Pepperdine vs Gonzaga Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds & Picks
Gonzaga, Pepperdine Open Conference Play
Bulldogs Have Won Six Straight
The No. 10 Gonzaga Bulldogs try for a seventh straight victory when they play host to the Pepperdine Waves in the West Coast Conference opener for both teams on Saturday. Gonzaga is coming off a 78-point win over Eastern Oregon on Wednesday and is 7-0 at home. Pepperdine has alternated between wins and losses over its last five games, including a loss in its last game, falling to Iona on Sunday. Both teams want to start the conference slate with a win, so check out our in-depth preview to help with your betting online.
Let’s check the latest college basketball odds, stats, injury reports, and college basketball lines for Pepperdine vs Gonzaga. We’ve plenty of NCAA basketball odds for you to consider.
Pepperdine Looking for Consistency
The Pepperdine Waves have not been able to put together a winning streak since mid-November, going 3-6 over their last nine contests after a 4-1 start. The team’s offensive output has been up and down, as they went from 81 points in a win over George Washington on Dec. 23 to just 66 points in a loss to Iona on Sunday.
Sophomore forward Maxwell Lewis has been the most consistent offensive threat for the Waves, averaging a team-high 19.4 points. He’s also averaging 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks and has scored at least 22 points in each of the last four contests.
Freshman Jevon Porter will need to be at his best against the taller Gonzaga front line. The 6-11 freshman is averaging 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds but has dealt with foul troubles early in his collegiate career.
Sophomore guard Mike Mitchell Jr. will also need to play well in this one. The sophomore guard is averaging 10.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and a team-best 4.6 assists, and he’ll need to deal with the perimeter pressure put on by the Bulldogs.
Gonzaga Prepares for Conference Play
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have had their rough games as well as their easy ones – look at the program-record 78-point margin of victory against Eastern Oregon on Wednesday. But now the Bulldogs will be facing a West Coast Conference that coach Mark Few sees as dangerous.
“If we don’t play really well in each game, we’ll get beat,” Few said heading into the conference season. “We don’t have the luxury maybe of years’ past where we could just cruise. That’s a reflection of us this year and who we are, and a lot of these teams have gotten older through the transfer portal and added some things.”
The Bulldogs still have likely the best player in the conference in center Drew Timme. The 6-10 forward is making another run at National Player of the Year honors with his averages of 21.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 64.6% from the floor.
Junior guard Julian Strawther is another dangerous player for opponents when he gets hot. Strawther is averaging 12.9 points and 7.7 rebounds while hitting 41.3% from beyond the arc.
Pepperdine vs Gonzaga Head-To-Head
To call the rivalry between the Pepperdine Waves and the Gonzaga Bulldogs one-sided would be a bit of an understatement. Gonzaga enters Saturday’s game on a 43-game winning streak against Pepperdine dating back to the 2001-02 season.
The Bulldogs have an all-time 47-2 edge in the rivalry, including a perfect 23-0 mark at home. The college basketball lines for Saturday’s game don’t see that changing, with Gonzaga a heavy favorite to come away with the win.
Pepperdine vs Gonzaga Game Information
Game: Pepperdine (7-7, 0-0 WCC) vs Gonzaga (11-3, 0-0 WCC)
Location: McCarthey Athletic Center
Day/Time: Saturday, Dec 31, 5:00 p.m. ET
Pepperdine vs Gonzaga Live Stream: TBS.com
Pepperdine vs Gonzaga Betting Lines
Pepperdine vs Gonzaga Picks & Prediction
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have been dominant against the Pepperdine Waves over the years, and that shouldn’t change on Saturday. Look for Timme to dominate the paint as the Bulldogs roll to another home victory.
When making your college basketball picks, take Gonzaga to win and cover at home.
