NCAAB: GONZAGA LOOKS TO REBOUND
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are riding a three-game losing streak as they head to a tough Tennessee Volunteers team tonight.
Sportsbook.com has Tennessee as 3 ½-point favorites. ESPN2 will broadcast starting at 9 pm ET.
Gonzaga has an 8-4 record (5-5 ATS), but that’s disappointing since they won their first seven games, including beating Tennessee in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando.
A loss to Arizona on December 14th was a bit of a surprise, but not alarming. What seemed to have shaken this team was an 88-83 loss to Connecticut in overtime. Gonzaga had a significant lead with less than 10 minutes to play and couldn’t put the Huskies away.
The disappointment of losing such a game is natural, but not enough to lose at home to Portland State, which they did 77-70. This was followed by a trip to Utah, where they shot just 35.5% and lost 66-65 to the Utes.
That was the first game that showed a team with a confidence crisis, as their two top scorers, Josh Heytvelt and Austin Daye, have converted less than 33% of their shot attempts in recent games.
Point guard Jeremy Pargo had to be benched with a poor attitude according to coach Mark Few. One of the staples of Gonzaga basketball is rebounding, but they’ve been out-rebounded in the last three losses by an average of eight per game.
Maybe playing a familiar opponent will help the Gonzaga players or playing a style they are more accustomed to, as the Bulldogs are 12-2 ATS versus up-tempo teams like Tennessee, averaging 62 or more shots a game.
Tennessee (9-3, 5-3-2 ATS) is aware of the pratfalls of facing a wounded opponent, but still like their chances.
Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl can relate to Gonzaga’s plight, since his squad has not shown the mental toughness necessary in its three losses.
Pearl knows the distinction of playing at home or away. “The home crowd is not going to defend for us. It’s not going to make shots for us. It’s not going to show discipline at both ends of the floor. But it certainly can help,” he said.
“I know that on Wednesday night we are going to have a great home-court advantage because this basketball team needs it.” Sports bettors can only salivate thinking about the coach’s comments knowing the Volunteers are 6-0 ATS in home games after scoring 85 points or more. They are also 12-3 ATS as a home favorite or pick since last season.
This will be a tough assignment for Gonzaga, who could turn their season around with an upset or fall further down and be stuck at 1-5 ATS off a spread loss.
