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The 2020 Jimmy V Classic features four teams ranked in the top 11 of the current AP Top 25 and the action will begin on Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis when the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs take on the No. 11 West Virginia Mountaineers. Both teams enter on impressive winning streaks with Gonzaga winning its last six games dating back to last season and West Virginia winning its last five in a row. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and it should be an intriguing matchup of contrasting styles.
Gonzaga runs an incredibly efficient offense full of capable shot makers and creators, while West Virginia plays typically tough defense under Bob Huggins. The Bulldogs are favored by 8.5-points with the over-under for total points at 153.5 in the latest Gonzaga vs. West Virginia odds from William Hill SportsBook. Before you make any West Virginia vs. Gonzaga picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $2,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. It’s also off to a fast start in the 2020-21 season, going 4-1 on its top-rated picks and returning over $300. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Gonzaga vs. West Virginia in the Jimmy V Classic 2020. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Gonzaga vs. West Virginia:
- Gonzaga vs. West Virginia spread: Gonzaga -8.5
- Gonzaga vs. West Virginia over-under: 153.5 points
- Gonzaga vs. West Virginia money line: Gonzaga -440, West Virginia +340
- ZAGS: Gonzaga has covered in each of its last three games.
- WVU: The under has hit in 11 of their last 14 games.
Latest Odds:
Bulldogs
-8.5
Why Gonzaga can cover
The Bulldogs began their season with big wins over Kansas and Auburn to solidify themselves as the top team in the country and they’ve averaged a stunning 96.0 points per game despite the competition level. Sophomore forward Drew Timme is averaging 26.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while senior sharpshooter Corey Kispert is averaging 24.0 points and 5.0 rebounds.
However, perhaps the most important new element to Gonzaga’s offensive success is true freshman point guard Jalen Suggs. The No. 11 overall prospect in the Class of 2020 according to 247Sports is averaging 18.0 points, 7.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game and his ability to create shots for himself and others helps tie Gonzaga’s myriad scoring options together. Gonzaga is also 3-0-1 against the spread in four games against West Virginia in the last decade and they’ve covered their first two games by an average of 6.5 points.
Why West Virginia can cover
West Virginia knows it can’t run with Gonzaga but Huggins also has no intention of trying. The Mountaineers will look to slow the game down considerably and make every possession a grind and it’s something they’ve had a lot of success doing. West Virginia allowed just 62.4 points per game last season, ranking 16th out of 353 Division I programs. And so far this season, the Mountaineers are allowing opponents to shoot just 41.0 percent from the floor and just 24.6 percent from the 3-point line.
Derek Culver is going to be a particularly big test for Gonzaga at 6-foot-10 and 255 pounds. Culver is averaging 15.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game so far this season. Culver, Oscar Tshiebwe and Gabe Osabuohien have all been almost impossible to stop in particular on the offensive glass and West Virginia is averaging 15.7 offensive rebounds per game as a team because of them. If the Bulldogs can’t keep that trio from earning second-chance opportunities, pulling ahead by double digits may be out of the question.
How to make Gonzaga vs. West Virginia picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, with West Virginia only managing two players who score double-figures on average. The model also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 70 percent of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Gonzaga vs. West Virginia? And which side of the spread cashes in nearly 70 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the West Virginia vs. Gonzaga spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up almost $2,600 on its top-rated college basketball spread picks over the past four-plus years, and find out.