UC Irvine Anteaters vs UC Riverside Highlanders Matchup

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

UC Irvine vs UC Riverside Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Anteaters and Highlanders. The game is starting at 10:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Highlanders at SRC Arena in Riverside, CA. Get ready to place your bets! In this Big West matchup, UC Irvine is favored bt -6.5 vs. UC Riverside. The over/under for the game is 141 points.

UC Irvine vs. UC Riverside Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UC Irvine Anteaters at UC Riverside Highlanders
Where: Riverside at SRC Arena
Date: Thursday, January 23rd
Betting Odds UCIRV -6.5, UCIRV -280 | UCRVS +225 O/U 141

Anteaters Preview: Will the Anteaters Secure A Victory as Road Favorites?

UC Irvine Anteaters Recent Game/Games

The Anteaters improved to 16-2 on the season with a dominant 101-71 win over Cal Poly on Saturday. Playing at home, UC Irvine entered the game as -14.5 point favorites and covered the spread with ease.

After leading 45-35 at halftime, the Anteaters poured it on in the 2nd half, outscoring the Mustangs 56-36. The total points for the game reached 172, surpassing the O/U line of 153.5.

Anteaters Offense Breakdown

UC Irvine's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 101 points while shooting 53.1% from the field. They connected on 42.9% of their three-point attempts, going 9-for-21, and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, hitting 24-of-26 for a 92.3% rate. Their effective field goal percentage was 59.4%, and they dished out 22 assists as a team.

Devin Tillis led the way with 21 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 77.8% from the field. Bent Leuchten, Jurian Dixon, Peter Bandelj, and Cayden Ward each contributed 15 points, with Ward also grabbing 8 rebounds. Owen Koonce added 14 points, while Jarred Hyder chipped in 12 points and 4 assists, hitting 4 threes in the process.

Anteaters Team Defense

UC Irvine's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 71 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 53% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, where their opponent connected on 58% of their two-point attempts, going 25/43.

From beyond the arc, UC Irvine allowed 9 threes on 21 attempts, a 42% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 26 times, where they converted 24 of those attempts, a 92% rate. UC Irvine gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Highlanders Preview: Will the Highlanders Win at SRC Arena?

UC Riverside Highlanders Recent Game/Games

UC Riverside improved to 9-8 on the season with an 85-81 win over UC San Diego on Saturday. The Highlanders were +9.5 point underdogs going into the game, but not only pulled off the upset, they also covered the spread.

Riverside led 44-35 at halftime and added 41 points in the 2nd half, though they allowed 46 points to the Tritons after the break. The game’s total points of 166 went over the O/U line of 140.5.

Highlanders Offense Breakdown

UC Riverside's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 85 points on 50.8% shooting from the field. They connected on 37% of their three-point attempts, hitting 10 of 27, while their two-point shooting was even more impressive, at 62.5% (20/32). The Highlanders' effective field goal percentage stood at 59.3%, and they also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, matching their assist total for the game.

Barrington Hargress led the way with 40 points, shooting 63.6% overall and 62.5% from beyond the arc (5/8). Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones contributed 32 points and 7 rebounds, while Nate Pickens hit 4 of 6 threes, finishing with 15 points. Joel Armotrading was perfect from the field, going 5 for 5 and pulling down 14 rebounds.

Highlanders Team Defense

UC Riverside's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Highlanders allowed their opponent to hit 62% of their two-point attempts, going 20/32 inside the arc.

From three-point range, UC Riverside's defense allowed 10 threes on 27 attempts, a 37% shooting rate. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 22 times, where they converted 15 free throws, shooting 68%. The Highlanders gave up 15 offensive rebounds.

Anteaters vs Highlanders Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last five road contests, UC Irvine has been good against the spread posting a mark of 4-1. Their overall mark in these games was 4-1, while averaging 72 points per game.
In their last three home games, UC Riverside has averaged 65 points per game while allowing 69. The team's record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 2-1.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Highlanders have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-1.
Through their last five games as the favorite, the Anteaters have an ATS record of 5-0 and a straight up mark of 5-0.