USC Trojans vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Elite 8 Betting Picks, Lines, Predictions & Odds
The West Region Elite 8 matchup will feature the two most dominant schools in this year’s tournament. On Tuesday evening, No. 1 seed Gonzaga will take on No. 6 USC. Both teams have won all their games so far by double digits. The game will also feature two projected top-5 draft picks in Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs.
Gonzaga comes to the game with a 29-0 record this season, going 15-12-2 ATS. They have easily covered the spread in all first three rounds. At the moment, they hold the NCAA Division I record with 26 straight double-digit wins. The Bulldogs will try to become the first team to finish the season with a perfect record since 1976. Gonzaga is no stranger to this stage of the NCAA tournament, as this is their fourth Elite 8 appearance over the last 7 years.
While the Zags were expected to dominate, the Trojans impressed everyone with their convincing tournament run. They came to March Madness with a 25-7 record, going 19-13 against the spread. USC won 6 out of the last 7 games, losing only to Colorado in the PAC 12 Tournament final. Just like Gonzaga, they were successful against the spread in the first three games.
USC Trojans vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Elite 8 Betting Odds And Line Movement
The opening lines favored Gonzaga at -9.5. Early action on USC caused the line to shift to -9. The total was initially set at 155. With a lot of money going on UNDER, the line is now at 153.5 at most online bookies.
Notes On The USC Trojans
USC looks like a team possessed since the start of the tournament. They’ve easily dealt with three solid opponents – Drake, Kansas, and Oregon. The Trojans have scored almost 80 points in three games, but the deciding factor is still their suffocating defense. They are the second tallest team in Division I and expertly use their size and length on the defensive end. They block the most shots in the nation, are among the best rebounding teams, and clamp the opposing guards on the perimeter. They’ve kept Drake and Kansas to below 30% from the field and Oregon to 37.7%. On offense, they shot over 50% in all three tournament games and dominate the offensive glass. However, they tend to be careless with the ball, with 27 turnovers combined in the last two games.
The star of the team is undoubtedly Evan Mobley. His scoring dropped in the tournament, but he managed to post two double-doubles and block 8 shots. His brother, Isiah, also demands a lot of attention with a combination of size and shooting range. Two guards, Tahj Eaddy and Isaiah White, both came up huge in the last game, scoring 20+ points each.
Notes On The Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Bulldogs continued their tournament rampage with an 83-65 drubbing of Creighton in Sweet 16. Their average win margin at the tournament now stands at an impressive 25.7 points. On offense, they’ve been unstoppable with threats coming from all over the court. They lead Division I in scoring with 91.8 ppg, field goal percentage with 55.1%, and rank third in assists with 18.6 dishes per game. While posting these fantastic offensive numbers, they’re also a stout defensive team. At the moment, KenPom ranks them seventh in the adjusted defensive efficiency. In the tournament, the Zags have allowed their opponents only 63.7 points per game.
Three leading contenders for the MOP award are all on the Gonzaga team. The All-American trio of Corey Kispert, Drew Timme, and Jalen Suggs is capable of destroying rivals in any given game. In addition, all five starters are scoring in double digits so far in the postseason.
USC Trojans vs Gonzaga Bulldogs Elite 8 Betting Pick: USC +9
The Bulldogs are still favorites to win, but the Trojans have all the necessary weapons to counter the offensive juggernaut that is Gonzaga. USC has an advantage in size and on the boards and should be able to keep this one close.
