Santa Clara Broncos vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Pick & Prediction 2/24/24

The Broncos and Bulldogs are set to face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN2. The Bulldogs will host the game at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, WA. The over/under for this West Coast conference contest is set at 156.5 points, with Gonzaga being favored by -14.5 at home against Santa Clara.

SANTA CLARA BRONCOS VS GONZAGA BULLDOGS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Santa Clara Broncos +14.5

This game will be played at McCarthey Athletic Center at 10:00 ET on Saturday, February 24th.

WHY BET THE SANTA CLARA BRONCOS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Bulldogs.
• Even though we have Gonzaga winning straight-up, we like Santa Clara at +14.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 156.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.

Can the Broncos Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?

Coming into tonight’s game, Santa Clara has an overall record of 18-10, including a 9-4 record in West Coast Conference play. The Broncos have won three straight games and are 6-4 on the road this season.

So far this year, Santa Clara has been the underdog in 11 games, going 5-6 in those contests. Their average scoring margin on the road is +4.5 points per game, and they are 1-2 in their last three road games.

As the underdog, Santa Clara has gone 7-4 vs. the spread this season. On the road, their ATS mark is 8-2 and over their last 10 road games, they are 8-2 vs. the spread. Overall, the Broncos are 14-12 ATS this year.

This season, the over/under record for Santa Clara games is 10-15-1, and today’s over/under line of 156.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (149.6). However, their last three games have had an average scoring total of 134 points, and their last five games have also averaged 134 points.

Most recently, the Santa Clara offense finished with just 65 points vs. Loyola Marymount. For the game, they hit 5/20 three-point attempts and a field goal percentage of 44.4%. Offensively, the Broncos have a season long field goal percentage of 46%, which is 113rd in the nation. In terms of three-pointers, they are 128th in percentage and 105th in three-pointers made.

Santa Clara’s defense is currently in line with the NCAA average for points allowed, allowing an average of 71.1 points per game. Against Loyola Marymount in their most recent game, the Santa Clara defense gave up a total of 55 points while allowing Loyola Marymount to hit 44% of their shots.

Will Gonzaga Make it Happen at Home?

At home this season, Gonzaga has a record of 13-4 and an average scoring margin of +15.9. Over their last three games at home, the Bulldogs are 3-0.

On the year, Gonzaga has a record of 21-6 and has won five straight. In their last game, they defeated Portland by a score of 86-65.

As the favorite this season, Gonzaga has an ATS record of 11-12 and they are 8-9 ATS at home. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Bulldogs have gone 5-5 vs. the spread.

Today’s over/under line of 156.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Gonzaga’s games this year (154.5). So far, 15 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1.

Gonzaga’s offense is coming off a strong performance vs. Portland, finishing the game with a total of 86 points. Their season average is now 85.8 points per game. Leading Gonzaga in scoring vs. Portland was Graham Ike with his 20 points. Nolan Hickman also added 19 points for the Bulldogs.

Currently, the Bulldogs’ defense holds the 87th rank in the nation, allowing 68.7 points per game. In their previous game vs. Portland, the Pilots finished with a field goal percentage of 37% and a total of 65 points vs. Gonzaga.