Gonzaga To Have More Bite In Battle Of Bulldogs

Thursday cranks up March Madness to the volume of 16. Now, that is correct. Wall-to-wall college basketball will be on television screens everywhere as 16 games take place. Georgia and Gonzaga face off in an East Region first round matchup. Bulldogs vs Bulldogs bets examine some betting options in what could be a contentious game from Wichita, Kansas.

• WHAT: Georgia Bulldogs versus Gonzaga Bulldogs 
• WHEN: Thursday, March 20th, 2025, 4:35 pm ET on TBS, MAX
• WHERE: INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
• WHY: Who wins this 8-9 game and more on late Thursday afternoon? 

Fans and pundits expect more games at OSB. We heard the message and the goal is to keep those previews coming. Yes, March Madness Betting Odds 2025 are moving around and causing debate. It is nice to say the action is near. The Bulldogs vs Bulldogs bets ponder some wagers for the Thursday afternoon First Round game.

Gonzaga vs Georgia By The Numbers

NCAAM Basketball First Round Game
Gonzaga (-5.5)	-110	-110	-110
Georgia	-110	-110	-110

Bulldogs vs Bulldogs Bets Are A Surprise

Bulldogs vs Bulldogs bets are a surprise. Was Gonzaga disrespected some here? Now, this depends on who you talk to. Gonzaga went 11-2 over their final 13 games and got revenge against Saint Mary's. Saint Mary's was the only team to beat them in that stretch. The fact that the Bulldogs did this while playing some stifling defense should scare Houston. Now, that is for a potential Round 2 matchup. Anyway, the WCC Conference Champions are a little under the radar.

Currently, this is one of those games that probably should leave some heads scratching. Georgia sneaked into the tournament winning four of its last five games. Their conference record is 8-10 and still these Bulldogs are a 9 seed. This is a team that lost to Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament. Now, that stumble mattered little and some experts are giving Georgia a chance here. Is it warranted?

Georgia did have a couple of signature home wins against Kentucky and Florida. Florida is one of the four top seeds in the tournament so that impressed the selection committee. Asa Newell and Silas Demary are main threats but the depth can be a little lacking. Does the lack of tournament experience here hurt?

Now, does Georgia find a way to stay in this or can Gonzaga run them out of the building?

Gonzaga Is The Team Here

Bulldogs vs Bulldogs bets assert Gonzaga is the team here to pick. This game levies less pressure on them because expectations are lower than previous years. Gonzaga probably has achieved more in the past 4-5 years without winning a National Championship. Some thought Saint Mary's would be the class of the WCC. Ultimately, Gonzaga prevailed when it counted most. Sometimes tournament play strikes a chord and the Bulldogs stymied their foe at their own game.

Gonzaga has a 70-75% chance of winning according to most predictive websites and models. ESPN and The Athletic, among others, weighed in on the matchup. Certainly, Gonzaga remains only a 5.5 point favorite when action starts but will this game fan out to 6 or 7 points or more come Thursday?

Anyhow, Mark Few still gets his teams to score bunches of points. Gonzaga ranked second in the NCAA in scoring average (86.6) and third in offensive rating (121.5). The Senior-laden class exudes leadership, depth, and a couple of potentially lethal weapons. Graham Ike and Ryan Nembhard have led the way but Khalif Battle is an underrated guard with some considerable perimeter upside.

Now, the best dynamic for Gonzaga is they come in with the expectation of playing more defensively. The Bulldogs executed a game plan in the WCC Tournament that may have only kept pundits off of their trail. Either way, Gonzaga has five, arguably six, players who can lead the team in scoring in any game. Name another team that can deliver there. Lay the points on Thursday against Georgia.

Gonzaga Bulldogs To cover the 5.5 points over Georgia Thursday

-110

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Bulldogs vs Bulldogs Bets Go Shopping A Little More

So, Bulldogs vs Bulldogs bets go shopping a little more. The two teams play about the same way and this is why the over could be in play. Opting for that over at 150.5 becomes a safer wager. The question becomes can Georgia keep up in a game where Gonzaga can gouge them inside and outside?

Okay, does that number move from 150.5 to say 151.5 or 152.5? Would anyone be surprised by that kind of movement? Honestly, no one should. These games features last minute movement and then there are the constant live betting shifts. Already, there are several indications this contest will move potentially as many as 2-4 points from the current game totals.

Are there other choices for us to consider? That Over 79.5 points for Gonzaga strolls in at EVEN on BetOnline. Among a few other wagers might be those popular Race To 10 and Race To 15 scenarios. The numbers there are better for Gonzaga than what the moneyline will be come Thursday afternoon.

This may be also a game where Ryan Nembhard passes the ball all afternoon and evening. Double digit assists are still +140 via Bovada. Now, while that Ike vs Newell matchup will be must see TV, there are better wagers to spotlight. The halftime for Gonzaga at -3.5 may not last either especially at -110. This inching up to 4 or 4.5 would not be a surprise. Again, riding the ups and downs is key. Pacing oneself helps too. Placing a small wager on Gonzaga to come out early and score enough to get to 80 is our bet here.

Gonzaga To score 80 or more points Thursday

EVEN

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