Gonzaga vs. TCU Odds, Lines and Picks for March 19th

March 17, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; TCU Horned Frogs guard Mike Miles Jr. (1) reacts after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports

• No. 3 Gonzaga and No. 6 Seed TCU Ant meet Sunday, March 19 in an NCAA West Regional game
• Gonzaga is a 4.5-point favorite over TCU at Ball Arena in Denver, CO
• Read Gonzaga vs TCU odds and predictions below

No. 3 seed Gonzaga (29-5) is a 4.5-point favorite over TCU in a second-round game of the NCAA Tournament West Regional in Denver at 9:40 p.m. ET on TBS at Ball Arena. The Bulldogs have won 10 straight.

TCU (22-12) overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half to defeat Arizona State 72-70 on JaKobe Coles’ floater by 1.5 seconds to win the opener. The Horned Frogs have won four of their last six.

Gonzaga vs TCU odds

Gonzaga is a 4.5-point favorite over TCU. The teams split their previous two games, the most recent in the Horned Frogs’ 90-87 win in Fort Worth on December 30, 1998, when Lee Nailon had 44 points and 14 rebounds. The Zags lost just two more regular season games that season and reached the Elite Eight as the 10th seed to begin their 24-year NCAA tournament run.

The Bulldogs are 13-19-1 ATS this season after failing to come out on top as a 15.5-point favorite in a first-round win over Grand Canyon. You are 3-7 ATS on a neutral floor. TCU is 16-17-1 ATS, 2-4 at a neutral site. Gonzaga is 19-14 towards the end; the horned frogs are 16-17-1.

FanDuel odds on March 18th. Claim the FanDuel promo code or any of the other March Madness betting promos.

Gonzaga and his unrelenting “O”

Gonzaga won his 14th straight NCAA tournament opener in much the same way as his season — a relatively slow start followed by a strong late-stage run. The Bulldogs trailed 11 points in the first half but used a 16-0 run in the second to break away from the Grand Canyon for an 82-70 win on Friday. Veterans Drew Timme, Julian Strawther and Anton Watson led the way. Timme, playing in his fourth straight NCAA tournament, landed right on his season average with 21 points and Strawther had a 28/10 double-double.

What. A block. 🚫

Drew Timme rises for the big rejection!#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/rl8jS3SSsc

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 18, 2023

Gonzaga entered the tournament with the nation’s most efficient offense, leading Division I in scoring (87 points per game) and throwing percentage per game (59.2), and they got those stats right against the Antelopes. The Bulldogs shot 53.6 percent from the field and made 7 of 15 three-pointers. Strawther hit three threes and Watson (14 points, 11 rebounds) hit two.

The Zags aren’t a particularly impressive team, but Timme, Strawther and Watson are averaging at least six rebounds per game. As usual for a Mark Few teenager, the Bulldogs make the extra pass — they average 16.5 assists per game, 14th in Division 1.

TCU survives, move on

The Horned Frogs have been here before. After beating Seton Hall in the first round last season, they faced No. 1 Arizona in the second round and the Wildcats clinched an 85-80 victory in overtime. Well, #3 seeds Gonzaga. TCU hasn’t had the same inner presence since 6’11-inch space-eater Eddie Lampkin (6.3 points, 5.9 rebounds) left the program ahead of the Big 12 tournament in a dispute with coach Jamie Dixon.

So far in this tournament there have been 3 game-winning FGs in the last 3 seconds:

Furman’s JP Pegues
Nick Boyd from FAU
TCU’s JaKobe Coles

That’s the most GW FG in the last 3 seconds of a single round since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. pic.twitter.com/KpLX1dlqQk

– ESPN Statistics and Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 18, 2023

This is Mike Miles Jr.’s team, and both the Horned Frogs and their opponents know it. Miles, a 6’1-inch slasher, had 26 points against Arizona State and is averaging 17.6 points per game. Guard Damion Baugh (12.5 points, 5.9 assists) and forward Emanuel Miller (12.3 points, 6.6 rebounds) are the other double digits. Chuck O’Bannon of the famous O’Bannon clan competed against ASU with 15 points and three three-pointers.

Mile, who missed five games earlier this season with a right knee injury, appeared to hyperextend his right knee after a 1:13 dunk in Friday’s first half, but bounced back in the second half, playing 37 minutes. TCU is 18-7 when he starts.

Gonzaga vs TCU Prediction

Gonzaga has made the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in each of the last eight tournaments, and a ninth place wouldn’t be far-fetched. With Lampkin gone, the TCU team lacks the presence on the inside to take on Timme and Watson. At the same time, Gonzaga lacks some of the speed and athleticism of his previous teams. The Zags have lost to both Big 12 teams they faced this season, Texas and Baylor, while TCU parted ways with Baylor and Texas in the regular season before losing to the Longhorns in the Big 12 tournament. ASU double-matched Miles at the tip of the key and got others to hit her; The Bulldogs are ranked 170th in defensive standings.

• Choice: TCU +4.5 (-110)
• Season CBK: 49-27 ATS

Predictions for the second round of March Madness:

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