Gonzaga vs San Francisco Picks and Odds (Feb 24)

• No. 1 Gonzaga (23-2, 12-0 WCC) takes on San Francisco (22-7, 9-5 WCC) Thursday, February 24th at 9:00 pm ET in the Bay Area
• The Zags clinched their 10th straight conference title thanks to an 81-69 win over Santa Clara on Saturday, while the Dons blew out Pacific 104-71 in Stockton on Monday
• See the current Gonzaga vs San Francisco odds, point spread, and game total, plus predictions

The No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (23-2, 12-0 WCC) — who maintained the top spot in the AP poll following a pair of wins last week — take on the San Francisco Dons (22-7, 9-5 WCC) in college basketball on Thursday at War Memorial Gym. Tip off is at 9:00 pm ET on ESPN2.

Gonzaga vs San Francisco Odds

Odds as of February 23rd, 2022 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Gonzaga is a 9.5-point favorite over San Francisco, while the total is 155.5.

The Zags continue to have the best odds to win March Madness and hold the #1 overall seed in the latest NCAA Tournament bracket projection. The Dons slotted in as a solid #6 seed.

Zags head coach Mark Few got big performances from Andrew Nembhard and Rasir Bolton on Senior Night at The Kennel against the Broncos. Nembhard scored 21 points, including a pair of late 3-pointers that iced it, while Bolton contributed 18.

Meantime, Todd Golden’s club got 21 from senior Khalil Shabazz as the Dons destroyed the Tigers. The 6-foot-1 guard was especially hot from beyond the arc, going 5-of-6 from distance. Leading scorer Jamaree Bouyea added 15 points and 11 assists.

Gonzaga Has Dominated San Francisco in H2H History

As is the case with most of their West Coast Conference foes, the Zags have dominated the series against the Dons. Gonzaga has defeated San Francisco 22 straight times, including nine consecutive victories in The City by the Bay. That decade of domination (USF’s last win against the college hoops power came in a 66-65 win at home during the 2011-12 season) includes a 78-62 Bulldogs win in Spokane on Jan. 20.

Only three of the wins over that timeframe were by less than nine points, so the Zags are big favorites for a reason. In fact, the Bulldogs have won 30 consecutive WCC games by double-digits by an average margin of 25.1 points.

Junior forward Drew Timme — coming off a 23-and-9 outing against Santa Clara — is the team’s leading scorer (18.0 ppg). Four others — Chet Holmgren (14.4 ppg), Julian Strawther (12.3 ppg), Nembhard (10.9 ppg) and Bolton (10.8 ppg) — are also in double-figures.

Gonzaga is first in the nation in scoring offense (89.5), field goal percentage (52.9%), scoring margin (24.9), two-point percentage (61.8%) and defensive rebounds (32.7). Golden’s crew will most certainly have its hands full on Thursday.

San Francisco is 6-2 ATS in Last Eight

The Dons have gone 6-2 straight up over their last eight outings — and have the same record over that timeframe against the spread. That includes a 33-point win over Pacific as 13-point favorites earlier this week.

Season-high 51.7 percent from three✅
Second best shooting night of the season (59.3 percent overall)✅

The Dons began the final week of conference play with a dominant victory at Pacific last night!

📰Full Recap: https://t.co/XlxBYdqx5Z#USFDons | #WCChoops pic.twitter.com/uHVM4T2zzv

— San Francisco Men's Basketball (@USFDonsMBB) February 22, 2022

San Francisco is the 24th-rated team in the country according to KenPom (behind only Gonzaga at No. 1 and Saint Mary’s at No. 22 in the WCC) and features a quartet of players (led by Bouyea) scoring in double-digits. If the home team is going to shock the Zags, it will need another performance by Shabazz like the one it got in San Joaquin Valley.

He scored 20-plus points for the third time in four games and for the fifth time this season against Pacific. For the Seattle native, Monday also marked the second straight game and third time in the last four games in which he has made five three pointers. The effort was part of a night that cemented USF’s spot among the game’s elite on the road.

BATTLE TESTED 💥

The USF Dons are a Top 10 road team in the country, via Bart Torvik

The other 9 teams are in the AP Top 15…#USFDons | #WCChoops pic.twitter.com/Ozw0tB0UZA

— San Francisco Men's Basketball (@USFDonsMBB) February 22, 2022

Of course, this one is at the Hilltop. The Dons boast the second-best offensive and defensive efficiency in conference play. Leading the way? Gonzaga.

Gonzaga vs San Francisco Prediction

USF owns a 13-3 home mark, with losses to BYU, Saint Mary’s, and Portland. Meantime, Gonzaga is 4-0 in true road games this season and has won 11 straight true road games, the longest active streak in the country.

It’s not often you see a top-25 KenPom team as nearly a double-digit home underdog in college basketball odds and Golden’s group has the firepower to upset Few’s good men. But, I just don’t think it will happen.

Pick: Gonzaga -9.5 (-120)