Tournament Picks: Gonzaga vs Norfolk State 3/20/21 College Basketball Picks, Odds, Predictions

The Gonzaga Bulldogs battle the Norfolk State Spartans Saturday in March Madness college basketball NCAA Tournament action from Bankers Life Fieldhouse. 

Coming into this NCAA Tournament First Round matchup, Norfolk State sits at 17-7 this year. The Spartans took out Appalachian State in a First Four matchup on Thursday. As for Gonzaga, they’re rolling along at 26-0 so far. The Bulldogs took out Saint Mary’s and BYU in West Coast Tournament activity during their last two outings. Check back all season long for free college basketball picks at Sports Chat Place. 

Norfolk State started out the year at a sketchy 3-3 but only lost consecutive games once after that. The Spartans tore through North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T and Morgan State in the MEAC Tournament before beating Appalachian State on Thursday. 

In the First Four matchup Thursday versus the Mountaineers, Norfolk State had a 36-20 lead at the break but had to hang on for the eventual 54-53 win. Topping the team in scoring was Jalen Hawkins with 24 points and five rebounds. 

Over on the Gonzaga side, there’s really not much to complain about. The Bulldogs have been rolling along all season, taking out unfamiliar ranked teams and conference opponents alike. In the last four games Gonzaga has beaten Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, Saint Mary’s and BYU. 

In the 88-78 West Coast Tournament win over BYU on March 9, Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs led the team on 23 points with five rebounds and five assists. Corey Kispert added 17 points with five rebounds and two assists, and Joel Ayayi had 18 points with nine rebounds and one assist. 

Gonzaga is 6-2 ATS in their last eight neutral-site games and 6-2 ATS in their last eight as a favorite. The Bulldogs are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five after an ATS loss and the over is 38-15 in the lats 53 overall. 

Meanwhile, the Spartans are 4-0 ATS in their last four after an ATS win and 6-0 ATS in their last six overall. Norfolk State is 4-1 ATS in their last five Saturday games and the under is 6-1 in the last seven overall. 

PICK: I’m likely sticking with Gonzaga. It would seem strange picking against a 26-0 team here in the First Round no matter the spread, especially considering the Bulldogs haven’t had a lot of “tough” games in any capacity this year. Gonzaga’s offense is a well-oiled machine, and for them a low-scoring game is in the 70s—which doesn’t happen often. Considering the offensive shutdown in the second half Thursday for Norfolk State, I like the Bulldogs to get out to a sizable lead early here and keep it.