Who is the true West Coast powerhouse?
No. 1 Gonzaga meets No. 11 UCLA in the final four national semifinals on Saturday. Tip off is scheduled at around 8:34 pm at Lucas Oil Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CBS.
Gonzaga (30-0) is back in the Final Four for the second time under coach Mark Few after an 85–66 win over No. 6 USC in the West Region final. The Bulldogs are on pace to be the first undefeated team since Indiana in 1975–76, and have won four tournament games at an average of 24 points per game.
UCLA (22-9) has won a Division I-Best 11 national championship, and Brooks is back in the Final Four for the first time since 2008. Coach Mick Cronin has led an impressive run from the First Four, capped by a 51–49 win against No. 1 Michigan in the East Region finals.
Here’s everything you need to know about betting on Gonzaga vs. UCLA in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, including updated odds, trends and our prediction for the final four games.
More Points: Live Score | Updated bracket | TV schedule
Gonzaga vs UCLA Odds
- Spread: Gonzaga-14
- over under: Is 145.5
- money Line: Gonzaga-1100, UCLA +700
Three betting trends to watch
– The Bulldogs have been favorites in every game and are 15-12-2 ATS this season. Gonzaga has covered four of his last five matches.
– UCLA is 6-3 against the spread as an underdog, and they are 5-4 straight in that position.
– UCLA and Gonzaga have met five times – all since 1999 – and the Bruins have a 3–2 advantage in the series. UCLA won the final meeting 71–66 on 12, 2015.
Last four histories
Gonzaga cashed in on his fifth Elite Eight appearance since 1999 with his second last four appearances in school history. The Bulldogs were national runners-up in 2017 against North Carolina. Gonzaga is still in search of his first national championship. UCLA has 19 Final Four appearances, the second-most in Division I history. The Bruins won their last national championship in 1995.
Gonzaga Key Players
Gonzaga continues to roll with his all-American trio with Corey Kispert (19.0 ppg.), Drew Taimi (18.9 ppg.) And Jalan Suggs (13.9 ppg.). Timm has emerged as the leading scorer throughout the tournament, and his 6-10 sophistication has improved his NBA stock through the tournament. Joel Ayayi (11.9 ppg.) And Andrew Nembard (9.2 ppg.) Knocked out the Bulldogs by five rounds to start.
MORE: How UCLA’s Final Four Runs Compare to Previous Cinderellas
UCLA Key Players
Johnny Jujang, a Kentucky transfer, saved UCLA’s season with 28 points in the Elite Eight matchup against Michigan. He averages 22.4 ppg. In the tournament. The Bruins have four other players who average double figures in Jaime Jacques (12.4 ppp.), Jules Bernard (10.7 ppp.), Tiger Campbell (10.2 ppp.) And Cody Riley (10.0 pphp). The Bruins are not very large in size, and Gonzaga tried to exploit them.
Best Individual Matchup: Sougs vs Jujang
Xujang remains a dynamic scorer, and is a high-volume shooter with 15 or more shots in every tournament game. The Suggs take less than 10 shots per game in the tournament, and have been praised for Kispert and Timey in the last four games. He has provided 4.8 assists per game. Suge can be more vocal in this game than the drive to match that score. They may not protect each other very much, but it is still an in-game trend to watch.
More: What is the lowest seed to make the last four?
To know Gonzaga vs. UCLA State
The last two teams to attempt the right season in the final four were UNLV (1990–91) and Kentucky (2014–15). They were defeated by Duke and Wisconsin respectively. The Blue Devils were the No. 6 seed and the Badgers were the No. 3 seed. A UCLA upset would be the biggest in Final Four history, which seems odd, and they would have to force turnovers to do it. Bruce is 10–1 when the force rises to 13 or more, and Michigan scores 14 in the Elite Eight matchups. Bad news? Gonzaga has made several changes in 14 games, and has not suffered a loss.
Find out… Tiger Campbell
Campbell is a high-energy point guard for the Bruins, and he faces a challenge against Gonzaga’s loaded backcourt. UCLA is 9-1 when Campbell has six assists or more, and he scored 12 points in wins in the last two rounds against Alabama and Michigan. If the Bruins pull a shocker it will be an important piece.
Gonzaga vs. UCLA Prediction
Gonzaga has scored at least 83 points in each of his tournament games, and he pushes opponents with that up-tempo game. UCLA can only slow down that tempo so much, so there will be 3 minutes of hot shooting to give Juzang and the supporting cast a chance. Gonzaga looks for Timm to finish the offense as quickly as possible, and will capture Kisper and Sugg in the second half. UCLA will not be blown out, but the Bulldogs will hold that double-digit pillow to the end.
final score: Gonzaga 84, UCLA 70
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