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