Texas and Gonzaga meet in a Round of 32 matchup where the Bulldogs should have a clear edge on the interior thanks to their star player.
If Gonzaga is going to control this game offensively, there is a good chance Graham Ike is right at the center of it.
The veteran big man has been Gonzaga’s most reliable scorer all season, averaging 19.7 points per game while shooting 56.9 percent from the floor.
With Braden Huff still sidelined by a knee injury, Gonzaga has even more reason to lean on Ike as its go-to option in the halfcourt against a Texas team that plays much slower than it is used to.
Huff had been a major part of the frontcourt rotation before going down, but Ike has shown he can carry the load in big games ever since.
Ike opened March with 24 points and 11 rebounds against Oregon State in the WCC tournament before adding 19 points and eight boards in Gonzaga’s NCAA Tournament-opening win over Kennesaw State.
He has also produced against quality competition, most notably dropping 30 points against Saint Mary’s late in the regular season.
Overall, he’s averaged 22.2 points since Gonzaga lost Huff on Jan. 8.
Texas’ physical style of play also leads to a lot of fouls.
The Longhorns averaged 18.7 fouls per game, which makes them one of the more foul-prone teams left in the tournament.
Betting on College Basketball?
With Ike fighting down low, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get to the line double-digit times, making it easy for him to fill up the box score.
Expect another solid night scoring the ball for the Bulldogs’ best player.
The play: Graham Ike Over 20.5 points (-120, FanDuel Sportbook)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
