Long Beach State Beach vs UC Riverside Highlanders Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our UC Riverside vs Long Beach State NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Long Beach.

UC Riverside vs Long Beach State Prediction

Looking to win big? The Highlanders and Beach face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The Beach are hosting the game at Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, CA. UC Riverside is favored by -4.5 in this Big West conference contest against Long Beach State. The game's over/under currently sits at 138.5 points.

UC Riverside vs. Long Beach State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UC Riverside Highlanders at Long Beach State Beach
Where: Long Beach at Walter Pyramid
Date: Thursday, January 2nd
Betting Odds UCRVS -4.5, UCRVS -195 | LBST +159 O/U 138.5

Highlanders Preview: Will the Highlanders Find a Way to Win in Long Beach?

UC Riverside Highlanders Recent Game/Games

UC Riverside improved to 7-5 on the season with an 81-79 home win over St. Thomas (MN) on Sunday. The Highlanders, who were -1.5 point favorites, covered the spread in the victory.

Riverside led 36-26 at halftime but allowed 47 points in the 2nd half. They scored 37 points after the break to hold on for the win. The game’s total points of 160 exceeded the O/U line of 148.5.

Highlanders Offense Breakdown

UC Riverside put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 41.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 48.4%. They hit 8 threes at a 34.8% clip and were strong from the line, making 21 of 25 free throws (84%).

Nolan Minessale led the way with 27 points, shooting 56.2% overall. Barrington Hargress added 24 points, hitting 4 of 10 from deep, while Drake Dobbs contributed 19 points, connecting on 3 of 5 threes. Kaleb Smith chipped in 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Highlanders Team Defense

Despite UC Riverside's defensive efforts, they allowed 79 points in their previous game, with their opponents shooting 41% from the field on 26 of 62 attempts. Inside the arc, the Highlanders gave up 18 two-point baskets on 39 shots, a 46% conversion rate.

From three-point range, UC Riverside's defense saw their opponents hit 8 of 23 attempts, good for 34%. The Highlanders also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 25 times, where they converted 21 of those for an 84% success rate. UC Riverside allowed 15 offensive rebounds in the game.

Beach Preview: Will the Beach Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?

Long Beach State Beach Recent Game/Games

Long Beach State improved to 4-8 on the season with a 79-76 road win over Pepperdine on Thursday. The Beach entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs and not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Long Beach State led 45-36 at halftime but allowed 40 points in the 2nd half while scoring 34. The total points for the game reached 155, surpassing the O/U line of 138.5.

Beach Offense Breakdown

Long Beach State put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 56.9%. They hit 60% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 34.8% from beyond the arc, going 8-for-23 from three-point range.

Stefan Todorovic led the way with 32 points, hitting 4-of-9 from deep. TJ Wainwright added 26 points, shooting 6-of-8 from three-point range and 64.3% overall. Moe Odum dished out 11 assists, while Boubacar Coulibaly grabbed 11 rebounds.

Beach Team Defense

Long Beach State's defense gave up 76 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 40% from the field. They allowed 24 made field goals on 59 attempts, including 16/38 (42%) from two-point range.

From beyond the arc, the Beach gave up 8 threes on 21 attempts, a 38% shooting performance. The opposing team also went to the line 28 times, hitting 20 free throws for a 71% rate. Long Beach State allowed 12 offensive rebounds.

Highlanders vs Beach Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five games away from home, the Highlanders have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 64 points per game in this stretch.
Across their last three home contests, Long Beach State has been good against the spread posting a mark of 3-0. Their overall mark in these games was 3-0, while averaging 76 points per game.
As the betting underdog, the Beach have an ATS record of 3-0 in their last three games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 3-0.
In their last five contests as the favorite, UC Riverside has a poor record vs the spread going 2-2-1. But, they still put together a straight up mark of 4-1.