The No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (15-1, 1-0 WCC) put their seven-game winning streak on the line when they clash with the Pepperdine Waves (7-8, 0-1 WCC) at McCarthey Athletic Center. The game starts at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 4, 2020, and will air on ESPN2.
Pepperdine Waves vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Prediction
In the Waves’ last contest, they were beaten by the Pacific Tigers, 59-56. Pacific’s effective field goal percentage was their biggest strength over Pepperdine. The Tigers had a rate of 0.489 (below their season average of 0.518), while the Waves posted a mark of 0.321 (below their season average of 0.505). Colbey Ross was Pepperdine’s leading scorer with 15 points on 3-for-17 shooting.
The Bulldogs beat the Portland Pilots in their last game, 85-72. The Bulldogs had an extraordinarily low turnover percentage of 5.1 (better than their season average of 13.0), while the Pilots had a free throw rate of 0.107 (below their season average of 0.244). Killian Tillie was the top scorer from either team with 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field.
After the Bulldogs won both contests against the Waves last season, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. In the most recent contest, Gonzaga won 100-74. The Bulldogs had a much better free throw rate (0.242 vs. 0.108) and had a much better effective field goal percentage (0.685 vs. 0.515).
The high-octane offense of Gonzaga will go head-to-head against the bottom-tier defense of Pepperdine. The Bulldogs currently rank first in offensive efficiency, while the Waves are 321st in defensive efficiency. The Bulldogs figure to have the advantage on that end of the court. Moreover, the Waves rank 35th in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.279), while the Bulldogs rank 20th in opponents’ FTA rate (0.151).
Pepperdine Waves at Gonzaga Bulldogs Odds Pick
Prediction: ATS Winner – Gonzaga, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
Gonzaga averages 17.9 assists per game, which ranks sixth in the country. Pepperdine ranks 213th in assists allowed per game (15.6).
The Bulldogs rank 25th in rebounds per game (41.1) while the Waves rank 213th (33.8).
Gonzaga ranks 81st in steals per game (7.3) while Pepperdine ranks 129th in steals allowed per game (7.1).
The Waves have outscored opponents by an average of 0.6 points in their last five games. For the season, Pepperdine has been defeated by an average of 0.7 points.
During their last five games, the Bulldogs have scored an average of 93.6 points per game (5.3 above their season average) and allowed an average of 76.4 points per game (7.8 above their season average).
