California-San Diego Tritons vs UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Matchup

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

UC Santa Barbara vs California-San Diego Prediction

Betting on today's Gauchos and Tritons game? Catch the action at LionTree Arena in San Diego, CA, as the Tritons hosts this showdown at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Big West conference contest is set at 136.5 points, with California-San Diego being favored by -10.5 at home against UC Santa Barbara.

UC Santa Barbara vs. California-San Diego Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at California-San Diego Tritons
Where: San Diego at LionTree Arena
Date: Thursday, January 23rd
Betting Odds UCSD -10.5, USCB +500 | UCSD -720 O/U 136.5

Gauchos Preview: Will UC Santa Barbara Come Through as Road Underdogs?

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Recent Game/Games

The Gauchos fell to 10-6 on the season after a 64-60 home loss to UC Davis on Saturday. UCSB, who were -8.5 favorites, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 124, which was under the 135.5 O/U line.

UCSB struggled early, trailing 29-17 at halftime, but they made a push in the 2nd half, scoring 43 points while allowing 35. Despite the comeback effort, it wasn’t enough to secure the win.

Gauchos Offense Breakdown

UC Santa Barbara struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 37.3% from the field and finishing with 60 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 45.1%, with two-point shooting at 36.7% and three-point shooting at 38.1% (8/21).

Ty Johnson led the way with 35 points, hitting 52.2% of his shots, including 2 of 5 from beyond the arc. Colin Smith added 14 points, connecting on 4 of 7 threes, while Kenny Pohto contributed 17 points and 6 rebounds.

Gauchos Team Defense

UC Santa Barbara held their opponent to 64 points on 37% shooting from the field. The Gauchos were especially effective inside, limiting their opponent to 36% shooting on two-point attempts (11/30).

From beyond the arc, their opponent shot 38%, making 8 of 21 three-point attempts. UC Santa Barbara also sent their opponent to the line 19 times, where they converted 14 free throws for 73%. The Gauchos gave up 13 offensive rebounds.

Tritons Preview: Can the Tritons Grab a Win at Home?

California-San Diego Tritons Recent Game/Games

The Tritons fell to 13-4 on the season after an 85-81 road loss to UC Riverside on Saturday. Despite being -9.5 favorites, they couldn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 166, surpassing the O/U line of 140.5.

UCSD trailed 44-35 at halftime but made a strong push in the 2nd half, scoring 46 points while allowing 41.

Tritons Offense Breakdown

The Tritons put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 40% from the field and hitting just 21.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 6 of 28 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.6%, while they excelled at the free-throw line, making 82.1% of their shots (23/28). They also dominated the offensive glass, pulling down 17 offensive rebounds.

Barrington Hargress led the way with 40 points, shooting 63.6% overall and 62.5% from three-point range (5/8). Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones added 32 points and 7 rebounds, despite missing all 3 of his three-point attempts. Joel Armotrading was perfect from the field, going 5/5 and grabbing 14 rebounds.

Tritons Team Defense

California-San Diego's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 85 points on 50% shooting. They allowed 62% shooting from two-point range, with the opposing team hitting 20 of 32 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the Tritons gave up 10 threes on 27 attempts, a 37% clip. They also sent the other team to the line 22 times, where they converted 15 free throws (68%).

Gauchos vs Tritons Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last three games away from home, the Gauchos have a straight up record of 2-1 while going 1-2 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 65 points per game in these contests.
The Tritons are 3-2 ATS in their last home games and 4-1 straight-up.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Gauchos have a straight up record of 5-5 and an ATS mark of 5-4-1.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Tritons have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.