The Gonzaga Bulldogs look to continue their unbeaten season as they face the Norfolk State Spartans in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
As the college basketball betting favorite to win the National Championship, it's little surprise that the Zags opened as massive favorites for this contest, but 34 points is a daunting number for anybody to cover.
Will Gonzaga cover this massive spread? We let you know with our best free March Madness picks and predictions for Norfolk State vs. Gonzaga on Saturday, March 20, with tipoff at 9:20 p.m. ET.
Norfolk State vs Gonzaga odds
Sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonIt's a massive line on this game, with overall No. 1 seed Gonzaga opening as a 34-point favorite Thursday night and now down a point to -33 at DraftKings, less than two hours before a 9:20 p.m. ET tipoff. With such a hefty spread, Norfolk State is taking 63 percent of bets and 65 percent of money. The total moved from 154.5 to 153.5 to 154, with 61 percent of bets on the Under and money running dead even.
Check out the full line movement for this gameNorfolk State Spartans vs Gonzaga Bulldogs betting preview
Injuries
Norfolk State: None.
Gonzaga: None.
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting trend to know
Gonzaga is 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 NCAA Tournament games. Find more NCAA betting trends for Norfolk State vs. Gonzaga.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
Gonzaga is the No. 1 ranked team in the country and is atop the March Madness odds board as the favorite to win the national championship, so we won't waste time explaining how the Zags are a better team than No. 16 seed Norfolk State. We're here to figure out whether or not Gonzaga is worth laying 34 points on, the fourth-biggest NCAA Tournament betting line this century.
The Bulldogs are a perfect 26-0 SU this season but haven't always covered the massive spreads put in front of them, going 6-8-1 ATS in their last 15 games. This is actually the eighth time this season that the Zags have been favorites of 30 or more points this season, going 2-5 ATS in those situations.
Norfolk State is coming off a nerve-wracking 54-53 win over Appalachian State in the First Four on Thursday. The MEAC Tournament champions are a scrappy defensive squad that holds opponents to 39.7 percent shooting from the field.
No, they're not going to limit Gonzaga to anything close to that, but they should be able to keep this game within 34 points. Especially if the Zags display any rust after not having played in 11 days.
Another factor to consider is that despite Gonzaga's recent success in March Madness, oddsmakers appear to be overvaluing them. The Bulldogs are just 4-9-1 ATS in their previous 14 NCAA tourney games.
PREDICTION: Norfolk State +34 (-110)
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Over/Under Pick
The Spartans are a solid defensive team and have gone 6-1 to the Under in their last seven games. That said, they cashed the Over in eight straight contests prior to that span and actually play at a modest pace, ranking 41st in the country in possessions per game. That means lots of offensive chances for a Gonzaga team that shoots a sizzling 55.3 percent from the floor.
Led by All-Americans Corey Kispert (19.2 points per game on 54.4 percent shooting) and Drew Timme (18.7 ppg on 65.6 percent shooting), Gonzaga is an offensive juggernaut. The Bulldogs are the highest-scoring team in the country, and their 92.9 points per game is a whopping 7.2 ppg more than second-place Colgate.
The Zags also play at a very fast tempo and are 6-1 O/U in their last seven games. With the Over going 11-2 in Gonzaga's last 13 neutral site games, back it again.
PREDICTION: Over 154.5 (-110)
First Half Pick
There are several reasons we faded Gonzaga on the full game spread, but one of the biggest was that if the Zags get up big early they will likely take their foot off the pedal and rest some starters. After all, this is a grueling tournament and there is no reason to risk the health of stars in a blowout.
However, the Zags will likely come firing right out of the gate. Gonzaga has received plenty of criticism for its perceived weak conference schedule, but Norfolk State is even weaker than most of the Bulldogs' WCC foes, so they should have little trouble lighting them up.
With Gonzaga leading the country with an average first-half scoring margin of plus-14 ppg, back the Zags on the first-half spread.
PREDICTION: First Half Gonzaga -18 (-110)
Norfolk State vs Gonzaga betting card
- Norfolk State +34 (-110)
- Over 154.5 (-110)
- First Half Gonzaga -18 (-110)
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Where can I bet on March Madness odds?
March Madness is one of the most popular times of the year for sports bettors, which of course makes it one of the busiest times of the year for online sportsbooks. Every betting site will offer March Madness odds but the top sites are safe and secure, offer a wide range of banking options, and give you a ton of markets for each game. Check out the best March Madness betting sites in your region.
