It will be a Bulldogs vs Bulldogs matchup in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as Georgia and Gonzaga do battle on Thursday, March 20, 2025. This contest from Wichita, KS pits ninth-seeded Georgia against eighth-seeded Gonzaga in the Midwest Region. Georgia is one of many SEC teams to receive a bid in this year’s NCAA Tournament, while Gonzaga represents a WCC that only got two teams into the Big Dance.
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Gonzaga is favored to win this game by six points. The total for this matchup has been established at a healthy 151.5 points, meaning points could be on the horizon. Here, we break down Georgia vs Gonzaga and see which group of Bulldogs has the best chance to move onto the second round of March Madness.
Georgia Looks to Represent SEC Well In Tourney Opener
The Georgia Bulldogs are one of several SEC teams to get an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament despite having a losing record in conference play. Georgia went 8-10 in conference play during the regular season and went one-and-done in the SEC tournament. Now the question will be whether or not Georgia can deliver in the first round of this tournament with a magnifying glass being held to all of the at-large teams from the SEC.
Georgia does have some impressive wins to their name this season, beating tournament teams like Kentucky, Florida, St. John’s, and Grand Canyon. But in a league as deep as the SEC, finding consistent performances was the biggest challenge for them. Now, with no more margin for error, Georgia will need to be at their best if they want to see round two in the tourney.
Can Gonzaga Build On WCC Tourney Triumph?
Gonzaga was not the top seed in the West Coast Conference tournament, finishing second to Saint Mary’s in the regular season. But the Bulldogs took care of business in the WCC championship game, shutting down the Saint Mary’s offense in an ugly 58-51 win in Las Vegas. Gonzaga will not enjoy as high a seed as they are used to in this tournament, but they still have plenty of talent and will look to kick off a deep March Madness run in this game.
For Gonzaga, getting the ball to Graham Ike early and often will be key. Ike is averaging 17.1 points per game and shooting 59.6% from the field, mostly from the paint. Avoiding foul trouble will be so important for Ike, as he gives his team a legitimate advantage on the block, though he has been vulnerable to picking up fouls and getting relegated to the bench at times.
Georgia vs Gonzaga Prediction
Gonzaga -6 (-110) over Georgia
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Claim Bonus - Gonzaga has a major advantage in the paint in this game with Graham Ike.
- Gonzaga also has a huge experience edge going into this year’s tournament over the Bulldogs.
