Published Mar 18, 7:27pm ET by
Gabriel Kozlow - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 18, 7:27pm ET
Updated Mar 18, 7:27pm ET
The Kennesaw State Owls face a tough challenge when they take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first round of March Madness. The Bulldogs are heavy favorites and will do their best to prevent an unlikely upset by the Owls.
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| GONZAGA BULLDOGS | -4000 |
| KENNESAW STATE OWLS | +1600 |
Kennesaw State has made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament and is still looking for its first win. Its last appearance came in 2023, so the Owls are surely happy to be back, even if they are expected to be knocked out in the first round.
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Despite being the underdog, Kennesaw State was a solid offensive team that also posted strong rebounding and steals numbers. The Owls shot 45% from the field and held opponents to 76.1 points per game.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are looking to make a strong run in this tournament, as they have solid March Madness odds. They ended the season 30-3, winning the West Coast Conference title against Santa Clara. They are heavy favorites to win this game, currently listed at -21.5 on the spread.
The Bulldogs have been a tournament mainstay for decades and are currently on a streak of 25 consecutive March Madness appearances. They also reached the national championship game in 2017 and 2021. This year, they are led by Graham Ike, the team’s leading scorer, who is shooting 57.3% from the field, as well as its leader in rebounds.
The 14-seed wins around 15% of the time against a 3-seed. However, Gonzaga is favored by 21.5 points. The over/under is 154.5, with Gonzaga at -4000 on the moneyline and Kennesaw State at +1600.
Gonzaga has elite March Madness odds and is expected to make a deep tournament run. Kennesaw State is still searching for its first-ever tournament win, so it will be tough for the Owls to pull off the upset this time. Our pick is Gonzaga to advance to the next round.
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Pick
Gonzaga Bulldogs (-4000)
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