UC Irvine Anteaters vs CSUN Matadors NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/9/25
Betting on today’s Anteaters and Matadors game? Catch the action at Premier America Credit Union in Northridge, CA, as the Matadors hosts this showdown at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. In this Big West matchup, UC Irvine is favored bt -4.5 vs. CSUN. The over/under for the game is 147.5 points.
UC IRVINE ANTEATERS VS CSUN MATADORS BETTING PICK
The Pick: CSUN Matadors +4.5
This game will be played at Premier America Credit Union at 10:00 ET on Thursday, January 9th.
WHY BET THE CSUN MATADORS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Matadors.
- Not only will CSUN pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 147.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 145 points.
Will the Anteaters Pull Through as the Favored Road Team?
UC Irvine Anteaters Recent Game/Games
The Anteaters improved to 12-2 on the season with an 81-57 win over UC Riverside on Saturday. Playing at home, UC Irvine entered the game as -8.5 favorites and covered the spread. The total points for the game ended at 138, just under the 141.5 O/U line.
UC Irvine trailed 35-29 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, scoring 52 points while holding the Highlanders to just 22.
UC Irvine put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 49.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.5%. They connected on 60.6% of their two-point attempts, while hitting just 31.8% from beyond the arc, going 7-for-22 from three-point range.
The Anteaters were solid from the free-throw line, making 20 of 28 attempts for a 71.4% success rate. Barrington Hargress led the team with 20 points, despite shooting just 35.3% overall and 30.0% from three. Justin Hohn added 17 points, shooting 57.1% from the field, and Myles Che contributed 16 points and 7 assists.
UC Irvine’s defense gave up 57 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 49% from the field on 27 of 55 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 60% shooting, with the other team making 20 of 33 two-point shots.
From three-point range, UC Irvine’s defense held the opposition to 31% shooting, as they went 7 for 22. The other team also got to the free-throw line 28 times, converting 20 of those attempts for 71%. UC Irvine allowed 9 offensive rebounds.
Can CSUN Grab a Win at Home?
CSUN improved to 9-4 on the season with a 73-61 home win over UC Davis on Saturday, January 4th. The Matadors entered the game as -8.5 favorites and covered the spread.
CSUN led 34-25 at halftime and outscored the Aggies 39-36 in the 2nd half. The total points for the game were 134, falling short of the 150.5 O/U line.
Marcus Adams Jr. was the standout performer for CSUN, scoring 28 points on 64.7% shooting, including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc. As a team, the Matadors hit 43.8% of their threes, going 7 for 16, and finished with an overall field goal percentage of 47.4%.
CSUN’s effective field goal percentage was 52.6%, but they struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 52.2% of their attempts. Keonte Jones contributed 20 rebounds and 6 assists, while Ty Johnson managed 17 points despite shooting just 18.8% from the field.
Despite CSUN allowing 61 points on 47% shooting, they managed to limit the damage. The Matadors gave up 20 two-point field goals on 41 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 48% from inside the arc.
From three-point range, CSUN’s defense allowed 7 threes on 16 attempts, with the other team shooting 43%. They also sent them to the line 23 times, where they converted 12 free throws at a 52% rate. CSUN allowed 13 offensive rebounds in the game.