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Michigan vs Gonzaga – Battle 4 Atlantis Final Picks & Odds

Jake Mitchell

by Jake Mitchell in College Basketball

Updated Apr 9, 2020 · 10:55 AM PDT

Killian Tillie mean mugging
Killian Tillie and Gonzaga will meet Michigan for the Battle 4 Atlantis crown. Photo by @theathletic (Twitter).
  • Gonzaga is a 4-point favorite against Michigan in the Battle 4 Atlantis Final
  • The Wolverines come off of a 73-64 win over UNC, while Gonzaga won a 73-72 overtime contest against Oregon
  • This is the first-ever matchup between the two programs

As Thanksgiving weekend comes to a close, the Battle 4 Atlantis Final is set, and it will feature the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Michigan Wolverines. It will be the first time these two programs have ever faced off, and the Michigan vs Gonzaga odds set up what should be a tremendous early-season matchup in college basketball.

Michigan Wolverines vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Odds

Team Spread Total
Michigan Wolverines +4 (-105) O 141.5 (-105)
Gonzaga Bulldogs -4 (-115) U 141.5 (-115)

Odds taken November 28th

Neither team has cracked the top ten of the 2020 NCAA Tournament odds, but a win on Friday could go a long way in climbing up the college basketball ladder. This is a huge chance for an early-season, resume-building win, and the winning team will grab some valuable early momentum.

How They Got Here

Gonzaga made it here on the back of a 73-72 overtime win over Oregon in which Mark Few’s team just needed to survive. They blew a 17-point first half lead, and in the 2nd half shot just 29% from the field, barely good enough for them to hold on to the victory.

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Michigan also won Thursday, but in a far more convincing fashion. The Wolverines took down #6 North Carolina by a score of 73-64, and were dominant along the way. Their largest lead was was 24 points, and they shot 50% from the field and 42.3% from behind the three-point line.

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Zags Offense vs Wolverines Defense

The thing that Gonzaga does better than anything else is scoring the basketball. They rank 4th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, and are led by a wide group of scorers. Filip Petrusev (16.3 PPG), Killian Tillie (14 PPG), and Corey Kispert (13.7 PPG) lead the way for Gonzaga, and five other players are averaging at least 7 points per game.

Ryan Woolridge is one of those key role players, as he’s shooting 64.3% from behind the arc.

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The Wolverines will attempt to stop Gonzaga with a defense that ranks 19th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Three players average at least a block per game for Michigan, with Jon Teske (2.0 BPG), Brandon Johns Jr (1.0 BPG), and Franz Wagner (1.0 BPG) leading the way.

What’s the Best Bet?

These neutral site tournaments early in the season are often a great situation for the “under”, but in this Black Friday matchup, the “over” is the way to go.

The best unit on the floor is the Gonzaga offense, and they’ve been on a roll lately. As mentioned prior, they are a balanced group that goes 8-deep in terms of players that contribute consistently. Even if Michigan has success slowing down Tillie or Petrusev , the Bulldogs have other ways to score.

On the other side, the Wolverines have a potent group as well. They are averaging 92.3 points per game in their last three contests and are coming off of a strong offensive game against the Tar Heels. Michigan can get it done with several guys as well, but they are led by a particularly strong scoring trio. Isaiah Livers is shooting 57.1% from the field and averaging 17.2 points per game.

He’s followed by a couple of sharpshooting guards in Eli Brooks and David Dejulius. They’re shooting 45.5% and 46.7% from behind the arc respectively.

These offenses are hot, and in this huge Friday matchup, expect a ton of points.

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