The most recent odds for Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. McNeese State Cowboys in the 2024 NCAA Tournament
The Gonzaga Bulldogs will look to avoid an upset from the 12-seed McNeese State Cowboys in their 2024 NCAA Tournament first-round matchup in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Zags (25-7, 14-2 WCC) are appearing in their 25th-straight NCAA Tournament, the third-longest active streak behind Kansas (34) and Michigan State (26). Mark Few has won 14 consecutive first-round games and has advanced to the Sweet 16 in eight straight postseasons. No team has won more NCAA Tournament games since 2017 (20).
With their lone defeat coming against Saint Mary’s in the West Coast Conference Tournament title game, Gonzaga has won nine of its past ten games. It has been rated first in the nation since February 4 in terms of effective field goal %, third in terms of offensive efficiency, and fourth in terms of 2-point field goal percentage. Over their last ten games, the Bulldogs have also had the sixth-lowest turnover rate in the country.
The Cowboys (30-3, 17-1 Southland) will play in their first NCAA Tournament since 2002 as they enter the first round on the strength of the third-longest winning streak in the nation, an 11-game run. McNeese State equaled its own record for conference victories in a season and established a school record for overall wins in Will Wade’s first season as head coach. Going into the postseason, just three teams had thirty or more wins: UConn, Houston, and James Madison.
McNeese State boasts the best scoring margin (18.9) in the country and is eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (38.8%). Per hoop-math.com, it attempts the 10th-most shots at the rim in college basketball. The Cowboys are also third in field goal percentage defense (38.5%), steals (10.4) and turnover margin (6.7).
