2 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Gonzaga vs. Houston

Few second round matchups in the men's college basketball tournament will have the feel of Gonzaga against Houston. With each team in the top seven of KenPom's standings, this one will feel like a regional finals collision.

The two are certainly playing like regional final squads as the Zags are Bart Torvik's fourth-best team since February 15 while the Cougars rank second in the split. According to FanDuel Sportsbook's odds to win the Midwest region, Houston is the favorite (+140) while Gonzaga has the third-shortest line to win the region (+500).

To see thoughts on other games, check out our full men's college basketball tournament predictions page. But for Gonzaga vs. Houston, here are my favorite bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds.

Betting Picks for Gonzaga vs. Houston

Gonzaga Moneyline (+168)

Despite holding an 8 seed, Gonzaga has been playing like one of the nation's best. Houston has been one of the best squads in college basketball all season, holding the fourth-shortest odds to win the national championship (+650).

Prior to the tournament, Gonzaga headlined my favorite under-the-radar teams in the men's college basketball tournament. The Bulldogs to make the national semifinals is something I've been screaming from the rooftops since Monday. This isn't a pick I'm backing down from -- especially following a 21-point win from the Zags in the first round. As 5.5-point underdogs, this one isn't out of reach.

Gonzaga touting Bart Torvik's eighth-best adjusted defensive efficiency since February 15 helps the pick, keeping them close to Houston's top defensive efficiency in the split. Offense could be the difference as the Bulldogs have the 10th-best adjusted offensive efficiency while the Cougars are 20th since February 15.

The Zags have the 19th-highest defensive rebounding percentage, helping offset Houston's 10th-highest offensive rebounding rate. They also log only 9.5 turnovers per game (97th percentile), hurting the Cougs' 13.8 turnovers forced per game (88th percentile).

Houston's forward J'Wan Roberts has been battling an ankle injury of recent. Gonzaga's frontcourt of Graham Ike and Braden Huff have been feasting, giving a potential advantage to the Bulldogs.

Led by a strong frontcourt and the ability to take some of Houston's strengths away, give me the red-hot underdog to win outright.

Khalif Battle Over 13.5 Points (-108)

While Gonzaga's frontcourt could take advantage of an injury, its backcourt needs to score to pull off this win. Houston's guards have been excellent in the scoring department as L.J. Cryer (15.2 PPG), Emanuel Sharp (12.5 PPG), and Milos Uzan (11.6 PPG) lead the team in scoring.

However, this defensive backcourt feels more susceptible than usual. According to EvanMiya, Cryer (2.00), Sharp (2.39), and Uzan (2.41) have the lowest Defensive Bayesian Performance Ratings (DBPR) on the team.

That should light up Khalif Battle's eyes as he is second on the Zags with 13.5 PPG and has recorded 18.8 PPG over his last five. Houston also gives up 6.1 three-point attempts per 40 minutes to wings, and Battle takes 50.3% of his shots from three-point land.

Battle is second on the team with 128 free throws attempts on the season. One of the Cougars' only concerns on defense is sitting in the 41st percentile of free throw attempt to field goal attempt rate allowed while sitting in the 34th percentile of personal fouls per play. Easy points at the line should help Battle get over 13.5 points.

You can also download our FREE college basketball printable bracket.

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Which bets stand out to you for today's games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest men's college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.