We've got a packed slate of NCAA betting on Wednesday, headlined by a matchup between the No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs and the No. 11 Texas Longhorns.
This should be a terrific matchup between a pair of national championship contenders and college basketball odds are expecting a close game with the Longhorns installed as slim 2-point home faves and the Over/Under at 144.5.
Here are my free Gonzaga vs. Texas college basketball picks and predictions for November 16.
Gonzaga vs Texas best odds
Gonzaga vs Texas picks and predictions
The Zags may have barely squeaked by Michigan State as 12-point chalk last week but that victory looks better in hindsight after the Spartans upset Kentucky last night.
This is a Gonzaga squad that is considered a national championship favorite for good reason. While the Longhorns are athletic and talented, they don't have the shooting ability, ball movement, or depth of the Zags.
Gonzaga also has the best player in this contest in Wooden Award favorite Drew Timme who went off for 37 points in a 86-74 Gonzaga victory when these two programs clashed last year in Spokane.
Texas has steamrolled small-school opposition so far this season but hasn't been tested yet, and home-court advantage won't be enough to get the victory here.
My best bet: Gonzaga moneyline (+120 at bet365)
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Gonzaga vs Texas spread analysis
Gonzaga is coming off a 64-63 win against Michigan State in the Armed Forces Classic. It was an extremely low-scoring contest for the Zags and it was clear that both sides were affected by the sight lines, the breeze, and the second-half darkness in a game that took place aboard an aircraft carrier. The Zags were a far more efficient 19-for-37 inside the arc and they had a +9 rebounding margin.
Timme leads an experienced lineup that also has upperclassmen guards Julian Strawther, Rasir Bolton, and Malachi Smith. Senior sixth-man Anton Watson and former LSU center Efton Reid III provide size down low.
The Longhorns beat UTEP by 15 points in their season opener before stomping Houston Christian (formerly Houston Baptist) 82-31 last Thursday. The Huskies shot a woeful 21.7% from the floor in that contest but the Longhorns weren't exactly sniping themselves, going just 3 of 22 from 3-point range.
Texas finished last season as the 15th ranked team in adjusted efficiency margin according to KenPom but was eliminated in the Round of 32.
Chris Beard is looking for better results in his second year as the Longhorns coach and he has the talent to do it. Last year's top two scorers Timmy Allen and Marcus Carr return to the team while transfer guards Tyrese Hunter and Sir'Jabari Rice came over after playing big roles with Iowa State and New Mexico State respectively.
Meanwhile, five-star freshman Dillon Mitchell was the No. 4 recruit in the country according to ESPN and Rivals and looks like an instant impact player.
Gonzaga vs Texas Over/Under analysis
These teams combined for a whopping 160 points when they met up last November, but I don't expect quite as much scoring this time around.
It's typically tougher to score on the road in college games and the Longhorns improved massively on the defensive side of the floor as last season went on.
While the Zags still love to push the pace at a breakneck pace, Texas prefers to slow down the flow and is currently 321st in the country in adjusted tempo after ranking 336th last season.
With Beard coaching a long and athletic lineup, the Longhorns should once again be stingy on the defensive end of the floor. However, spacing and the ability to consistently make shots could still be an issue.
You might remember Hunter as a March Madness hero who drained seven treys in a first-round upset of LSU. Truth is that he's an erratic shooter that shot just 24.2% from long range the rest of last year and he's just 1-for-7 from deep this season.
Mitchell has been very efficient in limited minutes and brings energy on both ends of the floor but he's still raw in terms of his ability to create his own shot.
Gonzaga vs Texas betting trend to know
The Bulldogs are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 road games while the Longhorns are 2-5 ATS in their previous seven contests in Austin. Find more College basketball betting trends for Gonzaga vs. Texas .
Gonzaga vs Texas game info
| Location: | Moody Center, Austin, TX |
| Date: | Wednesday, November 16, 2022 |
| Tip-off: | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN2 |
