Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Pepperdine vs UC Irvine NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Irvine.
Pepperdine vs UC Irvine Prediction
The Waves and Anteaters are set to face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The Anteaters will host the game at Bren Events Center in Irvine, CA. The odds for this non-conference game currently have UC Irvine as the -14.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 146.5 points.
Pepperdine vs. UC Irvine Matchup At A Glance
- Sport: NCAAB
- Teams: Pepperdine Waves at UC Irvine Anteaters
- Where: Irvine at Bren Events Center
- Date: Saturday, November 16th
- Betting Odds UCIRV -14.5, PEPP +800 | UCIRV -1400 O/U 146.5
Waves Preview: Are the Waves Ready for a Road Win?
Pepperdine Waves Recent Game
Pepperdine dropped their season opener 94-76 to UC San Diego on Saturday. The Waves were +8.5 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 170, surpassing the over/under line of 144.5.
Pepperdine fell behind early, trailing 47-32 at halftime. While they scored 44 points in the second half, they couldn’t close the gap as they allowed 47 points to the Tritons after the break.
Waves Offense Breakdown
Pepperdine's offense put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 52.2% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 60.9%, with 9 made threes on 21 attempts. They also hit 19 of 27 free throws, shooting 70.4% from the line.
Stefan Todorovic and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones led the way, with Todorovic scoring 33 points on 10 of 14 shooting, including 6 of 8 from three. Tait-Jones added 25 points, hitting 9 of 11 shots. The Waves finished with 16 assists and 5 offensive rebounds.
Waves Team Defense
Pepperdine's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 94 points on 49% shooting from the field. They allowed 32 made field goals on 65 attempts.
From beyond the arc, their opponents hit 16 threes on 38 attempts, good for 42%. Pepperdine also sent them to the free-throw line 20 times, where they made 14 free throws.
Anteaters Preview: Can UC Irvine Live Up to the Hype at Home?
UC Irvine Anteaters Recent Game/Games
UC Irvine picked up a solid 80-60 road win over Northern Iowa on Sunday, November 10th. The Anteaters were +3.5 point underdogs heading into the game, but not only did they pull off the upset, they also covered the spread.
UC Irvine led 45-38 at halftime and clamped down defensively in the 2nd half, holding Northern Iowa to just 22 points while scoring 35 themselves. The game’s total points ended at 140, just under the O/U line of 140.5.
Anteaters Offense Breakdown
UC Irvine put up 80 points in their last game, shooting 55% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 58.3%. They excelled inside, hitting 65.9% of their two-point attempts, while struggling from deep, making just 25% of their threes (4/16). At the line, they connected on 83.3% of their free throws, going 10 for 12.
The Anteaters recorded 12 assists and 7 offensive rebounds. Bent Leuchten led the way with 18 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 58.3% overall. Jacob Hutson and Justin Hohn each added 13 points, with Hutson hitting 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.
Anteaters Team Defense
UC Irvine's defense held their opponent to 60 points on 39% shooting from the field. They limited two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting just 16 of 41 shots inside the arc.
The Anteaters also managed to contain the three-point line, where their opponent shot 7/17 for 41%. At the free-throw line, UC Irvine's defense sent them to the stripe 13 times, where they converted 7 attempts, shooting 53%. UC Irvine allowed 6 offensive rebounds.
Waves vs Anteaters Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis
- Through their last three road contests, the Waves offense has averaged 65 points per game while allowing an average of 81. Pepperdine posted an overall record of 0-3 while going 0-3 ATS.
- Through their last ten home games, UC Irvine has an ATS record of just 7-3. However, their overall record was 7-3 while averaging 77 points per game.
- The last three games that Pepperdine was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 0-3 while going 0-3 straight up.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Anteaters have a straight up record of 8-2. But, their mark vs the spread was just 6-4.
Pepperdine vs UC Irvine Prediction & Free Pick
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Prediction: Pepperdine +14.5 Be sure to check out our other NCAA Basketball betting previews for this week. KnupSports.com also updates their sports betting picks page daily with plays across all sports.