Gonzaga Bulldogs vs Pepperdine Waves Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Gonzaga vs Pepperdine NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Malibu.

Gonzaga vs Pepperdine Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Bulldogs versus the Waves? Tip off is at at 10:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, CA. Gonzaga is favored by -21.5 in this West Coast conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 158.5 points.

Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Gonzaga Bulldogs at Pepperdine Waves
Where: Malibu at Firestone Fieldhouse
Date: Monday, December 30th
Betting Odds GNZG -21.5, GNZG -4750 | PEPP +1458 O/U 158.5

Bulldogs Preview: Will Gonzaga Live Up to Expectations on the Road?

Gonzaga Bulldogs Recent Game

Gonzaga’s season record dropped to 9-4 after a 65-62 home loss to UCLA on Saturday. The Bulldogs, who were -4.5 point favorites, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread.

Gonzaga trailed 27-25 at halftime and couldn’t turn things around in the second half, as they were outscored 38-37 by the Bruins. The game’s total points of 127 fell well below the O/U line of 148.5.

Bulldogs Offense Breakdown

Gonzaga put up 62 points in their last game, shooting 45.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 50.9%. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 29.2% of their threes (7/24), while connecting on 58.1% of their two-point attempts (18/31).

Graham Ike led the way with 24 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 68.8% from the field. Eric Dailey Jr. added 18 points, hitting 4 of 5 threes, and Ryan Nembhard contributed 16 points and 8 assists. Skyy Clark also chipped in 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

Bulldogs Team Defense

Gonzaga's defense gave up 65 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 45% from the field. The Bulldogs allowed 18 two-point field goals on 31 attempts, a 58% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Gonzaga's defense held their opponent to 7 made threes on 24 attempts, a 29% success rate. The opposing team also shot 62% from the free-throw line, making 5 of 8 attempts. Gonzaga allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Waves Preview: Will Pepperdine Come Through as Home Underdogs?

Pepperdine dropped to 5-8 on the season after a 91-80 road loss to Santa Clara on Saturday. Despite being +15.5 point underdogs, the Waves kept it closer than expected, covering the spread.

Pepperdine trailed 52-43 at halftime and were outscored 39-37 in the 2nd half. The total points for the game hit 171, going over the pre-game O/U line of 154.5.

Waves Offense Breakdown

Pepperdine put up 80 points in their last game, shooting 44.8% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range. They were perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all 12 of their attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 50.7%, and they grabbed 13 offensive rebounds.

Stefan Todorovic led the way with 25 points and 4 assists, while Adama-Alpha Bal added 19 points and 8 assists, hitting 4 of 9 from deep. Dovydas Butka was efficient, shooting 77.8% from the field and 66.7% from three, finishing with 16 points and 8 rebounds.

Waves Team Defense

Pepperdine's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 91 points on 50% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to hit 19 of 34 two-point attempts, a 55% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Pepperdine's opponents connected on 15 of 33 three-point shots, shooting 45%. They also went 8 of 11 from the free-throw line, making 72% of their attempts. Pepperdine gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Bulldogs vs Waves Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past ten road matchups, Gonzaga has an ATS record of 5-5 while averaging 78 per game. The team went 6-4 overall in these games.
In their last three games at home, the Waves have a straight up record of 0-3 while going 1-2 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 63 points per game in these contests.
As the betting underdog, the Waves have an ATS mark of just 2-8 in their last ten games. Pepperdine posted a straight up mark of 1-9 in these matchups.
Against the spread, the Bulldogs have put together 0-3 in their last three games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 2-1 straight up.