The Pepperdine Waves (7-8) travel to face off against the Gonzaga Bulldogs (9-4) on Thursday, January 4th. This game will be played at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane and televised on ROOT. Pepperdine is coming off a win in their previous game, while Gonzaga is looking to get back on track from a loss to the San Diego State. Tip-off is set for 9:00 ET.
Pepperdine Waves vs Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Pepperdine Waves Are Coming Off A Win
After defeating William & Mary by a score of 71-59, Pepperdine now has a 7-8 overall record. Over their past ten road games, which includes last year, Pepperdine went winless at 0-10. Pepperdine has a sub-.500 ATS record, currently sitting at 6-7. In their last ten games, Pepperdine has gone 2-2 vs. the spread.
In 15 games, Pepperdine comes in with an over/under mark of 5-7-1, with their games averaging 143.5 points per game. The Waves’ have recorded an over/under record of 0-2 in their last three games, with their games averaging 135 points per game.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Gonzaga, who currently holds a 9-4 overall record, will be playing their 14th game of the season. In their previous ten home games, which includes last year, Gonzaga has a 7-3 record. Prior to today’s game, Gonzaga’s ATS record is 4-8. When examining the team’s performance in their previous five games, their record vs. the spread is 0-5.
Looking at their over/under performance through 13 games, Gonzaga has an over/under record of 6-6-0, with their games averaging 149.6 points per game on average. The Bulldogs have seen their last five games conclude with a collective average of 147 points per game and an over/under record of 2-3.
Pepperdine Offense Breakdown
The Waves’ offense wrapped up their last game with 71 points, aligning closely with their current season average of 72.1 points per contest. In terms of offense, the Waves have a season-long field goal percentage of 45%, putting them 198th in the NCAA. Regarding three-pointers, they are ranked 138th in percentage and 276th in three-pointers made.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Ajayi (G) | 17.3 | 9.5 | 2.0 |
| Houston Mallette (G) | 16.5 | 3.7 | 2.5 |
| Malik Moore (G) | 9.2 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
Gonzaga Offense Breakdown
In their recent matchup, the Gonzaga offense ended with 74 points against San Diego State. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 42.4% and made 5 threes. Graham Ike led the scoring for the Bulldogs, contributing 20 points. Additionally, Anton Watson chipped in with 16 points.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Ike (F) | 14.5 | 8.0 | 1.0 |
| Anton Watson (F) | 14.2 | 7.5 | 2.5 |
| Nolan Hickman (G) | 12.2 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
Pepperdine Team Defense
The Waves’ defense is presently ranked 125th nationally, allowing an average of 70.2 points per contest. In their previous game vs. William & Mary, the Tribe finished with a field goal percentage of 40% and a total of 59 points vs. Pepperdine.
Gonzaga Team Defense
At present, the Bulldogs’ defense is nationally ranked 96th, allowing 68.4 points per game. Against San Diego State in their most recent game, the Gonzaga defense gave up a total of 84 points while allowing San Diego State to hit 42% of their shots.
Waves vs Bulldogs Trends
- In their last ten games away from home, the Waves have a straight up record of 0-10 while going 3-7 vs. the spread. The team averaged 71 points per game in this stretch.
- Although Gonzaga has a straight up record of 2-1 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 77 points per game in these games.
- In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Waves have a straight up record of 0-5 and an ATS mark of 0-5.
- In their last three contests as the favorite, Gonzaga has a poor record vs the spread going 0-3. But, they still put together a straight up mark of 2-1.
Waves vs Bulldogs Prediction
In this Bulldogs vs. Bulldogs matchup, our point-spread bet is on the Bulldogs at -20.5. While we project the Bulldogs to win 76-70, our recommendation is to bet on the Waves for the point-spread.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 153.5 and our model has the Waves and Bulldogs finishing with a combined 146 points. Our pick is to take the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:January 4, 2024 Gonzaga Bulldogs, Pepperdine Waves, Teams