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March Madness is in full swing and we've now gotten through the first round of games which was chock-full of excitement. In this article, I'll break down the marquee matchup between the Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-7) and the Kansas Jayhawks (23-10) as each team looks to advance to the Sweet 16 in the Midwest region.

Gonzaga is coming off a beatdown of the 12-seeded McNeese St. Cowboys who they decimated 86-65 blowing past the -7 spread. They got out a 23-point lead at halftime and while McNeese was able to put up 40 in the second half, Gonzaga was able to go score-for-score with the Cowboys to maintain their lead to head to the round of 32.

The Kansas Jayhawks didn't have the same success as the Bulldogs did in their first-round matchup. They had a tough matchup against the Samford Bulldogs who they got out to a healthy 10-point lead against in the first half but then were squandered by a 51-point second half from the Bulldogs. Fortunately enough for the Jayhawks they were able to maintain their lead gathering a 4-point victory but failing to cover the -7.5 point spread.

This will be the first time since November 26, 2020, that these two teams matched up against one another. In that game, Gonzaga was able to defeat Kansas by a score of 102-90 while covering the -4-point spread. This should be a classic battle between two highly skilled collegiate programs looking to advance themselves to the Sweet 16.

THE GONZAGA BULLDOGS NOW JUST +3000 TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The Gonzaga Bulldogs came into the tournament with +6000 odds to win it all which were higher odds than their opponents the Kansa Jayhawks who were at +4000 to start the tournament. Now, after the drubbing of the McNeese St. Cowboys, who were 30-1 coming into the tournament, they sit at +3000 which would be tied for the 12th lowest odds in the entire tournament.

On the flip side, after the Jayhawks had a close call with Samford their odds dropped drastically going from +4000 to +10000 to win it all. This indicates that the oddsmakers believe they are going to have a rough outing in their matchup against the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. However, the Jayhawks are still one of the premier teams in the Midwest division.

The Bulldogs have just been one of the more potent offenses in the league and it showed in their round-one matchup. It's imperative for them to keep their foot on the gas from the first half to the second half to crack the Sweet 16 yet again.

THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS' EFFICIENCY IS THEIR KEY TO MAKING THE SWEET 16

The Kansas Jayhawks may have had a close one against the Samford Bulldogs but they certainly outplayed them from start to finish in their matchup. They may have let off the gas after a dominant start to the game in the first half but they were able to anchor down the stretch when they needed it the most hanging on to the victory and making it to the round of 32.

The Jayhawks shot a staggering 60% from the floor and had a +11 rebound differential which were keys to their success in that game. Samford wasn't able to keep up offensively with Kansas and it took them hitting 16 3-pointers for them to stay in the game.

In this matchup for the Jayhawks, it's going to come down to their defense to lock down the perimeter of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. This pivotal matchup should be closely contested and one that will have the fans at the edge of their seats.

For those out there who are looking to bet on this round-two matchup, I've compiled all the necessary data, odds, and statistics to facilitate informed betting predictions for Saturday, Mar. 23.

MARCH MADNESS: GONZAGA BULLDOGS VS. KANSAS JAYHAWKS FANDUEL ODDS FOR MAR. 23

MONEY LINE

• GONZAGA BULLDOGS: -182
• KANSAS JAYHAWKS: +150

SPREAD

• GONZAGA BULLDOGS: -4.5 (-102)
• KANSAS JAYHAWKS: +4.5 (-120)

OVER/UNDER (TOTAL)

• OVER 151.5 (-110)
• UNDER 151.5 (-110)

BEST MARCH MADNESS ODDS FOR GONZAGA BULLDOGS VS. KANSAS JAYHAWKS

• The Gonzaga Bulldogs are -4.5-point favorites against the Kansas Jayhawks. FanDuel currently has the best odds at (-102)
• The Kansas Jayhawks are the underdogs by 4.5 points to cover the spread. BetRivers currently has the best odds (-112).
• FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the best odds for the total, which is set at -110 for the under, and -110 for the over.

GONZAGA BULLDOGS VS. KANSAS JAYHAWKS INJURY REPORT

GONZAGA BULLDOGS INJURY REPORT

• NONE

KANSAS JAYHAWKS INJURY REPORT

• KEVIN MCCULLAR JR. (G) - OUT - KNEE

SPREAD: KANSAS JAYHAWKS +4.5

It certainly wasn't a good look letting the Samford Bulldogs hang around until the very end while not covering the spread but this matchup is different entirely. While it is a much tougher matchup on paper, expect the Jayhawks to play up to their competition as they look to make it to the Sweet 16 of this year's NCAA tournament.

Both Gonzaga and Kansas have been quite efficient offensively as both teams are tops in the league in most offensive categories. However, it's the Jayhawks' ability to push the tempo and get after it on the court that will set the tone against Gonzaga. If they can stifle the Bulldogs to shoot contested three-point shots and keep them off the glass and out of the paint they will make it impossible for the Bulldogs to get any rhythm going.

Also, it's key for players like Hunter Dickinson (18 PPG, 10.8 REB) and KJ Adams Jr. (12.1 PPG, 4.5 REB, 3.1 APG) to pick up the slack with their star guard Kevin McCullar Jr. unable to play in this game. While it's not ideal to pick against a team like the Gozaga Bulldogs without a star player, but if any team can overcome adversity it is this Kansas Jayhawks team.

Expect these two teams to duke it out throughout this contest as they both look to advance to the Sweet 16, but it will be the Jayhawks keeping this game close throughout covering the spread and potentially taking the upset along with it.