San Francisco vs. Gonzaga
Orleans Arena – Las Vegas NV
9:00 PM ET
Gonzaga -15.0

The last time the nation’s number one team was on the court, Gonzaga lost by ten points to St. Mary’s. That was nine days ago, as Gonzaga has had more than a week to stew, rest and get ready for their West Coast Conference tournament opener.

San Francisco has the unenviable task of catching the Bulldogs tonight. The Dons beat BYU in the WCC quarterfinals, setting up tonight’s semifinal matchup in the desert.

Gonzaga averages 88.3 points per game, while giving up just 65.0. That’s a +23.3 margin, which bodes well against San Francisco. Yes, the 15-point spread is a big number, but not that outside the norm for the Bulldogs.

The Dons are also worried about Yauhen Massalski’s availability. Their leading rebounder (9.4 per game) might be out tonight, which would make a tall order even more daunting.

A victory by Gonzaga sets up a likely rematch with St. Mary’s, as the WCC’s quirky bracket all but dictates. That’s something the Bulldogs have been waiting for since last Saturday’s demoralizing loss. Look for them to take care of business tonight and set up the game everyone, including the conference, wants next.

Hoops Harlen’s pick:

GON -15.0