Sweet 16 betting: Gonzaga Bulldogs battle UCLA Bruins

Sweet 16 Betting: Gonzaga battles UCLA

The 11th-seeded UCLA Bruins were not even supposed to be in the Big Dance field according to some critics, who are now silent with the team headed for a Sweet 16 showdown with the second-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs in the South Region on Friday in Houston.

The Bruins have won their first two games in the Big Dance and covered the spread in each of their past four thanks in part to a controversial goaltending call and favorable Round of 32 matchup. Now they are a big underdog (per Sportsbook) to advance to the next round and become the first 11 seed in more than 20 years to defeat a 2 seed.

UCLA knocked out the sixth-seeded SMU Mustangs 60-59 as 4-point underdogs in the Round of 64 when guard Bryce Alford got credit for his ninth three-pointer of the game on the goaltending call in the final seconds. The Bruins followed that win up by beating the 14th-seeded UAB Blazers 92-75 as 5.5-point favorites on Saturday after UAB had upset the third-seeded Iowa State Cyclones.

[ What is Gonzaga's odds to win it all? Do any sportsbooks have super bonuses left? Check out the latest from Sportsbook ]

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have been as dominant as any team in the tournament so far, defeating their first two opponents by a combined 29 points. Gonzaga actually played better in the Round of 32 on Sunday, routing the seventh-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes 87-68 as 6-point favorites following an 86-76 victory against the 15th-seeded North Dakota State Bison as 17-point chalk in the previous game.

UCLA Bruins vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Odds and Stats.

Team Betting Records & Power Rankings

The 34-2 and 18-14-2 ATS Gonzaga Bulldogs will face the 22-13 UCLA Bruins, who own a 19-16 ATS mark on the season. In totals betting, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are 19-11-2 on the OVER/UNDER so far this season while the UCLA Bruins are 13-21.

The Odds Shark Power Rankings have the Gonzaga Bulldogs at No. 12 and the UCLA Bruins at No. 67 heading into this college basketball betting matchup.

 

How UCLA Bruins vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Stats Matchup

Offensively, the game matches up Gonzaga's No. 4 nationally ranked offense (79.53 points per game) against a UCLA Bruins defense that sits as the No. 168 at 67.97 PPG. The Gonzaga Bulldogs have been averaging 52.67% from the field, more than the Bruins have managed so far this season (44.49% on average).

Recent Outings Betting Recap

The Blazers were burned for 28 points by Tony Parker on Saturday as the Bruins put another game in the win column, 92-75, at KFC Yum! Center.

Gonzaga got 24 points from Kyle Wiltjer en route to a 87-68 victory over Iowa on Sunday at KeyArena.

Sweet 16 Betting Trends:

2 seeds 7-0 SU 4-2-1 ATS vs 11 seeds since 1996

UCLA 12-3 ATS past 15 games overall

UCLA played 11 straight UNDERs as underdog

UCLA covered six in a row as underdog

Gonzaga lost four straight Sweet 16 games

Gonzaga 5-11 ATS as Madness favorite since 2000

2 seeds 8-1 SU past nine games in Sweet 16

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