CSUN Matadors vs UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Matchup

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

CSUN vs UC Santa Barbara Prediction

Planning on watching today's Matadors and Gauchos game? Catch the action at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, CA, as the Gauchos hosts this showdown at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. CSUN is favored by -1.5 in this Big West conference matchup the against UC Santa Barbara. The over/under for the game is set at 147.5 points.

CSUN vs. UC Santa Barbara Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: CSUN Matadors at UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Where: Santa Barbara at The Thunderdome
Date: Thursday, January 30th
Betting Odds CSUNR -1.5, CSUNR -110 | USCB -110 O/U 147.5

Matadors Preview: Will the Matadors Find a Way to Win on the Road?

CSUN Matadors Recent Game/Games

The Matadors fell to 11-7 on the season after a 79-54 loss to UC San Diego on Saturday. CSUN went into the game as +10 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 133, which was below the 148.5 O/U line.

CSUN trailed 41-22 at halftime and struggled to close the gap in the second half, scoring 32 points while allowing 38.

Matadors Offense Breakdown

CSUN struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 54 points on 32.8% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 34.4%, and they hit only 2 of 14 three-point attempts, shooting 14.3% from beyond the arc.

They did manage to grab 15 offensive rebounds and dish out 10 assists. Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones led the team with 32 points on 10 of 14 shooting, while Tyler McGhie added 19 points, hitting 5 of 11 threes.

Matadors Team Defense

CSUN's defense gave up 79 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 45% from the field. They struggled to contain two-point shots, with the other team hitting 53% of their attempts (16/30).

From beyond the arc, the Matadors allowed 11 threes on 30 attempts, a 36% shooting rate. They also sent the other team to the line 17 times, where they converted 14 free throws (82%). CSUN gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Gauchos Preview: Can UC Santa Barbara Pull Out the Win as Home Underdogs?

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Recent Game/Games

UC Santa Barbara improved to 11-7 on the season with an 83-75 road win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. The Gauchos entered the game as 8-point favorites, and the final score resulted in a push against the spread. The total points of 158 exceeded the O/U line of 141.5.

UCSB led 34-29 at halftime and then scored 49 points in the 2nd half while allowing 46 points to the Titans.

Gauchos Offense Breakdown

UC Santa Barbara put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 55.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 63%. They were dominant inside, hitting 72.4% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 36% from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, they were nearly automatic, making 87.5% of their shots.

Cole Anderson led the way with 29 points, hitting 6 of 10 from three-point range and shooting 64.3% overall. The Gauchos dished out 19 assists, with Anderson adding 4, while Zion Richardson contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, despite shooting just 20% from deep.

Gauchos Team Defense

UC Santa Barbara's defense gave up 75 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 43% from the field, hitting 24 of 55 shots. Inside the arc, they allowed 54% shooting, as the opponent made 18 of 33 two-point attempts.

From three-point range, UC Santa Barbara held the opposition to 27% shooting, with just 6 made threes on 22 attempts. At the free-throw line, the other team converted 21 of 27 attempts, good for 77%. The Gauchos also gave up 9 offensive rebounds.

Matadors vs Gauchos Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Matadors last ten road games, the team averaged 80 points per game while allowing 77. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 6-4, while going 6-4 straight-up.
Across the Gauchos last three home games, the team averaged 73 points per game while allowing 74. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 0-2-1, while going 2-1 straight-up.
The last five games that UC Santa Barbara was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 2-2-1 while going 2-3 straight up.
In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Matadors have a straight up record of 2-1, while going 1-2 against the spread.