Washington State Cougars vs Gonzaga Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/11/25
Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Cougars versus the Bulldogs? Tip off is at at 9:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, WA. The over/under for this game is set at 163.5 points, and Gonzaga is favored by -16.5 against Washington State in a non-conference matchup.
WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS VS GONZAGA BULLDOGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Washington State Cougars +16.5
This game will be played at McCarthey Athletic Center at 9:00 ET on Saturday, January 11th.
WHY BET THE WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-72 in favor of the Bulldogs.
- Even though we have Gonzaga winning straight-up, we like Washington State at +16.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 163.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.
Can Washington State Deliver Being Underdogs on the Road?
Washington State Cougars Recent Game/Games
Washington State fell to 13-4 on the season after a surprising 95-94 home loss to Pacific on Thursday. The Cougars were heavy favorites, entering the game as -15.5 point favorites.
Trailing 48-38 at halftime, Washington State mounted a comeback, outscoring Pacific 46-36 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. The game’s total points of 189 exceeded the O/U line of 152.5.
In their latest game, Washington State put up 94 points, shooting 45.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.8%. They connected on 42.3% of their three-point attempts, hitting 11 of 26 from deep, and went 27 for 36 from the free-throw line, good for 75%. The Cougars also grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and dished out 17 assists.
Lamar Washington was the standout performer, scoring 40 points on 16 of 22 shooting, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. Ethan Price added 28 points, hitting 6 of 9 threes, while Petar Krivokapic contributed 18 points, making 3 of 6 from downtown.
Washington State’s defense struggled, giving up 95 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 45% from the field. They allowed 17 two-point baskets on 36 attempts, a 47% success rate.
From beyond the arc, Washington State’s defense conceded 11 threes on 26 attempts, with their opponent shooting 42%. They also sent their opponent to the line 36 times, where they converted 27 free throws (75%).
Can the Bulldogs Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?
Gonzaga improved to 13-4 on the season with a 93-80 win over San Diego on Wednesday. The Bulldogs were heavy favorites at -31.5 but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 173, surpassing the O/U line of 155.5.
Gonzaga led 47-34 at halftime and scored 46 points in the 2nd half. However, they allowed San Diego to match them with 46 points in the 2nd half, raising questions about their defense.
Gonzaga put up 93 points in their last game, shooting 45.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.2%. They connected on 32.3% of their three-point attempts, hitting 10 of 31 from deep, while excelling at the free-throw line, going 27 of 33 for 81.8%. The Bulldogs also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 19 assists.
Ben Gregg led the way with 23 points, shooting 9 of 12 from the field and hitting all 3 of his three-point attempts. Kjay Bradley Jr. added 21 points, and Khalif Battle contributed 20, knocking down 4 of 9 from beyond the arc. Graham Ike struggled from the field, hitting just 1 of 5 shots, but pulled down 19 rebounds in the win.
Gonzaga’s defense struggled, giving up 80 points on 45% shooting from the field. They allowed 58% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team making 18 of 31 shots inside the arc.
From three-point range, Gonzaga’s opponents hit 10 of 31 attempts, shooting 32%. The Bulldogs also sent them to the free-throw line 33 times, where they converted 27 free throws, shooting 81%. Gonzaga allowed 15 offensive rebounds.