Cal Poly Mustangs vs California-San Diego Tritons Matchup

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

Cal Poly vs California-San Diego Prediction

Looking to win big? The Mustangs and Tritons face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The Tritons are hosting the game at LionTree Arena in San Diego, CA. The over/under for this game is set at 157.5 points, and California-San Diego is favored by -15.5 vs. Cal Poly in a Big West conference matchup.

Cal Poly vs. California-San Diego Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Cal Poly Mustangs at California-San Diego Tritons
Where: San Diego at LionTree Arena
Date: Thursday, January 9th
Betting Odds UCSD -15.5, CALPOL +800 | UCSD -1420 O/U 157.5

Mustangs Preview: Is a Win at San Diego Possible for the Mustangs?

Cal Poly Mustangs Recent Game/Games

The Mustangs fell to 5-10 on the season after a 68-55 road loss to Hawaii on Sunday. Cal Poly entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 123 fell well short of the 153.5 O/U line.

Cal Poly trailed 27-22 at halftime before allowing 41 points in the 2nd half while scoring 33 of their own.

Mustangs Offense Breakdown

Cal Poly struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 55 points on 33.8% shooting from the field. Their three-point shooting was particularly problematic, as they hit only 22.6% from deep, going 7-for-31. The Mustangs' effective field goal percentage was 40%, and they managed just 4 free throws, hitting 66.7% from the line.

Gytis Nemeiksa led the way with 19 points and 9 rebounds, connecting on 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Owen Koonce and Tom Beattie each added 15 points, with Koonce perfect from three-point range, hitting 2-of-2. Tanner Christensen contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 80% from the field.

Mustangs Team Defense

Cal Poly's defense gave up 68 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 45% from the field. They allowed 16 two-point baskets on 30 attempts, a 53% success rate.

From beyond the arc, the opposition hit 7 of 21 threes, shooting 33%. Cal Poly also sent them to the line 20 times, where they made 15 free throws, shooting 75%. The Mustangs allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Tritons Preview: Will California-San Diego Live Up to Expectations at Home?

California-San Diego Tritons Recent Game/Games

The Tritons improved to 11-2 on the season with a dominant 90-51 road win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. Entering the game as -12.5 favorites, they not only secured the win but also covered the spread.

California-San Diego took control early, leading 46-23 at halftime. They continued their strong play in the second half, outscoring the Titans 44-28. The game’s total points of 141 exceeded the over/under line of 136.5.

Tritons Offense Breakdown

California-San Diego put up 90 points in their latest game, shooting 52.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 61%. They were particularly strong inside, hitting 69% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 36.7% from beyond the arc, making 11 threes.

The Tritons also shot 85% from the free-throw line, going 17-for-20. Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones led the way with 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting, while Tyler McGhie added 23 points, hitting 4 threes at a 44.4% clip. The team finished with 17 assists and 7 offensive rebounds.

Tritons Team Defense

California-San Diego put on a defensive clinic, holding their opponent to just 51 points on 32% shooting from the field. The Tritons were particularly effective inside, where they limited the opposition to 36% shooting on two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, California-San Diego's defense was equally stingy, allowing just 3 made threes on 13 attempts for 23% shooting. The Tritons sent their opponent to the line 17 times, where they converted 16 free throws for 94%. California-San Diego also gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Mustangs vs Tritons Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road contests, the Mustangs offense has averaged 78 points per game while allowing an average of 85. Cal Poly posted an overall record of 2-8 while going 5-5 ATS.
In their last ten games at home, the Tritons have a straight up record of 8-2 while going 8-2 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 75 points per game in these contests.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Mustangs have a straight up record of 0-5. Their record vs the spread in these games was 0-5.
California-San Diego has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games.