Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. San Francisco Dons Prediction: Big Matchup in the West Coast Conference

Thursday’s college basketball slate is loaded, and one of the biggest games on the schedule is Gonzaga vs. San Francisco. The West Coast Conference is coming down to the wire, and two of the best teams are Gonzaga and San Francisco. 

The Bulldogs and Dons sit second and third in the conference. Gonzaga is 12-2, and San Francisco is 11-3 in the conference, so these two teams are very even on paper. This is the season's second meeting, and the Dons will seek revenge. 

Gonzaga beat San Francisco on January 24th, 77-72. The victory marked the 10th consecutive time the Dons had fallen to the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs have traditionally owned the West Coast Conference but haven’t looked as dominant this season as in years past. 

Here, we will break down and give our best bets for Gonzaga vs. San Francisco.

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Betting Odds for Thursday, Feb. 29th

The Bulldogs are laying 4.5 points on the road on Thursday. They’re priced at -192 on the moneyline, compared to the Dons at +158 on FanDuel Sportsbook. 

San Francisco is the second-best team in the conference against the spread with a 17-11 record. The Bulldogs haven’t been profitable in this area, with a 12-15 record. 

The total is 137.5, with the over and under odds at -110. San Francisco is 15-13 to the over, while Gonzaga is 13-14. 

Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel and get $150 in bonus bets if you wager $5 on your first bet and win.

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Prediction

Gonzaga is finding their groove at the perfect time. They have won five games in a row and have a great chance to make it six on Thursday based on recent history. The Bulldogs are the 20th-ranked team according to the KenPim Ratings and 10th in points per 100 possessions at 120.4. 

However, these big numbers are familiar for the Bulldogs. They’re consistently one of the best teams in the country, but they struggle to win the big game. They dominate in the WCC but usually have an early exit from the tournament. 

The Bulldogs are coming off a dominant win over Santa Clara, where their offense was fantastic. Gonzaga shot just under 57% from the field and was 50% from the three-point line. The Dons won't stand a chance if Gonzaga can replicate this success on Thursday. 

San Francisco is also coming off a victory in their last matchup against Pepperdine. They won with offense, shooting under 50% from the three-point line. The way these two teams have shot lately, the 137.5-point total seems slightly low. 

The Dons have a slight advantage over Gonzaga on Thursday because they’re at home. They haven’t performed well historically against their counterpart, but this is their best chance in a long time to beat the Bulldogs. 

They’re 14-1 at home with an 8-6 ATS record in their own building. The team is 63rd in the KenPom Ratings, which isn’t close to Gonzaga, but the home court could help push them over the edge. 

The player who San Francisco must handle is Graham Ike. The junior forward is one of the most dominant bigs in the country, averaging 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 62% from the field. 

He had a massive game against San Francisco in January, propelling his team to a win. The player tasked with stopping him will be Jonathan Mogbo. 

Mogbo averages a 14-10 double-double and shoots 66.2% from the field. Yet, he wasn’t a meaningful scorer in the first outing of the season, which was one of the reasons the Dons were unable to close the gap. 

Place your bets at FanDuel Sportsbook and claim $150 in bonus bets.

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Betting Pick

History tends to repeat itself in college basketball. This is an excellent spot for the Dons, but they haven’t won against the Bulldogs and there is a reason for this fact. 

Gonzaga is a slightly better team, and they know how to finish off their opponents. However, they have struggled covering against the Dons, as the series has been historically close. 

Winning on the road isn’t easy, and we expect Gonzaga to struggle at times, opening the door for San Francisco to cover the spread. The Dons are 4-1 against the spread in their past five meetings with Gonzaga. 

They should add another cover to the win column, so take the points with the Dons. 

• Gonzaga Bulldogs vs San Francisco Dons Pick: San Francisco +4.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook

How to Watch Gonzaga vs. San Francisco

• When: Thursday, Feb. 29th @  11:00 PM ET

• Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA

• TV: ESPN2

• Streaming: ESPN+

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