Bakersfield Roadrunners vs UC Irvine Anteaters Matchup

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

Bakersfield vs UC Irvine Prediction

Planning on watching today's Roadrunners and Anteaters game? Catch the action at Bren Events Center in Irvine, CA, as the Anteaters hosts this showdown at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 135 points, and UC Irvine is favored by -15.5 to win at home against Bakersfield.

Bakersfield vs. UC Irvine Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Bakersfield Roadrunners at UC Irvine Anteaters
Where: Irvine at Bren Events Center
Date: Thursday, December 5th
Betting Odds UCIRV -15.5, CSU +728 | UCIRV -1257 O/U 135

Roadrunners Preview: Can the Roadrunners Pull Off a Win at Irvine?

Bakersfield's season record dropped to 3-4 after a 74-64 road loss to Southern Utah on Saturday. Entering the game as +3.5 point underdogs, the Roadrunners not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 27-23 at halftime, Bakersfield allowed 47 points in the 2nd half while scoring 41. The game’s total points of 138 fell just short of the 139.5 O/U line.

Roadrunners Offense Breakdown

The Roadrunners managed just 64 points in their last game, shooting 45.7% from the field. They hit 47.7% of their two-point attempts and missed all two of their three-point tries, finishing 0% from deep.

Offensively, Bakersfield grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out 6 assists. Jamir Simpson led the way with 21 points, while Dominique Ford and Corey Stephenson each added 20 points, with Stephenson shooting 71.4% from the floor.

Roadrunners Team Defense

Despite Bakersfield's defensive efforts, they allowed 74 points in their latest game, with their opponents shooting 47% from the field. Most of the damage came from inside the arc, where the Roadrunners gave up 19 of 25 two-point attempts, a 76% success rate.

From three-point range, Bakersfield held their opponents to just 4 of 23 shooting, a 17% clip. However, they sent them to the free-throw line 28 times, where they converted 24 free throws for 85%. The Roadrunners also allowed 6 offensive rebounds.

Anteaters Preview: Is It the Anteaters Game to Lose at Home?

UC Irvine Anteaters Recent Game/Games

UC Irvine improved to 7-0 on the season with a 67-60 win over Towson on Saturday. The Anteaters were at home and entered the game as -9.5 point favorites. Despite the win, they didn’t cover the spread.

Leading 33-30 at halftime, UC Irvine added 34 points in the 2nd half while holding Towson to 30. The game’s total points of 127 fell just under the O/U line of 128.5.

Anteaters Offense Breakdown

UC Irvine put up 67 points in their last game, shooting 52.2% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, hitting 6 of 12 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 58.7%, and they were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 13 of 14 attempts for a 92.9% rate.

Devin Tillis led the way with 25 points, shooting 9 of 12 overall and a perfect 3 for 3 from deep. He also added 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Mekhi Lowery contributed 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting, while Dylan Williamson and Bent Leuchten each chipped in 11 points.

Anteaters Team Defense

Despite UC Irvine allowing 60 points, they couldn’t capitalize on the defensive end, as their opponents shot 52% from the field, hitting 24 of 46 attempts. The Anteaters gave up 18 two-point baskets on 34 attempts, also at a 52% clip.

From beyond the arc, UC Irvine’s defense allowed 6 threes on 12 attempts, with their opponents shooting 50% from deep. At the free-throw line, the opposition went 13/14, shooting 92%. UC Irvine gave up 6 offensive rebounds in the game.

Roadrunners vs Anteaters Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, Bakersfield has an ATS mark of 3-7. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-9 while averaging 64 points per game.
Across the Anteaters last ten home games, the team averaged 79 points per game while allowing 71. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 6-4, while going 7-3 straight-up.
Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Roadrunners have a straight up record of 3-7. But, their mark vs the spread was just 3-7.
The Anteaters have played well in their last three games as the betting favorite, going 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.