UC Santa Barbara Gauchos vs UTEP Miners Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our UTEP vs UC Santa Barbara NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Santa Barbara.

UTEP vs UC Santa Barbara Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Miners versus the Gauchos? Tip off is at at 10:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, CA. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 146.5 points, with UC Santa Barbara being favored by -7.5 over UTEP.

UTEP vs. UC Santa Barbara Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UTEP Miners at UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Where: Santa Barbara at The Thunderdome
Date: Wednesday, November 20th
Betting Odds USCB -7.5, UTEP +262 | USCB -343 O/U 146.5

Miners Preview: Is a Road Win Possible for the Miners?

UTEP Miners Recent Game/Games

The Miners dropped their season opener on Saturday, losing 89-60 to Utah Valley. UTEP was a +1 underdog going into the game, but they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 149, surpassing the O/U line of 143.5.

UTEP trailed 43-28 at halftime and couldn’t turn things around in the 2nd half, scoring 32 points while allowing 46.

Miners Offense Breakdown

UTEP's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 26.3% from the field and 23.8% on two-point attempts. They connected on 5 of 15 threes, hitting 33.3% from deep, and their effective field goal percentage was 31.6%.

The Miners were strong at the free-throw line, making 25 of 29 attempts for 86.2%. Dominick Nelson led the team with 21 points and 8 rebounds, while Tanner Toolson added 16 points, hitting 4 of 7 from three-point range.

Miners Team Defense

UTEP's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 89 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 52% from the field. The Miners couldn't contain the three-point line, where the opposition hit 11 of 21 attempts, also at a 52% clip.

They sent their opponent to the free-throw line 43 times, where they converted 31 free throws at a 72% rate. UTEP also gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Gauchos Preview: Are the Gauchos Ready for a Home Win?

UC Santa Barbara picked up a 64-59 road win over San Jose State on Sunday, November 17th. The Gauchos were favored by 6 points but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 123 fell well short of the 144.5 O/U line.

Leading 30-27 at halftime, UCSB scored 34 points in the 2nd half while allowing 32. Though they got the win, the Gauchos will look to improve on covering the spread in future games.

Gauchos Offense Breakdown

In their recent game, UC Santa Barbara put up 64 points, shooting 43.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.7%. They connected on 40% of their three-point attempts, going 10-for-25 from beyond the arc, while hitting 46.7% of their two-point shots.

Cole Anderson led the way from deep, hitting 6 of 8 threes and finishing with 18 points. Josh Uduje was the team's top scorer with 22 points, shooting 56.2% overall. Kenny Pohto contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, also dishing out 7 assists.

Gauchos Team Defense

UC Santa Barbara's defense held their opponent to just 59 points, allowing them to shoot 40% from the field on 22 of 54 attempts. Inside the arc, the Gauchos gave up 16 two-pointers on 31 attempts, a 51% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, UC Santa Barbara limited their opponent to 6 threes on 23 attempts, a 26% success rate. The Gauchos also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 10 times, where they converted 9 attempts, shooting 90%. UC Santa Barbara allowed 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Miners vs Gauchos Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The Miners are 3-2 ATS in their last road games and 3-2 straight-up.
In their last five games at home, the Gauchos have a straight up record of 3-2 while going 2-3 vs the spread. The team averaged 74 points per game in this stretch.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Miners have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-2.
Through their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Gauchos have a good straight up record, but their ATS mark is just 1-4.