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The fourth-seeded Connecticut Huskies will look to continue their improbable run to the Final Four when they clash with the third-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs in a 2023 NCAA Tournament West Region Elite Eight matchup on Saturday. The Huskies (28-8, 13-7 Big East), who are competing in their first Elite Eight in nine years, are looking to win their fifth national championship since 1999. The Bulldogs (31-5, 14-2 West Coast), who are competing in their sixth Elite Eight, are looking to reach the Final Four for the second time in three years. The Bulldogs have been national runner-up twice — 2017 and 2021.
Tipoff from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is set for 8:50 p.m. ET. UConn is allowing 64.7 points per game, while Gonzaga allows 73.1. The Huskies are 2.5-point favorites in the latest UConn vs. Gonzaga odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 153.5. Before locking in any Gonzaga vs. UConn picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the Sweet 16 round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament 83-54 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,500 for $100 players. It also went 4-1 on top-rated picks during the first week of March Madness. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Gonzaga vs. UConn and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UConn vs. Gonzaga:
- UConn vs. Gonzaga spread: UConn -2.5
- UConn vs. Gonzaga over/under: 153.5 points
- UConn vs. Gonzaga money line: UConn -150, Gonzaga +126
- UCONN: The Huskies are 8-1 against the spread in their last nine games overall
- GON: The over is 10-3 in the Bulldogs’ last 13 games overall
- UConn vs. Gonzaga picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Gonzaga can cover
Senior forward Anton Watson was a big reason the Bulldogs were able to rally past UCLA in Thursday’s Elite Eight win. He finished with eight points, nine rebounds and two assists. He has been solid this postseason. He scored nine points and grabbed 12 rebounds in an 84-81 second-round win over TCU. He also scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in an 82-70 victory over Grand Canyon in the first round. In 36 games, all starts, he is averaging 11.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.9 steals in 29.1 minutes of action.
Senior guard Rasir Bolton averages 10.5 points, 2.6 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game. He scored 17 points and dished out three assists in Sunday’s second-round win over TCU. He is connecting on 44.3% of his field goals, including 39.2% from 3-point range, and 78.8% from the free-throw line. Bolton has reached double-figure scoring in 19 games.
Why UConn can cover
Senior guard Tristen Newton is averaging 9.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 28.5 minutes per game. In 36 games, including 35 starts, the East Carolina transfer is coming off a six-point, six-rebound and seven-assist performance against Arkansas on Thursday. He had 13 points and five assists in the second-round win over Saint Mary’s. Newton has been solid from 3-point range, connecting on 36.9% of his shots from beyond the arc, and is hitting on 81% of his free-throw attempts.
Freshman forward Alex Karaban was red-hot in the win over the Razorbacks on Thursday, connecting on all of his field goals and free throws, scoring 11 points, while grabbing seven rebounds. In 36 games, including 35 starts, he is averaging 9.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 29 minutes. He is connecting on 47.2% of his field goals, including 40.9% from 3-point range, and 83.3% of his free throws. Karaban has reached double-digit scoring in 19 games, including a season-high 19 points in a 114-61 win over Long Island University on Dec. 10.
How to make Gonzaga vs. UConn picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 157 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UConn vs. Gonzaga? And which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
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