Cal Poly Mustangs vs UC Irvine Anteaters Matchup

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

Cal Poly vs UC Irvine Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Mustangs and Anteaters. The game is starting at 10:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Anteaters at Bren Events Center in Irvine, CA. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 150.5 points, and UC Irvine is favored by -13.5 vs. Cal Poly in a Big West conference matchup.

Cal Poly vs. UC Irvine Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Cal Poly Mustangs at UC Irvine Anteaters
Where: Irvine at Bren Events Center
Date: Saturday, January 18th
Betting Odds UCIRV -13.5, CALPOL +800 | UCIRV -1400 O/U 150.5

Mustangs Preview: Can the Mustangs Offense Score Enough in Irvine?

Cal Poly Mustangs Recent Game/Games

Cal Poly's season struggles continued with a 65-54 loss to UC Davis on Thursday, dropping their record to 5-13. The Mustangs were -5.5 point favorites at home but failed to cover the spread.

Cal Poly trailed 31-26 at halftime and couldn't close the gap in the second half, scoring 28 points while allowing 34. The game’s total points (119) fell well short of the 156.5 O/U line.

Mustangs Offense Breakdown

Cal Poly managed just 54 points in their last game, shooting 34.7% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range, hitting 11 of 31 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.9%, and they connected on 75% of their free throws, going 9 for 12.

On the boards, the Mustangs grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists. Ty Johnson led the way with 21 points, shooting 35% overall and 42.9% from deep. Pablo Tamba was efficient, hitting 8 of 9 shots, while Isaac Jessup knocked down 4 threes at a 50% clip.

Mustangs Team Defense

Cal Poly's defense held their opponent to 65 points on 34% shooting from the field. They limited two-point attempts, with the other team making just 6 of 18 shots for 33%.

From beyond the arc, the opponent shot 35%, hitting 11 of 31 threes. Cal Poly sent them to the line 12 times, where they made 9 free throws, shooting 75%. The Mustangs gave up 13 offensive rebounds.

Anteaters Preview: Will UC Irvine Win at Home?

UC Irvine Anteaters Recent Game/Games

UC Irvine improved to 15-2 on the season with an 82-62 win over Cal State Fullerton on Thursday. Playing at home, the Anteaters were -19.5 point favorites and covered the spread. The game’s total points of 144 went over the pre-game line of 136.5.

UC Irvine took control early, leading 45-31 at halftime. They maintained their lead in the second half, scoring 37 points while allowing 31.

Anteaters Offense Breakdown

UC Irvine put up 82 points in their last game, shooting 40.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 48.5%. They hit 9 of 30 from beyond the arc (30%) and were 18 of 36 on two-point attempts, shooting 50% inside the arc. At the free-throw line, they connected on 19 of 28 attempts, good for 67.9%.

The Anteaters dished out 21 assists and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds. Bent Leuchten led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 3 of 5 from three-point range and shooting 61.5% overall. Zion Richardson added 14 points and 11 rebounds, knocking down 3 of 4 from deep and shooting 71.4% from the field.

Anteaters Team Defense

UC Irvine's defense held their opponent to 62 points on 40% shooting from the field. They gave up 18 two-point field goals on 36 attempts, allowing their opponent to shoot 50% from inside the arc.

From beyond the three-point line, UC Irvine's defense limited their opponent to 9 made threes on 30 attempts, a 30% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 28 times, where they made 19 free throws, shooting 67%. UC Irvine allowed 12 offensive rebounds in the game.

Mustangs vs Anteaters Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Mustangs have a straight up record of 2-8 while going 4-6 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 77 points per game in these contests.
Across the Anteaters last ten home games, the team averaged 74 points per game while allowing 69. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 7-3, while going 8-2 straight-up.
Looking back on the team's last ten games as the underdog, the Mustangs have a straight up record of 1-9. Their record vs the spread in these games was 4-6.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Anteaters have a straight up record of 9-1 and an ATS mark of 8-2.