College Basketball Picks: BYU Cougars vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Gonzaga Bulldogs (17-2) enjoy one of the better home-court advantages in college basketball. They host the BYU Cougars (15-5) at the McCarthey Athletic Center on Thursday night, with the opening tip scheduled for 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Sports bettors will find that the Bulldogs are nine-point favorites in the NCAA basketball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total sits at 148.

Since the school opened this particular venue, Gonzaga has compiled a dominating 113-8 record, including a 56-2 mark versus conference opponents.

Let's take a closer look at this West Coast Conference affair from a betting perspective, while offering up an against-the-spread pick along the way.

BYU Cougars

The BYU Cougars have won seven of their last eight games, including a 74-57 victory over San Diego as 14.5-point home favorites last time out.

Sports bettors will find that the Cougars are a disappointing 4-11 against the spread in their last 15 opportunities as underdogs. 

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Both of Gonzaga's losses this year have come against ranked opponents, including a 64-63 setback to the Butler Bulldogs as two-point road favorites last time out. 

Sports bettors will find that the Bulldogs are 11-13 against the spread in their last 24 games as home favorites of nine to 12 points. 

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Gonzaga Bulldogs as one of their college basketball picks against the spread on Thursday night, as the home team has covered the number in the last four meetings in this series. 

College Basketball Pick: Gonzaga Bulldogs -9 

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