The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (20-6, 9-3 BigWst) visit UC Irvine to take on the Anteaters (14-15, 9-4 BigWst) in a matchup that pits sensational offense against superb defense. The game is scheduled to begin at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 22, 2018.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the game opened at 141 points with UC Irvine set as a 3-point favorite.
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at UC Irvine Anteaters Betting Prediction
In the Gauchos’ last game, they were beaten by the UC Davis Aggies, 71-54. UC Davis’ 0.627 effective field goal percentage was their biggest advantage over UC Santa Barbara, who had a rate of 0.386. The Aggies’ mark was above their season average of 0.522, while the Gauchos’ was below their season average of 0.538. Gabe Vincent was UC Santa Barbara’s high scorer with 17 points on 5-for-12 shooting.
The Anteaters defeated the Cal Poly Mustangs in their last game, 75-58. UC Irvine won the rebounding battle. The Anteaters had 13 offensive rebounds and 43 total rebounds, while the Mustangs had six and 22, respectively. With 21 points and seven rebounds, UC Irvine’s John Edgar Jr. played well.
The battle on the backboards could prove decisive, pitting strength against strength. The Anteaters currently rank 30th in offensive rebounding percentage (34.4 percent), while UC Santa Barbara ranks 47th in defensive rebounding percentage (74.8 percent). Also, the Gauchos’ 49th-ranked offense (offensive efficiency of 112.7) will clash against the Anteaters’ 60th-ranked defense (defensive efficiency of 98.6).
UC Santa Barbara comes into the contest with records of 20-6 straight up (SU) and 16-7 against the spread (ATS). Of the Gauchos’ 23 games that accepted bets, 13 have finished over the total.
Meanwhile, UC Irvine owns records of 14-15 SU and 12-11-3 ATS. Unlike UC Santa Barbara, Anteaters games have typically gone under the total (65.4 percent).
This will be the second game of the season between these two teams. Jalen Canty recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds in the first matchup, in which the Gauchos defeated the Anteaters 70-58, covering as 7-point favorites. The game finished with a total of 128 points, which was 14.5 points below the projected point total of 142.5 points. The Gauchos had a much better free throw rate (0.327 vs. 0.102) and had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (38.2 vs. 23.7).
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos vs. UC Irvine Anteaters Odds Pick
College Basketball Pick: SU Winner – UC Santa Barbara, ATS Winner – UC Santa Barbara, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
UC Santa Barbara is 11-3 ATS on the road with 11 overs and 3 unders.
At home, UC Irvine is 3-2-3 ATS with 5 unders and 3 overs.
UC Irvine ranks 40th in assists allowed per game (11.4) while UC Santa Barbara ranks 181st (14.0).
The Anteaters rank fourth in rebounds per game (41.3) while the Gauchos rank 110th in rebounds allowed per game (33.7).
UC Santa Barbara ranks 201st in three pointers attempted per game (20.6) while UC Irvine ranks 258th (18.7).
The Gauchos lead the NCAA with 3.6 steals allowed per game while the Anteaters are 53rd with 5.4 steals allowed per game.
UC Santa Barbara allows the 36th-fewest blocks per game (2.6) while UC Irvine ranks 37th (2.6).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, UC Santa Barbara is 3-2 ATS with 3 unders and 2 overs.
UC Irvine is 4-1 ATS with 4 unders and 1 over over their last five games.
The Gauchos’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 5.6, down from 7.0 for the season.
During their last five games, the Anteaters have scored an average of 67.6 points per game (2.6 below their season average) and allowed an average of 57.2 points per game (10.3 below their season average).
