The No. 19 Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-0) are hitting the road to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils (2-0) on Friday night. One of the teams will take their first loss of the season down in Phoenix, with the game tipping off at 11:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
The Bulldogs are 13.5-point favorites in the matchup with -1200 moneyline odds, and the point total has been set at 160.5. Here is a preview of the premier nonconference showdown featuring odds and lines from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Gonzaga vs. Arizona State Preview
Gonzaga Preview
Unlike most teams, the Bulldogs have already been put to the test this season. After beating Texas Southern 98-43 in the opener, Gonzaga notched an 83-68 win over Oklahoma. Their most recent game came against No. 23 Creighton, who they dismantled 90-63.
Senior big man Graham Ike has been his typical dominant self so far, averaging 17.3 points and an NCAA-leading 10.7 rebounds per game. He has added a three-pointer to his bag, too, shooting 50% on 2.7 attempts from beyond the arc a night. Braden Huff has taken on a larger role in the frontcourt alongside Ike, averaging 13.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Ryan Nembhard is no longer running the offense, with Grand Canyon transfer Tyon Grant-Foster, Arizona State transfer Adam Miller and Florida State transfer Jalen Warley all coming in to replace his production. They can each pour it in, making up for lockdown defender Emmanuel Innocenti’s lack of explosive scoring tendencies. Nobody in the Bulldogs’ rotation is averaging more than 4.0 assists per game, however.
Gonzaga is ranked No. 3 overall in the latest KenPom adjusted efficiency ratings, carrying the No. 8 offense and No. 5 defense in the country.
This marks the Bulldogs’ one true road game of their nonconference slate, since their first three contests all took place in Spokane. Technically, their game against Oklahoma wasn’t at their home arena, but it was still just 1.5 miles from campus. Compared to their 119-6 record at home since 2017-18, the Bulldogs’ 69-9 record on the road and 60-23 record at neutral sites are worth noting for these early-season bouts. Keep that in mind for this game, plus their upcoming neutral site showdowns with Alabama, Maryland, Kentucky, UCLA and Oregon.
Arizona State Preview
The Sun Devils had a lighter start to their season, taking on Southern Utah in game No. 1. Arizona State won that 81-64, then came out with a very similar performance against Utah Tech in game No. 2. They recorded an 81-66 win that time around, shooting 9-for-24 from deep after going 9-for-23 in their opener.
7-foot-1 freshman Massamba Diop has been the focal point of Arizona State’s offense and defense so far this year, averaging 16.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. The Senegalese big man, who came over from Spain this offseason, will certainly have his hands full with Ike and Huff after feasting on undersized frontcourts. Argentinian San Diego transfer Santiago Trouet has averaged 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game this year, and he will surely have to chip in to slow that pair down, too.
As for the Sun Devils’ guard play, Anthony “Pig” Johnson is averaging 12.0 points and 3.5 assists per game in his first season of Division I action. Moe Odum came over from Pepperdine, who only lost to Gonzaga by seven points in Malibu last season. Odom was a major reason why the game stayed so close, scoring 24 points and dishing out eight assists.
In the latest KenPom adjusted efficiency rankings, Arizona comes in at No. 82 overall with the No. 87 offense and No. 72 defense in the nation.
Gonzaga vs. Arizona State pick, best bet
The Bulldogs are a heavy favorite heading into this matchup for a reason. And yet, it’s hard to pick them to clear a 13.5-point spread on the road, especially when the Sun Devils typically boast a pretty strong home court advantage. Just last year, Gonzaga only beat a 13-20 Arizona State team by eight in Spokane. Both teams have much different DNA than they did 12 months ago, but it is worth keeping in mind when Mark Few and Bobby Hurley are still in charge.
Neither the Zags nor Devils have had a game clear 154 total points this season, whether that be against low major, mid major or high major opponents. Arizona State’s two 81-point performances came against bottom-quartile defenses, while Gonzaga’s defense ranks top 10. The Sun Devils boast a better defense than offense, too, so don’t be surprised if this is a slightly lower-scoring matchup.
