The No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs (5-3) have lost two of their last three games, and are looking to get things turned around at home on Monday night against Kent State (6-2). Both of Kent State's losses this season came on the road, but one was a hard-fought five-point loss to No. 2 Houston. Monday's game will be the first meeting between the programs, but both finished at the top of their respective conferences regular season standings last year.
Tip-off from the McCarthey Athletic Center is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs are favored by 14 points in the latest Gonzaga vs. Kent State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, and the over/under is set at 152.5. Before entering any Kent State vs. Gonzaga picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated more than $1,400 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Gonzaga vs. Kent State. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for Gonzaga vs. Kent State:
- Gonzaga vs. Kent State spread: Gonzaga -14
- Gonzaga vs. Kent State over/under: 152.5 points
- Gonzaga vs. Kent State money line: Gonzaga -1100, Kent State +700
- Gonzaga vs. Kent State picks: See picks here
What you need to know about Gonzaga
The Bulldogs are just 1-3 against ranked opponents this season, and their latest loss came on Friday to No. 6 Baylor, 64-63. Guard Julian Strawther had a rough game, with just 10 points on 3-for-14 shooting in his 25 minutes on the court. Malachi Smith finished with the team-lead in scoring, and had 16 points with two steals in 27 minutes off the bench. Gonzaga struggled in part, because it hit just 27.3% of its 3-pointers.
The poor shooting performance from downtown was uncharacteristic, as the Bulldogs have hit 39.2% of their 3-pointers this season. Strawther has hit 42.5% of his threes, but Rasir Bolton has been Gonzaga's most consistently dangerous shooter from distance, and has drained 48.5% is his 4.1 attempts per game. Both will be looking for a sharper performance than they had against Baylor, but Kent State has held opponents to 33% from beyond the arc.
What you need to know about Kent State
Kent State didn't have too much trouble with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at home this past Friday, and won 83-68. Sincere Carry scored a team-high 23 points, and he is the team's top offensive producer, at 18.5 points per game. Cil'Ron Hornbeak had a strong game as well, and scored 11 points to go with ten rebounds in the win.
Gonzaga comes into the game boasting the 17th-highest field goal percentage in the country at 49.9%. Conversely, Kent State has held their opponents to 36.6%, which is likewise the 17th-best mark in college basketball. Defensively, KSU has done well to win back possession before opponents have even had the chance to shoot, and have swiped 11.4 steals per game, which is ninth-best in college basketball. Malique Jacobs has been the team's most prolific defender on that front, with four steals per appearance.
How to make Gonzaga vs. Kent State picks
The model has simulated Gonzaga vs. Kent State 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in almost 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
Who wins Gonzaga vs. Kent State? And which side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out!
