No. 9 Gonzaga Meets UCLA

No. 9 Gonzaga will face off against its third consecutive Pac-12 team tonight at 10 p.m. ET when they take on UCLA.

Gonzaga and UCLA look similar on paper. Gonzaga is 8-1 straight up, while UCLA is 8-2. Both have been mixed with bettors. Gonzaga is 4-2-1 against the spread, while UCLA is 4-6. The difference is Gonzaga is ranked, while UCLA sits on the outside looking int. A win from UCLA would go a long way to establish the team as a legitimate contender.

UCLA has struggled against teams. They have won eight games just like Gonzaga but those wins come in game where they were big favorites. Every time they have played from the underdog position this season, UCLA has lost.

The Bulldogs will be riding a wave of momentum, as in their last outing they got a tough road test against Arizona. Gonzaga outlasted Arizona in overtime to win 66-63 as 4.5 road underdogs. They head into UCLA as road favorites.

Gonzaga is the favorite to win this one. They opened with a -4.5 line but it has since shifted to -6. That is not to say the UCLA can’t cover the spread.

UCLA does not have any trouble finding the basket averaging 81.5 points per game. Gonzaga, though, has the highest point average per game in the country with 84.4 points per game. However, UCLA does have a rebounding edge.

Both teams have five players that average 10 points per game or more. UCLA is led by guard Norman Powell (17.9) and Gonzaga is led by forward Kyle Wiltjer (16.4).

The under is 17-6 in Gonzaga’s last 23 road games going back to last season. Meanwhile, UCLA has hit the under in its last 13 home games. However, the total is set at 146 points, which is well below both these teams averages.

This game will air on ESPN2.