The Gonzaga Bulldogs (11-5) take on the struggling Pepperdine Waves (9-10) in an engaging college basketball betting opportunity on Thursday, January 18, at 10:00 PM ET at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California. The Bulldogs are moderately favored to find success with a spread at -12.0 (-110).

The Bulldogs just had their two-game win streak snapped with a recent defeat. They have gone 3-2 over their last five games, with the recent defeat being a 77-76 outing against the Santa Clara Broncos.

Anton Watson is leading their offense with 14.9 points per game and shoots 57.1 percent from the field. However, he only makes 65.4 percent of his foul shots.

The Bulldogs are averaging 84.3 points per game and are connecting on 49.7 percent of their shots. They also accumulate 16.0 assists a game, which is a solid number for finishing scoring opportunities through teammates.

They are allowing 68.8 points from the opposing team, which shows they have a good margin of safety here. They also put up 41.8 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, and 7.6 steals a game.

The Waves have won their last two games and are now 3-2 in their last five matchups. This recent victory was an 83-77 performance over the San Diego Toreros and the second straight game of landing over 80 points.

Michael Ajayi is thriving in their offense, averaging 18.2 points per game and shooting 47.8 percent from the field. He also makes 68.7 percent of his foul shots, which does not bode well for his chances at saving a game late.

The Waves are getting 73.3 points per game, which is a bit lower than what they have been averaging in their last three wins. They are shooting 45.3 percent from the floor and move the ball at a slightly lower rate than the Bulldogs’ offense, with 13.8 points per game.

They are allowing opposing teams to average 71.2 points each game, which does not offer a lot of breathing room when looking at their offense. They also compile 35.3 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, and 5.3 steals a game.

MyBookie offers their betting odds in this showdown, with the Gonzaga Bulldogs as moderate favorites to find success with an 86.0 percent probability. They are currently 12.0-point favorites, showing a wide gap in the potential point differential.

The Waves have shown they cannot consistently put up 80 points a game, which means the Zags have an opportunity to hold them back. If they can set the tone early and take care of the basketball, they have a good shot at winning and covering the spread.