NCAA March Madness: Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. TCU Horned Frogs betting preview, odds and predictions
In the 3 vs. 6 matchup in the West region of the NCAA Tournament, the Gonzaga Bulldogs take on the TCU Horned Frogs with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line. All tournament long, VSiN will be providing you with March Madness betting odds, in-depth team analysis and expert college basketball picks. Make us your one-stop shop for all of your betting needs.
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How to watch Gonzaga vs. TCU
When: Sunday, 9:40 p.m. ET
Where: Denver, Colorado
Watch: TBS
Odds for Gonzaga vs. TCU
Spread: Gonzaga -4.5
Total: 157.5
(Odds accurate as of Saturday, March 18th at 5:00 a.m. ET)
Real-time betting splits at DraftKings Sportsbook
West Region No. 3 Seed Gonzaga Bulldogs
Drew Timme has probably been the best big man in college basketball in each of the last two years, and Gonzaga is lucky to have him as somebody it can rely on in the paint. Timme scores efficiently on his own, as he has absurd touch around the basket. But he also does great work creating for his teammates, which is why everything runs through him. The Bulldogs also have an excellent wing in junior Julian Strawther, who had 28 points and 10 boards against the GCU Lopes in the first round. This Gonzaga team is suddenly looking very dangerous after whooping Saint Mary’s in the WCC Tournament final. And hanging 82 points on GCU last game only reinforced how good this team is offensively.
West Region No. 6 Seed TCU Horned Frogs
The Horned Frogs held their own in a grueling Big 12 this year. In Mike Miles Jr. and Damion Baugh, TCU has a very good backcourt and one that isn’t afraid in big moments. Miles is especially unflappable as a scorer, as he has no conscience and loves to step up and take big shots. The team also happens to have some toughness in the paint. However, the real calling card for the Horned Frogs is their defense. They’re one of the better defensive teams in college basketball and that will be needed against a potent Gonzaga offense. This group is also battle-tested after having won a very tight game against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first round.
Gonzaga vs. TCU matchup analysis
Gonzaga’s defense didn’t look great in a win over GCU in the first round, but the Zags were able to come away with an 82-70 win. Mark Few’s team is going to be very comfortable in games like that moving forward, as the Bulldogs are first in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency this year. They have the best offensive big man in the nation in Drew Timme, and they have good pieces around him. They should be able to score on anybody, but can they get stops? They should be able to in this matchup.
One of Gonzaga’s biggest weaknesses this year is that the team doesn’t guard the three-point line. The Zags are just 252nd in the nation in 3P% defense, but the Horned Frogs are one of the worst outside shooting teams in the nation. They hit just 30.6% of their 3s this year, which was 338th in the country. Unless they get uncharacteristically hot in this game, it’s hard to see TCU finding a way to compete here.
Also, while the Horned Frogs tend to create a lot of chaos by forcing turnovers, that might not be there against the Zags. Gonzaga takes great care of the basketball and rarely beats itself.
This is just a rough matchup for TCU, but that’s not to say the Horned Frogs can’t get this done. There’s a world in which Mike Miles Jr. gets hot and shoots TCU into the next round. He had 26 points in the win over Arizona State, and he is always a threat to steal a game for Jamie Dixon’s team.
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