The Gonzaga Bulldogs will look to keep away from an upset from the 12-seed McNeese State Cowboys of their 2024 NCAA Event first-round matchup in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah.
The Zags (25-7, 14-2 WCC) are showing of their Twenty fifth-straight NCAA Event, the third-longest energetic streak behind Kansas (34) and Michigan State (26). Mark Few has received 14 consecutive first-round video games and has superior to the Candy 16 in eight straight postseasons. No workforce has received extra NCAA Event video games since 2017 (20).
Gonzaga has received 9 of its final 10 video games with its solely loss coming to Saint Mary’s within the West Coast Convention Event championship recreation. Since Feb. 4, it has ranked No. 1 within the nation in efficient subject objective share within the nation, No. 3 in offensive effectivity and No. 4 in 2-point subject objective share. The Bulldogs have the sixth-lowest turnover within the nation over their final 10 video games as properly.
The Cowboys (30-3 17-1 Southland) experience an 11-game profitable streak into the primary spherical, the third-longest streak within the nation, and can seem in this system’s first NCAA Event since 2002. In Will Wade’s first season as head coach, McNeese State set a program file for complete wins and tied its personal greatest for convention wins in a season. Solely UConn, Houston and James Madison have 30 or extra wins heading into the postseason.
McNeese State boasts the most effective scoring margin (18.9) within the nation and is eighth in 3-point subject objective share (38.8%). Per hoop-math.com, it makes an attempt the Tenth-most pictures on the rim in school basketball. The Cowboys are additionally third in subject objective share protection (38.5%), steals (10.4) and turnover margin (6.7).
Wade’s workforce solely performed two top-100 NET groups all season and only one Quad 1 recreation (VCU within the season opener). The Southland Convention ranks twenty eighth out of 33 Division-I conferences per KenPom. The Cowboys beat only one workforce that made the NCAA Event (UAB).
In line with Fox Sports activities, Gonzaga is 17-10 ATS when taking part in as a 5-seed or worse within the NCAA Event. Double-digit seeds have coated 49.7% of the time within the Spherical of 64 since 1985, whereas underdogs have coated 50.9% of the time all-time within the first spherical. A 12-seed has received 53 first-round video games because the subject expanded in 1985.
This season, Gonzaga is 14-15 in opposition to the unfold and 3-4 ATS on impartial web site flooring. McNeese State is 15-11-1 ATS and has coated in 4 of its 5 video games as underdogs.
Gonzaga vs. McNeese State Betting Odds
Try the newest betting odds for this matchup per SI Sportsbook.
Cash Line: Gonzaga (-333)
Unfold: Gonzaga -7.5 (-105)
Over/Underneath: 149.5 (-118)