Henry Roldán
The last game of the second round day on Saturday will have as protagonists Memphis and Gonzaga. The Tigers are coming off eliminating Boise State by a 64-53 record, while Gonzaga, favorites to take the national championship in 2022, had no major problems dispatching Georgia State 93-72.
Picks and Predictions for the Memphis Tigers vs Gonzaga Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Championship Round 2 Game on March 19
- Where: Moda Center – Portland, Oregon
- When: Saturday, March 19, 9:40 PM ET
- Betting Line: Memphis Tigers (+10.5) vs Gonzaga Bulldogs (-10.5)
Memphis Tigers Preview (Seed #9)
- Overall Record: 21-10
- Conference Record: 13-5
- Spread: +10.5
- Over/Under: Over 154.5
- Moneyline: +500
In the analysis of the first round we talked about that if Memphis lost it was because it was going to find a team that forced it to produce many ball losses by being one of the worst teams in the nation in this category. In the first round Boise State forced them to do that and almost turned the score around in the second half, but the Tigers beat the rebounds duel and managed to survive.
With Gonzaga the luck will surely not be the same if they commit 15 lost balls again. The Bulldogs won’t forgive him those gifts and no matter how hard they try to win the battle in the paint, their rivals’ dynamic play will destroy them. Memphis defends field goals very well and can put up a fight at Gonzaga’s level. They just need to keep the ball with them and the surprise could come to March Madness.
Gonzaga Bulldogs Preview (Seed #1)
- Overall Record: 26-3
- Conference Record: 13-1
- Spread: -10.5
- Over/Under: Over 154.5
- Moneyline: -700
Gonzaga needs to put a quick push on the Tigers and get an early lead if they want this commitment not to be complicated. Memphis has won 13 of its last 15 engagements and could be a thorn in the side for one of the championship favorites.
The Bulldogs also need to dominate, as they have all season, the game under the hoop. Memphis is one of the best in the nation taking rebounds, but Gonzaga outperforms them. Drew Timme led Gonzaga to his 13th straight first-round win, scoring 22 of his 32 points after halftime and grabbing 13 rebounds. Between him and Chet Holmgren they collected 30 rebounds, while the entire Memphis team added 39 against Boise State. If they manage to solve this problem on the perimeter and not be forced to take shots from medium or long range, the Tigers will not be able to stop them.
JefeBet Prediction
The Tigers are a very good team, but I don’t think enough to stop Gonzaga. The Bulldogs are a more complete quintet, although they will have to turn on the engines a little more if they do not want to pass a scare. This time I’m going with the Memphis spread.
