USF Dons vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Preview, Odds, Picks & Predictions

Nation's No. 1 Team in West Coast Conference Semifinal

· Mar 07 - 3 minutes read

The Long Wait is Over

Despite having not played for a week following a shocking loss, the Gonzaga Bulldogs retain their top ranking, because just above every other highly-ranked team lost, too.

Rusti may be on display Monday night in Las Vegas as they face the San Francisco Dons, who made the West Coast Conference semifinal with a quality win over BYU.

Dons vs Bulldogs Preview, Odds, Picks & Predictions

College basketball odds have the Bulldogs at -14½, so they’re expected to bounce back and continue their quest into March Madness.

Dons Need to Measure Up

USF’s Dons played the Bulldogs last month, losing, 89-73.

It wasn’t a horrible result, but they will need to find a few points to cover the large spread here.

However, we think the Dons have improved and the Bulldogs have regressed since their last meeting. The Dons defeated USD, 78-62, before beating BYU, 75-63, as a -3½ favorite.

There’s little between them on the defensive end, but the Dons score 11 points less on average than Gonzaga. That could be the difference, but playing on a neutral court should work in the underdog’s favor.

Gonzaga is 16-0 at home, but just 3-2 on neutral courts, so the Dons should feel comfortable of not only having a chance to cover the NCAAB betting spread, but also win the game outright.

Are the Bulldogs the Real No. 1?

The revolving door of top-ranked college basketball teams continue. Gonzaga currently (tentatively?) holds the top spot despite losing at St. Mary’s, 67-57.

The loss came as a double-digit favorite, so it was a shock for bettors who are used to seeing the Zags destroy the lower-graded teams.

“They were extremely more aggressive. They got after us and played us really really physical,” coach Mark Few told ESPN. “That was it. When you’re the most aggressive team and most physical team, probably nine times out of 10 you’re going to win.”

We question if they are the best team in the country, but there is confidence at the sportsbook, so that has to be taken into account.

Playing on neutral courts is another concern, but they have dominated the Dons over the last few years. They would have covered the -13 spread in their last four games against the Dons, so they’ll be confident of winning.

San Francisco Dons at Gonzaga Bulldogs Head-to-Head

It has been one-way traffic for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. They are 10-0 in their last 10 games against the San Francisco Dons, including 7-2-1 against the spread.