Half-time report
Gonzaga is on the road but doesn’t seem to be in any worse shape. They have a bit of a lead as they currently lead Pepperdine 50-32.
If Gonzaga continues to play like this, they will increase their record to 10-4 in no time. On the other hand, Pepperdine will have to settle for a 6-9 record unless they turn things around (and quickly).
Who’s playing
Gonzaga Bulldogs @ Pepperdine Waves
Current records: Gonzaga 9-4, Pepperdine 6-8
How to watch
- When: Monday, December 30, 2024 at 10 p.m. ET
- Or: Firestone Fieldhouse – Malibu, California
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $39.39
What you need to know
If the bettors’ predictions hold true, the near future looks bright for Gonzaga. They and the Pepperdine Waves will face off in a West Coast battle at 10 p.m. ET Monday at Firestone Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs look to add another W to their nine-game road streak dating back to last season.
Gonzaga will head into Saturday’s contest looking to bounce back: They lost a heartbreaker on Saturday after a huge 21-point win in their previous game. They fell just short of UCLA by a score of 65-62. This game marked the Bulldogs’ lowest scoring game so far this season.
Despite the loss, Gonzaga had strong performances from Graham Ike, who made 11 of 16 en route to 24 points plus eight rebounds, and Ryan Nembhard, who made 7 of 12 en route to 16 points plus eight rebounds. assists. It was Ike’s third straight game with at least 22.4 points.
Meanwhile, Pepperdine couldn’t handle Santa Clara on Saturday and fell 91-80. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Waves in their clashes with the Broncos: they have now lost six in a row.
Despite their defeat, Pepperdine saw several players rise to the challenge and make remarkable plays. Perhaps the best of all was Dovydas Butka, who went 7-for-9 en route to 16 points plus eight rebounds. Another player who made the difference was Stefan Todorovic, who had 25 points.
Gonzaga’s loss dropped their record to 9-4. As for Pepperdine, their loss dropped their record to 6-8.
Rebounding will likely be a big factor in this contest: Gonzaga has crashed the boards this season, averaging 40.2 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Pepperdine struggled in that department, as its average was 37.7. As both teams fight to recover missed shots, we’ll see if one team can take the lead.
Everything went Gonzaga’s way against Pepperdine in their previous matchup in January, as Gonzaga escaped with an 86-61 victory. Does Gonzaga have another win up its sleeve, or will Pepperdine turn things around? We’ll have the answer soon enough.
Odds
Gonzaga is a heavy favorite with 21.5 points against Pepperdine, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The punters were very much in sync with the betting community on this point, as the game opened with a gap of 21.5 points and stayed there.
The over/under is 158 points.
See college basketball picks for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Gonzaga has won every game they have played against Pepperdine over the last 4 years.
- January 18, 2024 – Gonzaga 86 vs. Pepperdine 61
- January 4, 2024 – Gonzaga 86 vs. Pepperdine 60
- February 18, 2023 – Gonzaga 97 vs. Pepperdine 88
- December 31, 2022 – Gonzaga 111 vs. Pepperdine 88
- February 16, 2022 – Gonzaga 86 vs. Pepperdine 66
- January 8, 2022 – Gonzaga 117 vs. Pepperdine 83
- January 30, 2021 – Gonzaga 97 vs. Pepperdine 75
- January 14, 2021 – Gonzaga 95 vs. Pepperdine 70
- February 15, 2020 – Gonzaga 89 vs. Pepperdine 77
- January 4, 2020 – Gonzaga 75 vs. Pepperdine 70
