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Sometimes you want to make a quick pitstop, empty the bladder, grab a bag of salty snacks and limber up the limbs before hitting the open road again. For the fast-minded who enjoy simple $2 scratchers hoping to uncover the jackpot-winning image, here are quick thoughts and the lean on Gonzaga vs. UCLA at Intuit Dome.
No. 14 Gonzaga (9-3) vs. No. 22 UCLA (10-2)
Date: Saturday, December 28
Site: Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
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The pick — UCLA +4.5 vs. Gonzaga (-110, BetMGM)
Before the midnight debauchery ensues, smooches on loved ones are placed and the calendar flips to 2025, one more high-level college hoops throw-down is absolutely necessary.
Gonzaga vs. UCLA at the lavish Intuit Dome is one heck of a way to close out 2024.
Both schools are rich with basketball tradition. Both have lofty expectations. And both are aiming to add another bright and shiny Quadrant 1 victory to the resume.
Stock up on the champagne, gamers. This one is sure to be a brimming glass of bubbly packed with all kinds of buzz.
Mark Few’s Bulldogs never back down from fights against high-major opponents. They, as usual, have engaged in a pre-conference gauntlet.
The ‘Zags grabbed key victories against Baylor, Arizona State, San Diego State and Indiana, but they fell short in other bids against West Virginia, Kentucky and UConn. In those downfalls, they steadfastly competed, coming up short in either overtime or the waning moments of regulation.
This season’s Gonzaga relishes playing at a speedy pace. Rarely committing mistakes and always willing to make the extra pass, the Bulldogs are among the nation’s best in assists-to-field goals made. Postmen Graham Ike and Ben Huff consistently deliver buckets at or around the tin, and they’re a major reason why the ‘Zags are ranked No. 3 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and are shooting over 57% on 2-pointers.
Mark Few’s crew is also deadly from 3-point range. With Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman and Dusty Stromer shooting a combined 43.7% on 3s (55 of 126), Gonzaga can really pile up the points.
Also, the Bulldogs, which are 42nd in effective field-goal percentage defense, can successfully challenge shots, especially along the perimeter (No. 2 in 3PT% defense).
Similar to its fervid and dapper-dressed head coach Mick Cronin, the Bruins are a terrific mixture of fire and finesse. The representatives from Westwood are deep, offensively balanced (54.5 2PT%, 34.8 3PT%) and tenacious defensively (0.914 points per possession allowed). In fact, no school has forced more turnovers than UCLA, which has triggered a miscue on 26.9% of opponent possessions. Tyler Bilodeau, Eric Dailey Jr. and Dylan Andrews are a handful on both ends.
Last Saturday, the Bruins dropped a heartbreaker at Madison Square Garden — a 76-74 loss against a desperate North Carolina club. During the holiday break, the bitterness of that got-away game likely stewed.
Saturday’s matchup in Inglewood will be decided by two factors: 1) tempo and 2) turnovers. If UCLA keeps the game in the half court and its pressure lays chin-displacing punches, victory will be achieved. However, if Gonzaga pushes the pace and prevents the Bruins defense to consistently set, it will secure the victory in SoCal.
No doubt, this will be a hard-fought tussle of West Coast titans. The Bruins are capable of playing a higher possession game, as witnessed against UNC. In what should be a fairly fast affair, backing UCLA plus the points feels right.
Get mean, Mick.
Season record: 11-7, +3.99 units
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