Free College Basketball Pick
#1 Syracuse Orange (29-3, 15-3 Big East) vs. #8 Gonzaga Bulldogs (27-6, 12-2 WCC) HDBC Arena, Buffalo, NY, 3/21, 12:10 PM
The first round of the NCAA tournament was relatively uneventful for both Syracuse and Gonzaga, especially given how many close games there were elsewhere.
The Bulldogs played well against Florida State, jumping out to a large early lead. Florida State couldn’t hit any of their shots, and Gonzaga simply outplayed them. In the second half, Florida State got things going and started to chip into the lead, but the Bulldogs were able to keep up the intensity, and held the Seminoles off with a 67-60 win. Matt Bouldin led all scorers with 17 points and Robert Sacre added 13 points and 9 rebounds. The Bulldogs are no strangers to the NCAA tournament, and have had their share of Cinderella runs. It would not be a surprise for them to pull off an upset over Syracuse. Their shooters will need to be on though, if they hope to master the Orange’s zone defense. Gonzaga has faced some tough competition this season. Granted, they were blown out by Duke, and lost to Michigan State, the two ranked teams they played this year. But they beat teams like Wisconsin, Cincinnati, and Illinois.
As a 1 seed, there was little doubt that Syracuse would win its first game of the tournament. Number 1 seeds are now a combined 104-0 against 16 seeds in the history of the NCAA tournament. The Orange got off to a hot start before coasting a bit before halftime, and letting a 25 point lead get cut to 12. In the second half, Cuse regained composure, and ended up winning by 23, 79-56. Center Arinze Onuaku missed the game with a leg injury, his status is doubtful for the gams against the Zags. Syracuse dug a little deeper into their bench, calling on DaShonte Riley to fill some minutes. He did his job by not hurting the team, and finished with two rebounds, two assists, and a block. Wesley Johnson led all scorers with 18 points. It seems he has recovered from all of his injuries earlier in the season.
This game will be significantly more difficult for both teams. For Syracuse, if Onuaku is not back, their core will be down to just six players. For Gonzaga, they will be facing an explosive offense and one of the toughest defenses in the country. Syracuse will look to make its second straight Sweet 16, the reward for the winner.
Syracuse is favored by 7 points. The total is listed at 150.
Syracuse Betting Trends:
Syracuse is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games
Gonzaga Betting Trends:
Gonzaga is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games
Pick: Take Gonzaga +7
Betting Trends by Bodog.com |
