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The Gonzaga Bulldogs are on the road Saturday to take on the Portland Pilots in a West Coast Conference matchup. The 11-0 Bulldogs successfully defended the top spot of the college basketball rankings with an 86-69 victory over the BYU Cougars on Thursday. Gonzaga looks to continue its dominance in league play on Saturday against the Portland Pilots, who are 6-4 overall and 0-1 in the WCC.
Match Details
Fixture: Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Portland Pilots - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Saturday, January 9, 2021, 8 PM ET
Venue: Chiles Center, Portland, Oregon
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Gonzaga Bulldogs Preview
The Gonzaga Bulldogs just keep winning. Most recently, the Bulldogs crushed the 9-2 BYU Cougars by 17 points, and increased their win streak to 15 games dating back to last season. Now, the Bulldogs will have another weak opponent in the Portland Pilots, and should cruise to their 12th straight win. The Bulldogs will not have their first big test until at least two rounds into the NCAA tournament.
Key Player - Corey Kispert
The Gonzaga Bulldogs continue to run their offense through Corey Kispert, and he has yet to let them down. Kispert had another great showing against the BYU Cougars on Thursday night, collecting a game-high 23 points on nine-of-16 shooting. The Bulldogs' 6-foot-7 senior has been dominant all year, and should have a field day on the Portland Pilots' undersized defenders.
Gonzaga Bulldogs Predicted Lineup
F Anton Watson, F Corey Kispert, G Drew Timme, G Jalen Suggs, G Joel Ayayi
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Portland Pilots Preview
The Portland Pilots are a middle-of-the-pack team in the WCC, but unfortunately for the Pilots, the top team is the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Pilots are 6-3 this season, and lost their WCC opener on the road to the Seattle Redhawks 84-68, and will be fighting to avoid dropping two straight. Portland has been playing well against non-conference opponents, including an 87-86 win over Oregon State, and should show some strong offense on Saturday against the Bulldogs.
Key Player - Ahmed Ali
Ahmed Ali has been leading the way for the Portland Pilots' offense all season. The senior guard will need his best performance yet, as the Gonzaga Bulldogs' trademark is a defense that shuts down teams. Ali averages 19 points and three assists per game for the Pilots, leading his team in both categories.
Portland Pilots Predicted Lineup
F Eddie Davis, F Mikey Henn, G Latrell Jones, G Isiah Dasher, G Ahmed Ali
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Gonzaga vs. Portland Prediction
The Gonzaga Bulldogs should cruise to yet another victory against the Portland Pilots on Saturday. The Bulldogs are the more talented team, and should be able to execute their game plan on both ends of the floor. Expect yet another blowout victory for the Gonzaga Bulldogs on their way to a 12-0 start.
Where to watch Gonzaga vs. Portland
The game will be broadcast live on the WCC Network.
