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Who's ready for some more March Madness action on this Friday? In this edition of NCAA Tournament hoops, the 14-seed Grand Canyon Antelopes will be making their second appearance in three seasons as they take on the heavyweight Gonzaga Bulldogs. Let's check out our March Madness odds series where our Grand Canyon-Gonzaga prediction and pick will be unveiled for all bettors to see.
Coming into play as the WAC Champions after defeating Southern Utah in Las Vegas, the Lopes overcame a devastating knee injury to starting point guard Jovan Blacksher earlier in the year and have come together nicely as a team down the stretch en route to six consecutive wins.
As for Gonzaga, the Bulldogs have been a consistently impressive team come March for more than a decade now, but they still have not been able to grasp that illustrious National Championship that the school has so desperately wanted to hoist. Nevertheless, head coach Mark Few's squad should be ready for action on Friday evening after taking home the WCC title in impressive fashion.
Here are the Grand Canyon-Gonzaga March Madness odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
March Madness Odds: Grand Canyon-Gonzaga Odds
Grand Canyon: +15.5 (-115)
Gonzaga: -15.5 (-105)
Over: 146.5 (-105)
Under: 146.5 (-115)
How To Watch Grand Canyon vs. Gonzaga
TV: truTV
Stream: March Madness Live App
Time: 7:35 ET/4:35 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Grand Canyon Could Cover The Spread
Article Continues Below
While a glance upon this matchup taking place in the Mile High City suggests that the Lopes don't have much of a chance in this one, the least they could do is give Gonzaga all they can handle en route to a covering of the spread. On paper, GCU enters Friday's action with a 14-18 record ATS, but they are certainly one of those teams that have gotten scalding hot at the most opportunistic of times.
First things first, Grand Canyon does what they do best and that is to sink teams with the three-ball while also playing through the WAC Tournament MVP in Rayshon Harrison. The transfer from Presbyterian, Harrison is a do-it-all guard that can beat defenders on the dribble drive while also stepping back and hitting a three-point dagger in your face. If Harrison can have another 30-point performance as he did versus Southern Utah last time out, then GCU will be in phenomenal shape.
While GCU doesn't possess the sheer size down low to overwhelm an opponent, keep your eyes peeled on forward Gabe McGlothan and his stretch wing ability to create trouble in the paint while also keeping the Zags' defense on their heels with his above-average jump shot.
If all else fails, the magic of head coach Bryce Drew should hopefully ignite a spark for this Cinderella-worthy crew. Remember, it was Drew who owns one of the more magical March Madness when he hit a game-winning three a time expired in Valparaiso's upset win back in 1997 as a 13-seed over Ole Miss.
Why Gonzaga Could Cover The Spread
Good luck keeping up with Gonzaga's up-tempo and high-octane offense, as the Bulldogs own the number-one scoring offense in the entire nation. While the ‘Zags lost a good amount of offensive production over the last couple of seasons, the Bulldogs still have the dominant center in Drew Timme that has had his fair share of experience when it comes to the Big Dance. As a whole, the future NBA hooper will hands down be the best player on the floor on either side as the senior is averaging an impressive 20.9 points per game.
Despite the fact that Gonzaga has to cover a large line which is currently set at +15.5, the Bulldogs are also extremely battle-tested with spectacular wins over Alabama, Saint Mary's twice, Michigan State, Kentucky, and even Xavier. Without a doubt, these Dawgs should be ready for whatever haymakers are thrown their way by the Antelopes.
Another area where Gonzaga can do some hefty damage happens to be on the boards, as they hold a considerable height advantage over GCU in the paint. Even if the offense isn't hitting shots they normally hit, Gonzaga should be more than confident that they can play bully ball down low by out-hustling the Lopes and gaining stellar position when shots go up on both ends of the floor.
Final Grand Canyon-Gonzaga Prediction & Pick
There is a reason why the NCAA Tournament is coined “March Madness”, and even though Grand Canyon might not have enough firepower to withstand Gonzaga, they should keep this one closer than advertised on their way to covering the spread.
Final Grand Canyon-Gonzaga Prediction & Pick: Grand Canyon +15.5 (-115)
