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Baylor vs. Gonzaga predictions, picks and best bets: Will the Bulldogs pull it off?

Posted on by Josh L
Baylor vs. Gonzaga predictions, picks and best bets: Will the Bulldogs pull it off?

Kudos to the Baylor and Gonzaga basketball teams for getting off to a strong start to the collegiate season.

No. 6 Gonzaga will host No. 8 Baylor at Spokane Arena in Washington on Monday, Nov. 4. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

Both teams have high expectations this season and the winner of tonight’s game will have the best moment on their resume. The Bulldogs came out late last season and reached the Sweet 16. Baylor advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Gonzaga is a heavy favorite at 5.5 to 6.5 points. Here are my Baylor vs. Gonzaga predictions and the best bets to open the college basketball season.

Baylor vs Gonzaga predictions and best bets

Gonzaga has had an incredible culture with coach Mark Few over the past 25 seasons. That’s great in and of itself, but the Bulldogs also have elite returning players this season and strong additions from the transfer window to help address some of last season’s shortcomings.

Led by senior guards Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman, Gonzaga’s returning players should see the bulk of the minutes this season – especially tonight against Baylor. Expect the Bulldogs to hit the ground running.

One aspect that Gonzaga lacked last season was creating shots. Few visited the transfer portal to sign guards Michael Ajayi (Pepperdine) and Khalif Battle (Arkansas) for two strong players who should help the Bulldogs immediately.

Baylor also added big names from the transfer portal, signing Jeremy Roach (Duke) and Norchad Omir (Miami). Add that duo to the stellar freshman duo of VJ Edgecomb and Rob Wright III, and the Bears have all the makings of a dangerous team later in the season.

Monday’s game will be the first game together for these rookies, so you can expect some kinks to be worked out. Gonzaga has no such problem. The Bulldogs will have a big chemistry advantage tonight, which should help them cover that point spread.

One player who contributes to that chemistry is Graham Ike, who led Gonzaga with 16.5 points per game last season. The Associated Press All-American has scored 20 or more points in nine of his last 12 games. Ike was a big reason why the Bulldogs were playing so well at this stage.

Expect that momentum to carry over into Monday’s first game as the adrenaline and home crowd pump up all the Bulldogs.

Ike should also see more open looks than Baylor’s opponents last season now that the Bears are no longer without elite rim protector Yves Missy, who was selected in the first round of the NBA draft.

If there’s one Gonzaga player who can get the home crowd excited, it’s senior guard Nolan Hickman. Last season, Hickman led the team with 78 three-pointers while shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the arc. He made at least two three-pointers in 24 of 35 games last season, including nine of his last 10 three-pointers.

Baylor vs. Gonzaga moneyline odds analysis

Why Gonzaga can win as a favorite

Best odds: -245 at bet365

While most teams in this age of the transfer portal will use the start of the season to find themselves, Gonzaga won’t need that transition time. Of course, the two rookies are expected to be big contributors, but they aren’t expected to carry the team tonight — if ever.

With so many returning veterans, it won’t take long for Michael Ajayi and Khalifa Battle to figure out where they fit. They don’t have to be the stars tonight against Baylor, but if they come up better than expected, Gonzaga can play past the Bears.

Why Baylor can win as an underdog

Best odds: +205 at Caesars Sportsbook

It’s safer to back a veteran team these days, but if Baylor’s rookies don’t take time to shape up, that could spell trouble for Gonzaga.

Both Roach and Homer have been strong scorers throughout their careers, and they’ve been involved in big games. They won’t be intimidated by a hostile Gonzaga crowd.

Edgecombe is a potential single-digit NBA lottery pick, and Wright was another coveted high school prospect. Baylor has the talent to be a great team. If the Bears can put it all together on a No. 1 night, they can win this game.