Kentucky vs. Gonzaga: Picks, Predictions and Odds

Gonzaga heads four hours west from Spokane to Climate Pledge Arena, where it hosts fourth-ranked Kentucky in the 15th annual Battle in Seattle on Saturday at 10 PM on ESPN 2.

Both teams sport 7-1 records coming in, and each team has five players currently averaging in double figures.

Gonzaga is playing its first game since returning from the Bahamas, where it finished in fifth place. The Bulldogs dropped an 86-78 overtime decision to West Virginia in their opening matchup, before coming back with an 89-73 victory over then-No. 14 Indiana and a 90-65 shellacking of Davidson.

Kentucky opened the season with seven straight wins under new coach Mark Pope wins before falling at Clemson, 70-66, earlier this week. This is the third straight year the two schools have played each other, with Gonzaga winning the first two contests.

Below, our experts make their predictions on this exciting Top-10 contest in the Pacific Northwest.  

Kentucky vs. Gonzaga betting picks and predictions

Gonzaga -6.5 (-110)

The Zags opened the season with authority, pounding then-No. 8 Baylor by 38 points in a 101-63 victory. As usual, Mark Few has blended veterans with talented freshmen and a few key transfers to keep the team in its customary Top-10 perch.

Five players are averaging between 10-and-13 points, led by veteran Graham Ike with 13.8 points, to go with 6.5 rebounds a game. He had 18 and 10 the last time out in the blowout of Davidson. 

The Bulldogs are getting the job done protecting the ball and at the charity stripe. Gonzaga is second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.12-to-1), helped in part by Ryan Nembhard, who leads the country with 10.8 assists a game and is second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 6.14-to-1.

Nembhard is averaging 10.6 points a game as well, while Khalif Battle is second to Ike with 13.5 points a contest. Battle is also shooting 100% (28-for-28) from the free throw line so far this season. Gonzaga is third in the nation in free throw percentage as a team, shooting 82.4% and is averaging more than 90 points a game.

The Wildcats are even more prolific, averaging nearly 93 points a game, good for second in the nation. They lead the country in fastbreak points (21.1) and sit third in the country in rebounds (44.8) per game.

Otega Oweh (Oklahoma) leads a transfer-laden lineup for Pope and the Wildcats, averaging 16 points a game. Similar to the Bulldogs, Kentucky has several players close to each other in scoring average. Lamont Butler is going for 12.9 a game, followed close behind by Kobe Brea with 12.8 per contest. Jaxson Robinson (12 ppg), Andrew Carr (10 ppg), and Amari Williams (9.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg) give Kentucky talent and depth around the court.

In the loss at Clemson on Tuesday, the Wildcats were held to a season-low 66 points. Gonzaga won at Kentucky last season, 89-85. Ike had 23 points to pace the Bulldogs with Nembhard adding nine assists.

Gonzaga is 6-2 against the spread this season, including 3-1 ATS on a neutral court, although this might as well be a home game for them. Few’s squads have dropped their last three games against Top-5 squads. Kentucky, meanwhile, is 4-4 ATS on the season.

This event hasn’t taken place the last couple years, so local fans in Seattle should be primed to push the dominant team from the eastern part of the state over the hump. Look for the Bulldogs to win and cover the 6.5-point spread.    

Total Over 167.0 points (-110)

Both teams love filling the bucket. Kentucky has played to the over 10 times in its last 15 games, including 5-of-8 this season, while Gonzaga has played to the over six times in eight games this year. 

Our experts see this elite matchup going up-tempo throughout the game. With shooters up and down the lineups, the somewhat neutral setting, and the fast pace that will be the norm throughout the game, look for Kentucky and Gonzaga to combine to total more than 167 points. 

Read more betting picks and predictions for College Basketball on site.

Kentucky vs. Gonzaga odds

Kentucky	+220 ML
Gonzaga	-270 ML
Spread	Gonzaga -6.5
Total Points	O/U 167.0

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.