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The Gonzaga Bulldogs are set to face the TCU Horned Frogs in the NCAA Tournament round of 32. The winner will secure the last spot in the Sweet 16. This 3 vs 6 match-up in the Western Region of the bracket will tip off at 9:40 EST. Gonzaga is a 4.5-point betting favorite.
Both of these teams are coming off impressive first-round wins. Gonzaga secured a 82-70 victory over Grand Canyon University. They held a four-point advantage at halftime and managed to put the game away in the second half with a convincing performance.
Gonzaga had a 29-5 record this season and is seventh in KenPom rankings. They have the number-one ranked team in adjusted offensive efficiency, averaging an NCAA-best 87.1 points per game. They are first in field-goal percentage at 53.9%.
The Bulldogs are led by Drew Timme, who became the program's all-time leading scorer. He averaged 20.9 points and 7.3 rebounds in 34 games. A National Championship looks to be the only accomplishment missing on his resume.
TCU enters this matchup after taking down Arizona State 72-70 in a thrilling matchup. It took a game-winning floater from JaKobe Coles with 1.5 seconds remaining to get the win. They are led in scoring by Mike Miles Jr., who averages 17.6 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.8 rebounds. He made his impact felt with 26 points in the opening round and will look to stay hot in this contest.
The Horned Frogs are a streaky team. They rank 341st in 3-point percentage, shooting just 30.8% as a team. They also rank 247th in free throw percentage and 213th in effective field goal rate.
When they are hot, they are a dangerous team. But it will take a complete effort for TCU to come away with the win.
TCU vs Gonzaga Prediction:
While TCU has been a fun team to watch, they are overmatched. Gonzaga has an experienced team and all the ingredients to make a deep tournament run. They are playing their best basketball at the right time and have a legitimate shot at winning the tournament.
The Bulldogs have a number of offensive weapons besides Timme. Julian Strawther averaged 15.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and shoots 42.9% from 3-point range. He is coming off a 28-point performance in the opening round and will look to continue his production. Anton Watson and Rasir Bolton also averaged more than 10 points per game during the season.
If TCU can start the game with some hot shooting, things could get interesting. Expect the Bulldogs' talent to triumph and help them cruise to a comfortable victory.
