The college basketball season continues Wednesday, December 2, with the Jimmy V Classic at bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, as the West Virginia Mountaineers take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in whatโs undoubtedly a headline clash of Wednesdayโs slate.
Weโll see a couple of super talented teams in action, so Iโve prepared the best betting picks for the Mountaineers versus Zags showdown along with all need-to-know betting tips and trends.
The Mountaineers search for their fourth straight win of the season
The West Virginia Mountaineers are ranked 11th at the AP Top 25 Poll after winning their first three games of the season. They outlasted South Dakota State 79-71, VCU 78-66, and Western Kentucky 70-64, playing all three games at the neutral location.
Last time out, the Mountaineers barely covered a 5.5-point spread against the Hilltoppers to improve to 2-1 ATS on the season. They shot 41.7% from beyond the arc, and the Mountaineers played some terrific D down the stretch, overcoming a nine-point second-half deficit.
Derek Culver dropped 15 points on Western Kentucky, and junior forward has been averaging a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds through the first three contests. The Mountaineers are No. 6 at the KenPom rankings at the moment. They are scoring 110.5 points per 100 possessions (13th in the nation) while surrendering 87.5 in a return (6th).
The Bulldogs are considered the best team in the country
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are still No. 1 at the AP Top 25 Poll. They are a top-ranked team in the KenPom rankings, too, scoring 117.6 points per 100 possessions (1st in the country) and yielding 88.2 in a return (11th).
The Zags are 2-0 on the season after beating the Kansas Jayhawks 102-90 and Auburn Tigers 90-67. They completely outplayed the Jayhawks and easily covered a 4-point spread, and the Zags dismantled the Tigers to cover a huge 18-point spread.
Sophomore Drew Timme is leading the way for Gonzaga with 26.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Senior Corey Kispert tallies 24.0 points per contest on 43.8% shooting from deep, while freshman Jalen Suggs adds 18.0 points and 7.0 assists per outing.
Trends:
West Virginia:
- 5-9-1 ATS in the last 15 games overall
- 0-6-1 ATS in the last seven games away from home
Gonzaga:
- 11-7 ATS in the last 18 games overall
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”ncaab/gonzaga” size=”300×250″ site_id=”atsio” css=”float:right; margin-left:10px”]The Winner Prediction
The Mountaineers are a good team. They were pretty solid last season, too, but theyโve struggled mightily to cover on the road lately. In their last seven showings away from home, the Mountaineers managed to pull off only one push along with six losses.
The Zags played some good basketball on both sides of the ball in their first two outings of the season. Their offense already looks fine, so Iโm going with the Zags to cover. The Mountaineers possess a lot of talent on the defensive end, but I donโt think they can keep pace with the Zagsโ offense.
Pick: Take Gonzaga -2.5
The Total:
Last season, the Mountaineers had the sixth-best scoring defense in the country, allowing only 87.1 points per 100 possessions. On the other side, the Bulldogs had the highest-scoring offense in the country, posting a whopping 121.3 points per 100 possessions.
The Zags love to play at a fast pace, but the Mountaineers will try their best to slow down the tempo Wednesday. Hereof, betting on the totals seems like a tough job.
Nine of West Virginiaโs last 12 road games went in the under, but 15 of Gonzagaโs previous 17 tilts overall went in the over. Iโll take the over on BetAmerica just because the Zagsโ offense is so prolific, and I think the Mountaineers will need more time to gel things on the defensive end.
Pick: Go over