San Francisco vs Gonzaga WCC Tournament Semifinal Prediction & Best Bets: Will the Bulldogs Bulldoze the Dons to Advance?

In 1998, the fifth-seeded San Francisco Dons upset top-seeded Gonzaga to win their most recent West Coast Conference title.

Starting with that 1998 loss, Gonzaga has been a fixture in the championship game. The Bulldogs have made the championship game 26 consecutive times and racked up 21 titles, including the last four in a row and 10 of the last 11.

The Dons, meanwhile, have not played for the conference’s automatic bid since then. To break that drought, they will have to break a 29-game losing streak to the Bulldogs tonight.

San Francisco vs Gonzaga Game Information

• Matchup: #3 San Francisco Dons (23-9 SU, 18-13 ATS, 15-15-1 O/U) vs #2 Gonzaga Bulldogs (24-6 SU, 14-15 ATS, 14-15 O/U)
• Location: Paradise, Nevada (Orleans Arena)
• Date: Monday, March 11, 2024
• Time: 11:30 pm ET (9:30 pm local time)
• Broadcast: ESPN2

San Francisco’s last win over Gonzaga was on February 18, 2012, a 66-65 win at the Sobrato Center in San Francisco.

Since that win, the Dons have kept it within single digits against the Bulldogs just seven times in 29 meetings, which highlights just how dominant Gonzaga has been against even the better programs in the West Coast Conference.

However, one of those seven times came earlier this season, when the Bulldogs were pushed until the end in a 77-72 win in Spokane. Can the Dons channel that effort to challenge the Bulldogs at Orleans Arena? Read on for our prediction and best bets for this matchup.

San Francisco vs Gonzaga Odds

Odds are via BetOnline, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on today’s NCAA basketball action.

Spread

• San Francisco +9 (-110)
• Gonzaga -9 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 149.5 (-110)
• Under 149.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• San Francisco +365
• Gonzaga -455

Looking for more men’s college hoops picks for tonight’s schedule? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for all of today’s top games.

San Francisco vs Gonzaga Prediction and Best Bets

San Francisco vs Gonzaga Betting Analysis and Prediction

Last season, San Francisco was 6-10 SU and 8-8 ATS as an underdog, picking up outright wins at Fresno State (+1.5), versus Wichita State on a neutral court (+1), at UNLV (+6.5), versus Arizona State at home (+3), at Loyola Marymount (+2), and versus Santa Clara in the WCC tournament quarterfinals (+3.5).

This season, they have yet to register an outright win as an underdog in eight attempts, though they are still batting .500 when it comes to covering the spread.

That includes covering as a 9.5-point underdog in their loss in Spokane, which does provide a positive piece of information for bettors.

In fact, the Dons have covered all three previous times this season when they have been an underdog of seven or more points. They covered as a seven-point underdog in a five-point loss at Boise State on November 12, in the loss to Gonzaga in Spokane, and as a 7.5-point underdog in a 70-66 loss at Saint Mary’s on February 20.

They might be catching Gonzaga at the wrong time, however. Since losing at home to Saint Mary’s on February 3, the Bulldogs are 8-0 SU and 5-3 ATS. That includes an 86-68 win over USF at the Chase Center on February 29, when the Bulldogs covered as a four-point favorite. All seven conference wins during that stretch were by at least 13 points, and Gonzaga scored 86 or more points against everyone except for Saint Mary’s (a 70-57 win in Moraga to end the regular season nine days ago).

I think the Bulldogs will continue their hot streak tonight, but if the Dons treat Orleans Arena like they did Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga’s home courts, they can make things interesting.

Prediction: Gonzaga to win and cover

San Francisco vs Gonzaga Best Bets

Gonzaga -9 & Graham Ike over 20.5 points (-104 at BetOnline)

A big part of Gonzaga’s late-season surge has been Ike (16.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG this season), who has scored 20+ points in seven consecutive games. In the recent win over San Francisco, the Wyoming transfer tied a season high with 26 points in just 28 minutes.

Other NCAA Basketball Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on NCAA Basketball?

Throughout the college basketball season, you can find NCAA basketball odds at the top online sports betting sites. That includes prominent names like BetDSI, BetOnline, BetUS, and Bovada.

Along with game odds, many sportsbooks offer men’s and women’s March Madness futures odds, Final Four odds, Wooden Award odds, and more.

If you are unfamiliar with any of these sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Our reviews analyze available betting options, deposit and payout options, mobile and live betting, and the sportsbook sign-up bonuses and other promos offered.

• BetDSI Sportsbook Review
• BetOnline Sportsbook Review
• BetUS Sportsbook Review
• Bovada Sportsbook Review
• MyBookie Sportsbook Review

Interested in Learning More About Betting on NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on the action from the Mountain West to the MAAC and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Also, check out our March Madness guide, and learn valuable March Madness betting tips, where you can find the best March Madness bracket challenges, who the Final Four favorites are, and much more.

• March Madness Guide

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Where will Gonzaga be seeded in the tournament field for the $200,000 Bracket Madness contest at BetOnline? Selection Sunday and the start of the contest aren’t until Sunday, March 17, but the contest is now open for entry fees. In the meantime, you can take advantage of their 100% cryptocurrency welcome bonus and build your bankroll for March Madness.