Bravo to the Gonzaga and Baylor basketball teams for a fantastic start to the collegiate basketball season.
On Monday, November 4, Gonzaga, ranked sixth, will play No. 8 Baylor in Spokane Arena in Washington. ESPN2 will broadcast the game, and the tip-off time is set for 10:30 p.m. ET.
The victor of tonight’s game will have an early highlight on their resume, and both teams have big expectations for the season. Late in the previous season, the Bulldogs emerged victorious and advanced to the Sweet 16. Baylor made it to the NCAA Tournament’s second round.
Between 5.5 and 6.5 points, Gonzaga is a clear favorite. Here are my top picks and predictions for the Baylor vs. Gonzaga game in the start of the NCAA basketball season.
Baylor vs. Gonzaga predictions and best bets
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Gonzaga -5.5:
-120 at FanDuel Sportsbook
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Graham Ike over 15.5 points
-110 at FanDuel
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Nolan Hickman over 1.5 made threes
-125 at BetMGM Sportsbook
With coach Mark Few leading Gonzaga for the last 25 seasons, the school has an amazing culture. That’s fantastic in and of itself, but the Bulldogs also have outstanding returning players and solid acquisitions via the transfer portal this season, which will help address some of the shortcomings from the previous campaign.
Gonzaga’s returning players, led by senior guards Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman, ought to see the majority of action this season, particularly against Baylor today. Anticipate a strong start from the Bulldogs.
Last season, Gonzaga’s ability to create shots was lacking. A select few used the transfer site to get guards Khalif Battle (Arkansas) and Michael Ajayi (Pepperdine), two capable players who ought to assist the Bulldogs right away.
Baylor also signed Norchad Omier (Miami) and Jeremy Roach (Duke), adding well-known names from the transfer portal. The Bears have the makings of a formidable club later in the season when you combine that pair with the standout rookie tandem of Rob Wright III and VJ Edgecombe.
You may anticipate that some kinks will need to be worked out because Monday’s game will be the first time those newcomers have played together. That is not Gonzaga’s issue. Tonight, the Bulldogs should be able to cover this point spread because of their strong chemistry.
Graham Ike, who led Gonzaga with 16.5 points per game the previous season, is one of the players fostering that camaraderie. Nine of the previous 12 games had the honorable mention Associated Press All-American score 20 points or more. The Bulldogs performed so brilliantly in the closing minutes, in large part because of Ike.
Anticipate that momentum to continue into Monday’s opening, when the home crowd and excitement will motivate all Bulldogs.
Since the Bears no longer have great rim protector Yves Missi, who was selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, Ike should also see more open shots around the basket than Baylor’s opponents did the previous season.
Senior guard Nolan Hickman is one of Gonzaga’s best at thrilling the home crowd. In the previous season, Hickman shot 41.3% from beyond the arc and led the team with 78 made 3-pointers. Including nine of the last ten games in which he attempted a 3-pointer, he made at least two 3-pointers in 24 of 35 games played last season.
Baylor vs. Gonzaga moneyline odds analysis
Why Gonzaga can win as the favorite
The best odds at bet365 Sportsbook are -245.
Gonzaga won’t require that transition period, but the majority of clubs in this transfer portal era will take the first part of the season to figure themselves out. Although two new players are anticipated to make significant contributions, they won’t be expected to lead the club tonight or ever.
Given the large number of returning veterans, Michael Ajayi and Khalif Battle will quickly find their place. They don’t need to be outstanding tonight against Baylor, but Gonzaga might easily defeat the Bears if they perform better than anticipated.
Why Baylor can win as the underdog
Caesars Sportsbook has the best odds at +205.
Although it seems safer to support the seasoned squad tonight, Gonzaga may run into issues if Baylor’s new players don’t need any time to adjust.
Throughout their careers, Roach and Omier have appeared in important games and been prolific scorers. The furious Gonzaga crowd will not scare them.
Wright was another highly sought-after high school senior, and Edgecombe is a possible one-and-done NBA Lottery choice. Baylor has the talent to be a fantastic team. The Bears can win this matchup if they can pull it off on the first night.
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