The 2023 NCAA Tournament is coming down to the wire, which means every remaining game could be an instant classic. The No. 3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs are preparing to face the No. 4 seed UConn Huskies in the Elite 8 on Saturday, so it is time for some Gonzaga basketball bold predictions.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season with a 26-5 record, with notable wins over the Alabama Crimson Tide and Kentucky Wildcats. They would eventually take home the West Coast Conference Tournament with a win over the nationally ranked Saint Mary's Gaels. With the victory, the Bulldogs punched their ticket to the Big Dance in March.
In the NCAA Tournament, No. 9 Gonzaga defeated Grand Canyon in the first round and No. 22 TCU in the second. Most recently, it won against No. 7 UCLA, extending its winning streak to 12 games.
On the other side of the matchup, the Bulldogs will have the No. 10 Huskies ahead of them. UConn is 28-8 overall this season. In the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies have already beaten Iona, No. 19 Saint Mary's and Arkansas.
A win-or-go-home matchup between two top-10 programs is always must-watch television. With so much at stake, this could be a game for the ages. With that being said, here are some bold predictions for Gonzaga basketball as they play the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament's Elite 8.
3. Gonzaga basketball holds Jordan Hawkins to 40% or worse shooting from the field
If there is one player that Gonzaga basketball should pay extra attention to is Jordan Hawkins. The guard is a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and could give Gonzaga a hard time.
In 34 games this season, Hawkins is averaging 16.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He is shooting 40.7% from the field, 37.7% from the 3-point line and 89.1% from the charity stripe. All those numbers are improvements from his freshman campaign.
The sophomore has had ups and downs in March Madness thus far. In the first round against Iona, he went 3-for-11 from the field, finishing with 13 points. Then, he was in foul trouble and was limited to just 19 minutes and 12 points against Saint Mary's.
His best game came against Arkansas in the Sweet 16. Hawkins scored 24 points with three assists, three 3-pointers and a perfect 9-for-9 shooting from the free-throw line.
Since he is coming off a big game, Gonzaga will need to contain him as much as possible. The problem is that the Bulldogs' defense allows opponents to make 44.4% of their field goals. With that mark, their defense does not even crack the top 200 in the category.
Still, the bold prediction is that Gonzaga will make Hawkins shoot 40% or worse from the field. The Bulldogs should have intense defense on him, forcing either bad shots or a pass to a teammate. If that happens, Gonzaga will be in a good position to win the game.
2. Drew Timme finishes with a 20-point double-double
One of the leaders for Gonzaga basketball in recent years, Drew Timme is playing his final games with the program. The power forward/center has been an important part of the team since 2019-20, even winning the Karl Malone Award in 2021. He has already declared he is not planning to return for a fifth year in 2023-24.
This season, Timme is putting up 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists plus a block a night. He is making 62.3% of his field goals and 63.4% of his free-throw attempts. For his performances, he earned a Consensus first-team All-American selection.
His best game in the NCAA Tournament came against the Bruins in the Sweet 16, as Timme had a double-double with 36 points and 13 boards. He also had four assists and blocked two shots.
With him on the court, the Bulldogs have experience, efficiency and defense. The bold prediction is that Timme will end the game with a double-double with at least 20 points.
1. Gonzaga basketball defeats UConn by less than 10 points
This game has the potential of being one of the best ones in the Elite 8. According to FanDuel, the Huskies are the favorites to win this contest. However, the spread is currently only -2.5.
This means that it should be a very close game that could go down to the final minutes. Fans should not expect any team to open a comfortable lead and control most of the game. Based on the odds, this contest could be decided by the last possessions.
Thanks to Gonzaga basketball's experience, especially with Timme, the bold prediction is that the Bulldogs will end up winning this game. It will also depend on how well they guard Hawkins and if they can force bad shots and turnovers down the line. Still, it should be a thriller Elite 8 matchup.
It will likely be by less than 10 points but enough to keep Gonzaga's dreams of its first national title alive for a little longer.
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