Long Beach State vs. Gonzaga prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball

11/20/2024 10:21 AM

It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Long Beach State-Gonzaga prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Long Beach State-Gonzaga.

The big game on Wednesday night in college basketball is Illinois versus Alabama, but the Gonzaga Bulldogs are another team you will want to pay attention to when you follow the college basketball slate. Gonzaga has been very impressive in the early stages of the season. The Bulldogs have assembled a very solid collection of wins, and they’re just getting started. Gonzaga, playing in the West Coast Conference, knows that in order to build a hefty resume which leads to a high NCAA Tournament seed, it has to play anyone and everyone in nonconference competition. The Zags need high-end nonconference wins to rise on the seed list.

So far, so great, for Mark Few’s team. Gonzaga not only beat Baylor, but did so by 38 points in a NET rankings super-booster. The Zags have followed that up with wins over a good Arizona State team and then Monday night’s road win at San Diego State. The Zags beat the Aztecs by 13 points on SDSU’s home floor, a very strong statement from a GU team which looks the part of a Final Four contender.

If you recall, last season was a very bumpy ride for Gonzaga. Graham Ike, the transfer from Wyoming, didn’t immediately fit in. It took awhile for him to get settled and comfortable in the Gonzaga rotation. In late January, Gonzaga’s NCAA Tournament positioning was uncertain. Only when GU beat Kentucky on the road did the season finally begin to turn in a positive direction for the Zags. They got into the NCAA Tournament and reached yet another Sweet 16 for Mark Few. Gonzaga has reached the Sweet 16 in each of the last nine NCAA Tournaments, one of the more underappreciated amazing feats in modern-era college basketball. Given the way Gonzaga is playing right now, it’s foolish to think this Gonzaga team won’t at least make the Sweet 16. Frankly, this team looks like Final Four material. Few hopes his players can continue on the right path and build more wins to create a No. 1 seed-level portfolio heading into March Madness 2025.

Here are the Long Beach State-Gonzaga College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel 

College Basketball Odds: Long Beach State-Gonzaga Odds

Long Beach State: +33.5 (-110)

Moneyline: N/A

Gonzaga: -33.5 (-110)

Moneyline: N/A

Over: 151.5 (-114)

Under: 151.5 (-106)

How to Watch Long Beach State vs. Gonzaga

Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT

TV: ESPN Plus

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why Long Beach State Will Cover The Spread/Win

The spread is a massive 33.5 points. Long Beach State might not be a particularly good team, but we have a situation here in which Gonzaga just did play a tough, emotional road game against a prominent opponent, San Diego State, on Monday night. Gonzaga had one day off in which it traveled home. Now the Zags come right back onto the court. Gonzaga is an excellent team. There’s no debate the Zags are miles better than Long Beach. However, the short turnaround and lack of rest should translate into a moderately sluggish GU performance in which Long Beach is able to cover the huge spread.

Why Gonzaga Will Cover The Spread/Win

Gonzaga is so good and so deep at various positions that the lack of rest won’t matter. GU can pick its matchup and rotate players so that they don’t get too exhausted. GU can and will bully Long Beach for 40 minutes, and that will result in a 40-point win.

Final Long Beach State-Gonzaga Prediction & Pick

We definitely think the fatigue factor could keep the spread under 33.5 points, but Gonzaga is so good that it might not matter. We are leaning to Long Beach, but if Gonzaga gets out to a quick 10-2 lead, you might be able to grab Long Beach at plus-38.5 points. This is a game in which you’ll want to watch the first eight to 10 minutes and see where everything stands. Maybe you can make a play then, or you could just pass.

Final Long Beach State-Gonzaga Prediction & Pick: Long Beach State +33.5

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