Memphis vs Gonzaga Pick and Preview
Memphis Tigers (18-3) at Gonzaga Bulldogs (16-4) – Saturday, Feb. 7 - 9 p.m. Eastern - ESPN
Two teams that are rolling through their conferences, the Memphis Tigers and the Gonzaga Bulldogs, will step out of their leagues for a key non-conference game Saturday in Spokane, Wash.
Memphis, ranked 15th, is 7-0 in Conference USA, giving the Tigers a two-game lead over Central Florida and Tulsa. Before traveling to Spokane, Memphis will play at SMU Wednesday. Meanwhile, Gonzaga, ranked 18th, is 7-0 in the West Coast Conference. Gonzaga is one game ahead of second-place Portland, and the two WCC foes will play Thursday at Portland, Ore., on ESPN2 at 11 p.m. Eastern.
The Tigers have won the last three Memphis-Gonzaga games, played over the past three regular seasons.
Season Results - Gonzaga struggled through a rough stretch in late December, losing four of five games. Sandwiched around that stretch, Gonzaga won seven straight games to open the season, and the Bulldogs have won their last eight games heading into Thursday's trip to Portland.
Gonzaga's only loss at home this season was a 77-70 setback against Portland State in late December. The Bulldogs are 5-1 at home this season, but they've played no rated teams at home before Saturday's Memphis-Gonzaga showdown.
GET THE BEST LINES AT DIAMOND SPORTSBOOK TO PLACE A BET ON THE MEMPHIS/GONZAGA GAME Memphis, which is the defending national runner-up, had its tough stretch around Thanksgiving, as the Tigers lost three of five games, losing 63-58 against Xavier, 79-70 in overtime at Georgetown, and 72-65 against Syracuse. Memphis has won 12 straight games since the loss to Syracuse.
Both teams have played great defense lately. During its long win streak, Memphis has allowed 70 or more points only one time, but the Tigers still won that game by 33 points. Over its past seven games, all wins, Gonzaga has not allowed 70 or more points.
Memphis and Gonzaga have one common opponent this season. Memphis, as a 3-point underdog, won 54-52 at Tennessee Jan. 24. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, have beaten Tennessee twice. Gonzaga, as a 4-point underdog, won at Tennessee Jan. 7, 89-79 in overtime, and won as a 2-point favorite in a neutral-site game against Tennessee, 83-74, Nov. 30.
Point Spread Records - Gonzaga is 4-4 ATS over its past eight games, and the Bulldogs are 9-9 ATS this season. At home in January, Gonzaga was 5-0 outright, but only 2-3 ATS.
Heading into Wednesday's game at SMU, Memphis is 4-1 in true road games this season, with the only loss at Georgetown. The Tigers are 2-3 ATS in those five road games.
Entering this week, Memphis has won five straight games ATS and nine of its last 11 games ATS. As an underdog this season, the Tigers are 1-1 ATS, winning outright as a 3-point underdog at Tennessee and losing as a 6-point underdog at Georgetown.
In last season's Memphis-Gonzaga game, the Tigers won at home, 81-73, but they failed to cover the spread as a 13-point favorite. The Tigers also won outright but lost ATS in a 2007 Memphis-Gonzaga game in Spokane, 78-77 in overtime. Memphis was a 4.5-point favorite in that game.
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