The Gonzaga Bulldogs are ranked No. 1 in the country and put their pristine 21-2 record on the line as they head to Malibu to face the struggling Pepperdine Waves.
Gonzaga picked up a 74-58 win over Saint Mary’s on Saturday in what was expected to be a rare test in conference play. The Bulldogs have won 27 straight WCC games and remain a threat to cut down the nets come tournament time.
The Waves, on the other hand, are amid a freefall. They've lost seven straight conference games.
Check out our college basketball picks and predictions for Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine on Wednesday, February 16.
Gonzaga vs Pepperdine odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
Gonzaga is expected to roll on the road. The Bulldogs opened -29.5 and that is where the line currently resides. There are expected to be plenty of points. The total opened at 160 and had been bet up three points to 163 as of Wednesday morning.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until tip-off and be sure to check out the full college basketball odds before placing your bets.
Gonzaga vs Pepperdine predictions
Predictions made on 2/16/2022 at 8:15 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Gonzaga vs Pepperdine game info
• Location: Firestone Fieldhouse, Malibu, CA
• Date: Wednesday, February 16, 2022
• Tip-off: 11:00 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN2
Gonzaga at Pepperdine betting preview
Injuries
Gonzaga: Kaden Perry F (Out), Dominick Harris G (Out).
Pepperdine: Keith Fisher III G (Out).
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting trend to know
Gonzaga is 7-0-1 ATS in its last eight road games. Find more NCAAB betting trends for Gonzaga vs Pepperdine. Find more NCAA betting trends for Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine.
Gonzaga vs Pepperdine picks and predictions
Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.
Spread analysis
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the No. 1 team in the country for a reason. They haven’t suffered defeat since Dec. 4 against Alabama, and it’s highly unlikely they lose again Wednesday night in Malibu. The West Coast Conference isn’t putting up much of a fight — Gonzaga is winning its conference games by an average margin of 29.1 points.
Saint Mary’s was supposed to be a challenge over the weekend, but Gonzaga pulled away for the 74-58 victory. Leading scorer Drew Timme exploded in that contest for 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting while adding 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Seven-foot freshmen phenom Chet Holmgren has been overmatching WCC opponents and averages 14.5 points. 9.3 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks. Julian Strawther, Andrew Nembhard, and Rasir Bolton all average double-digits in scoring.
It’s not exactly a question of whether Gonzaga will win, but rather by how much. These two squads faced off on Jan. 8 and it was a bloodbath. Gonzaga won 117-83 at home, marking the Bulldogs’ second-highest point total in the last 20 years. Oddsmakers expect a similar result this go around.
Pepperdine has bottomed out in 2021-22. The Waves have only one conference win (Pacific) on their resume and have dropped seven straight WCC games. The offense (276th per KenPom) and defense (268th) are both to blame, and coach Lorenzo Romar relies on an up-tempo (45th in tempo) style that has not yielded results.
KenPom paints the story of how far apart these two teams truly are. Gonzaga checks in first overall, while Pepperdine can be found all the way down at 285th. The Waves are in freefall while the Bulldogs are surging. This one should get ugly.
Gonzaga ranks first nationally in scoring offense (90.9 points per game) and field goal percentage (53.6%), while Pepperdine ranks well outside the Top 300 defensively in both categories. Gonzaga has been profitable (13-8-2 ATS) for bettors, while Pepperdine has been a money-drainer (10-16 ATS).
We have no reason to fear this road game, as Gonzaga is 7-0-1 ATS in its last eight road games while Pepperdine is only 2-5 ATS in its last seven home games.
Gonzaga has won 42 straight games against Pepperdine and will make it 43 on Wednesday night in a comfortable victory.
Prediction: Gonzaga -29.5 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
The first time these teams played back in early January, they combined for a whopping 200 points. Now, we’re getting a total nearly 40 points lower.
Gonzaga averaged over 90 points per game and has been obliterating opponents. Pepperdine is a sieve defensively and its up-tempo approach will only lead to more points for the Bulldogs, just as we saw in the first matchup.
We know that Gonzaga will be able to score, as the No. 2 team in KenPom’s offensive efficiency should have no trouble against Pepperdine’s No. 268 defense. On the other side of the ball, the Waves hit 10 threes in the first matchup. This team can shoot the ball from outside and, at a fast pace, could contribute to the Over as well.
We know we’re getting a boatload of points from the Gonzaga side, which means we’ll likely need only around 60 points from Pepperdine for this game to go Over the total. So we’re taking it.
Prediction: Over 163 (-110)
Best bet
You better have a darn good reason to pick against Gonzaga in WCC play.
The No. 1 team in the country is on a roll, and we see no good reason to stand in the Bulldogs’ way. Pepperdine has lost seven straight WCC games and Gonzaga is winning conference games by an average of 29 points.
Expect a big number from Gonzaga as they roll in Malibu.
Pick: Gonzaga -29.5 (-110)
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