NCAA Tournament Handicapping Preview & Pick: Midwest Region – Georgia vs. Gonzaga – Thursday, March 20, 2025

The ninth-seed Georgia Bulldogs (20-12) take on the eighth-seed Gonzaga Bulldogs (25-8) in the opening round of the tournament in the Midwest Region on Thursday, March 20 at 4:35 PM ET at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. Gonzaga is favored to win with a point spread at -5.5 (-120) at MyBookie.

Georgia Bulldogs Betting Preview

The Bulldogs had their four-game win streak snapped with a recent loss. This defeat was an 81-75 outing against the Oklahoma Sooners in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.

Georgia had moments of a brief lead several times in this game, but failed to keep it close towards the end before it was too late. Silas Demary Jr. led with 24 points while Asa Newell grabbed 17 rebounds.

They currently rank 127th in points per game at 75.6. As for defense, they rank 95th in holding opposing teams to 69.3 points each game. This is a slight difference in their winning margin, but still fairly close.

The Bulldogs are 35th overall in their strength of schedule plus their point differentials. On offense per 100 possessions, their efficiency ranks 113th while their defense at the same rate ranks 87th. This is a solid performance this season, but they have another tough test to see if these numbers will hold true.

Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Preview

The Bulldogs are 4-1 in their last five games and have won their last four. Their recent success was a 58-51 performance over the Saint Mary’s Gaels in the West Coast Conference Tournament Final.

Braden Huff led with 18 points on 50.0 percent shooting from the field. Gonzaga had a slim lead at the half and had a huge defensive performance in the second to push this game in their favor. They need to continue to find ways to win close games.

Offensively, the Bulldogs rank second in the nation for points per game at 86.6. On defense they rank 103rd for allowing 69.6 points per contest. This is a great spread, but it has been tight lately.

The Bulldogs are eighth overall when looking at strength of schedule and winning point differentials. Their efficiency on offense per 100 possessions ranks third and their defense at the same rate ranks 26th. In other words, Gonzaga typically takes care of the basketball on both ends of the floor.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie offers you appealing Georgia Bulldogs vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs betting odds that show Gonzaga as 5.5-point favorites. Market predictions suggest that Gonzaga has a 71.3 percent chance of winning.

Georgia is appealing here, but they fell flat in their opener of the SEC Tournament. As for Gonzaga, they have performed well in their last handful of games and are coming off a successful conference title. Look for Gonzaga to cover the spread.

Final Pick: Gonzaga Bulldogs -5.5 (-120)