Gonzaga claimed a No. 1 seed in the NCAAB tournament on the back of a dominant year that saw the Bulldogs lose just one game. However, this doesn’t mean that they have just gotten by, as they have a nation-leading +23.4 scoring margin. This has resulted in Gonzaga being one of the best bets in the nation, as the Zags have a stellar 23-6 ATS record on the season. The Bulldogs will be laying plenty of chalk when they take on No. 16 seed South Dakota State in the Round of 64.
- The total has gone OVER in 17 of South Dakota State's last 24 games.
- South Dakota State is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games against teams with winning records.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Gonzaga's last 5 games as favorite.
If history has taught us anything, it’s to take Gonzaga’s No. 1 seed with a grain of salt. The powerhouse has never made it past the Elite Eight, despite making the tournament 19 consecutive seasons, and the Bulldogs lost in the Round of 32 the last time they were No. 1 seeds in 2013. However, this isn’t your typical Gonzaga squad. The team is deep and has multiple ways to burn opponents offensively. Of course, all-American Nigel Williams-Goss gets the most attention, as the transfer averages 16.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
South Dakota State is riding high. After entering the Summit League tournament with a middling 8-8 conference record, the Jackrabbits defied expectations and beat three teams in three days to win their bid. Of course, you can’t talk about South Dakota State without talking about star Mike Daum. The sophomore is averaging 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season and has topped the 30-point mark in four of the past five.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The South Dakota State Jackrabbits will try to spoil to the party and cover the point spread on Thursday; they are 14-16-1 ATS against the betting line this season, while the Gonzaga Bulldogs are 23-8-1 ATS. South Dakota State Jackrabbits are 19-12 on betting the total; Gonzaga Bulldogs are 17-15.
The power rankings show a disparity between these teams, with the Gonzaga Bulldogs rated this week at No. 2 and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits sitting at No. 34.
Statistical Matchup
Offensively, the game matches up Gonzaga's No. 11 nationally ranked offense (84.58 points per game) against a South Dakota State Jackrabbits defense that sits as the No. 223 at 77.38 PPG. The Gonzaga Bulldogs have been averaging 51.78% from the field, more than the Jackrabbits have managed so far this season (45.9% on average).
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Nebraska-Omaha was victimized by Mike Daum for 37 points as the Jackrabbits defeated the Mavericks 79-77 in college hoops action on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs got 22 points from Nigel Williams-Goss as Gonzaga ran past Saint Mary's-California 74-56 on Tuesday at Orleans Arena.
