Pilots Welcomes Marquee Opponent
The Portland Pilots have lost 20 straight games against ranked opponents, and their last win against one was an 82-73 decision against the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Jan. 9, 2014, at Chiles Center.
The Bulldogs have shown vulnerability against teams who are bigger and can negate the size of All-American Drew Timme. But the Pilots do not have that and lost 115-75 on Jan. 14.
Let’s check the latest college basketball news, stats, injury reports and college basketball lines for Gonzaga vs Portland. We’ve got plenty of NCAA basketball picks for you to consider.
Bulldogs Look To Xxtend 15-game Winning Streak Vs. Pilots
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are among the teams with the best odds to win March Madness. While they lost to Loyola Marymount in West Coast Conference play, they have since gotten back in the win column.
The Bulldogs feature the best offense in the country, scoring 86.5 points per game and having the most efficient offense with a 51.8% conversion rate on field goal attempts. They make 37.8% of 3-point shots, which ranks 32nd. Their 34.4 rebounds per game is 66th.
Defensively, they are 296th in allowing 73.7 points per game. They are 254th in allowing teams to make 44.5% of field goal attempts and 237th in allowing a conversion rate of 34.2% on 3-point shots. They limit opponents to 29.2 rebounds per game, which ranks 80th.
The Bulldogs are 5-14-1 against the spread and 11-9 on over/unders, which isn’t ideal for popular college basketball picks. They are 4-1 straight up on the road.
Pilots Similar to Conference Foes
The Portland Pilots are similar to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in that both teams are strong offensively but struggle on the defensive end. The Pilots also intend to redshirt a guard and forward, and ruled another guard ineligible.
The Pilots are 65th in scoring 76.9 points per game, 118th in making 45.7% of field goal attempts, and 38th with a 37.5% conversion rate on 3-point shots. They are 278th in grabbing 30.3 rebounds per game.
Portland ranks 343rd defensively, allowing 77.0 points per game. They are 287th in allowing teams to make 45.2% of field goal attempts and 341st in allowing teams to make 37.5% of 3-point shots. They are 232nd in allowing 31.9 rebounds per game.
Sports betting on the Pilots has not been profitable as they are 10-11 against the spread and 12-9 on over/unders. They are, however, 9-3 straight up on their home court.
Gonzaga vs Portland Injuries
Gonzaga vs Portland Head-to-Head
While scores and odds show the Gonzaga Bulldogs as winners, the Portland Pilots have covered five of the last six spreads, and seven of the last nine in the rivalry. The over has hit in the last eight matchups with a range of 140.5 and 161.5 points.
The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with 106 wins to the Pilots’ 66. Gonzaga is 42-2 against Portland under coach Mark Few.
Gonzaga vs Portland Game Information
- Game: Gonzaga (17-4, 6-1) vs Portland (11-12, 3-5)
- Location: Chiles Center
- Day/Time: Saturday, Jan 28, 7 p.m. ET
- Gonzaga vs Portland Live stream: TBS.com
Gonzaga vs Portland Betting Lines
Gonzaga vs Portland Picks & Prediction
If the against the spread record shows anything, it is that the Gonzaga Bulldogs are vulnerable. Then again, they are a Power Six team playing in a low-major conference, so their against the spread record is probably comparable for March Madness than a West Coast Conference game against the Portland Pilots.
After all, they did beat the Pilots by 40 a few weeks ago. We’ve already said that the Pilots do not have the size or talent to limit Timme on the interior, and they are one of the worst defensive teams in college basketball.
The reality is that the talent gap is too great. There is no reason for the Bulldogs to lose this game, and even facing a double-digit spread is probably not enough when both teams like to play up tempo and get in as many possessions as possible. Defense will be optional, but enough to reach the point total? We’ll see.
So far, 51% of public bets are on the Bulldogs, while the over/under is split. We’ll choose the Bulldogs to win and cover the spread, and also like the under this time around.
The Bulldogs are listed at -855 in our Vegas Lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Gonzaga, you have a chance to win $12. Portland is +575, offering a chance to win $575.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines give the Bulldogs a 89.53% chance to win, with the Pilots at 14.81%.
Gonzaga vs Portland Trends
Gonzaga vs Portland Edge
Gonzaga vs Portland Results
Gonzaga vs Portland Game Summary
