Gonzaga a 7-Point Road Favorite at Texas A&M; Aggies 0-2 ATS So Far
- The Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-0, No. 8 AP) face the Texas A&M Aggies (2-0) in a true road game Friday night
- The Zags are a 7-point-favorite against the Aggies, who are 0-2 ATS so far this season
- Mark Few’s team is 2-1 ATS in 2019-20 and have outscored opponents by an average of 37.3 points
The Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-0, No. 8 AP) face the Texas A&M Aggies (2-0) in a true road game Friday night at 9:00 p.m. ET in College Station.
Mark Few’s Zags opened as a 6-point favorite in the Gonzaga vs Texas A&M odds and the line currently sits at -7.
Gonzaga Bulldogs vs Texas A&M Aggies Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzaga | -300 | -7.0 (-115) | O 143.0 (-115) |
| Texas A&M | +250 | +7.0 (-105) | U 143.0 (-105) |
Odds taken Nov. 15
While NCAA Tournament regular Gonzaga (Mark Few’s program has qualified for 21 straight trips to the Big Dance) is currently on the outside looking in of championship favorites in the 2020 NCAA Tournament odds, the Zags have gotten out to a hot start in 2019-20.
All the Bulldogs have done is beat Alabama State, Arkansas Pine Bluff, and North Dakota by a combined 112 points. But Friday will be the WCC power’s first test – against an SEC team coached by Buzz Williams in its home arena.
Don’t Mess
While Gonzaga has mopped the floor with its first three opponents, converting at an NCAA-best 66.1 percent effective field goal percentage according to KenPom.com, the Zags will face a significant upgrade in competition Friday in the Lone Star State.
Sure, Texas A&M owns underwhelming wins over Northwestern State and Louisiana Monroe (and failed to cover in each of those outings) and will be without junior guard T.J. Starks, who has been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.
But you can bet Reed Arena will be electric with the No. 8 team in the land in town. Williams is one of the more highly-respected coaches in the game and there’s a revenge factor for A&M, which got blown out by Gonzaga 94-71 in Spokane.
Familiar Territory
Three Gonzaga players (Admon Gilder, Ryan Woolridge, and Drew Timme) are from the Dallas area and Gilder is a former Aggie. The 24-year-old guard was a key player on a pair of Sweet 16 teams in 2016 and 2018 before heading to Spokane as a graduate transfer after the firing of former A&M coach Billy Kennedy.
Gilder told The Spokesman-Review how excited he was for the game in his old stomping grounds. The Zags are still without Killian Tillie, their 6-foot-10 senior from France, but the familiarity of the Texas trio to their surroundings should help.
Business Trip
There are certain aspects of basketball that travel well. Gonzaga’s ability to shoot (including 44 percent from 3-point range) is impressive, but teams can have an off-night. However, defense and rebounding sustain.
The Zags have held their first three opponents to under 41 percent from the field and out-rebounded them by 18 per game. That’s impressive. Each of A&M’s first two games went under the total and the number is 143 in this spot. The Zags’ tenacity on D and the boards has me considering playing the under here.
But I’m more confident in Gonzaga covering. Yes, the line has moved a bit and may continue to creep higher approaching tip-off. But I have no doubt Few’s team will match Williams’ group’s intensity and come away with a comfortable victory in College Station.
Pick: Gonzaga -7 (-115)
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
