Gonzaga vs. FSU 2018 March Madness Odds for Sweet 16

The Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Florida State Seminoles square off in the last Thursday matchup in this year’s Sweet 16 round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. These two teams have only met once, back in 2010, when Gonzaga beat Florida State in the opening round of March Madness. Gonzaga poured on the offense against Ohio State, rolling to a 90-84 win. Florida State took down the top-seeded Xavier Musketeers, 75-70, in their second-round game, in a game that saw Xavier miss 12 free throws. Let’s take a look at your best March Madness odds pick for this regional semifinal matchup.

Gonzaga vs. FSU 2018 March Madness Odds for Sweet 16

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— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) March 20, 2018

When: Saturday, March 17, 2018, 9:59pm ET Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles TV: TBS Radio: None Live Stream: March Madness Live March Madness Odds: Gonzaga -5, O/U 154

Why should you bet on the Bulldogs?

It looked like Gonzaga was going to give away the game in their round of 32 matchup against Ohio State. They went into the locker room at halftime up 11, but they found themselves down by five with just over six minutes remaining in the contest. Then they went on a 16-2 run to go up by nine in the last two minutes, and they made their free throws in the waning minutes to secure the victory. They shot well all night long, making over 53 percent of their shots, and they outrebounded the Buckeyes 39-25. They average 39.8 rebounds per game, 14th in the nation, and they pour in the points, scoring 84.2 points per contest. Their solid shooting was not a fluke, either, as they have shot over 50 percent form the floor all year long, ranked seventh in the nation. When Gonzaga has faced a team with a record above .500, they have covered the spread four of their last five times out. They have Zach Norvell Jr who can nail shots in crunch time (as he did with the clinching three-ball against UNC Greensboro in the tournament’s first round, and as he did again during the comeback against Ohio State). Gonzaga has been in tournament play year in and year out, while Florida State is still getting used to the klieg lights of the Big Dance.

Why should you put your money on the Seminoles?

Florida State went just 9-9 in ACC play, but they have turned things around in the NCAA tournament, taking down two consecutive higher seeds. Against Xavier, they came back from a 12-point deficit in the last 10 minutes of the game, limiting the Musketeers to only two points in the last 3:58 of the second half — and without any points at all in the last 1:49, rolling up a 7-0 run to finish the game. They Seminoles didn’t shoot all that well (43.6% for the game and just 8 for 23 from downtown), but their defense was the key, as they forced 18 turnovers. Usually, the Seminoles have a high-octane offense, scoring 81.1 points per contest. They struggle on defense, permitting 73.7 points per game — and they also have issues at the charity stripe, hitting under 70 percent for the season. Florida State has only covered the spread once in their last six games following a straight up victory. They have depth on their roster, which is why they can afford to play aggressive defense and force plenty of turnovers. They’ve spent much of the season looking for that clutch playmaker who can hit the dagger shot late, and they still don’t have that player identified. However, team play has brought them this far and could well take them to the Elite Eight.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I’ve been impressed with Florida State’s run so far in the tournament, especially after seeing them fare so inconsistently in ACC play. However, the Sweet 16 is where experience and consistency begin to separate the Cinderellas from the rest, and I see Gonzaga rolling to an 88-79 victory.