Vegas Play of the Day: Gonzaga vs. Syracuse

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, March 25, 2016 | 2 a.m.

We've reset the Play of the Day with fresh bankrolls and turned it into a yearly competition. Our three sports writers have re-started with $10,000 bankrolls to continue using on odds from the South Point.

Gonzaga minus-4 vs. Syracuse: $550 to win $500

Syracuse is getting more of the action in this game, sending the spread down from minus-4.5 to minus-4, and it doesn’t make any sense. Sure, the Orange played well last weekend in beating Dayton and Middle Tennessee by a combined 44 points.

But both those teams were overmatched with no force in the middle to bust Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim’s zone defense. Gonzaga has the perfect piece in Domantas Sabonis.

If the Orange overcommit to Sabonis, Kyle Wiltjer will punish them with his length and shooting ability. Gonzaga is playing as well as any team in the Sweet 16.

The Bulldogs faced a tougher slate of opponents than Syracuse and walloped them by just as much. Gonzaga beat Seton Hall and Utah by a total of 39 points.

The scary thing is, it didn’t even play its best. Gonzaga shot .496 from the field, only a percentage point up from its season average.

Syracuse, by contrast, was much better on offense than a season-long sample size would indicate. It’s going to take some adjustment getting used to a defense like Gonzaga.

By the time Syracuse figures it out, it might be too late. Gonzaga may have pulled away.

Current Standings (as of July 1): Brewer (42-33-1, $12,470), Keefer (37-48-2, $7,292), Bern (29-35, $6,565)

Lifetime standings: 2014-15 Champion Bern (108-109-1), Keefer (121-130-4), Brewer (111-120-3)

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.