UC Riverside Highlanders vs Long Beach State Beach NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/2/25

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 matchup the against Long Beach State. The over/under for the game is set at 138.5 points.

UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS VS LONG BEACH STATE BEACH BETTING PICK

The Pick: Long Beach State Beach +4.5

This game will be played at Walter Pyramid at 10:00 ET on Thursday, January 2nd.

WHY BET THE LONG BEACH STATE BEACH:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Beach.
• Not only will Long Beach State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 138.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Are the Highlanders Ready for a Win at Long Beach?

UC Riverside Highlanders Recent Game/Games

UC Riverside improved to 7-5 on the season with an 81-79 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 second half while scoring 37. The total points for the game reached 160, surpassing the O/U line of 148.5.

UC Riverside put up 81 points in their latest game, shooting 41.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 48.4%. They hit 34.8% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 23 attempts, and were strong at the free-throw line, making 21 of 25 for 84%.

Nolan Minessale led the way with 27 points, shooting 56.2% overall, while Barrington Hargress added 24 points, hitting 4 of 10 from deep. Drake Dobbs contributed 19 points, knocking down 60% of his threes, and Kaleb Smith chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Even with UC Riverside allowing 79 points, they held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field, as the opposing team went 26/62. UC Riverside gave up 46% shooting on two-point attempts, with their opponent hitting 18 of 39.

From beyond the arc, UC Riverside’s defense allowed 8 threes on 23 attempts, a 34% shooting percentage. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 25 times, where they converted 21 for 84%. UC Riverside allowed 15 offensive rebounds in the game.

Will the Beach Win at Home?

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 second half while scoring 34. The game’s total points reached 155, surpassing the over/under line of 138.5.

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 and 34.8% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 23 three-point tries.

TJ Wainwright was on fire from deep, hitting 6 of 8 threes at a 75% clip, finishing with 26 points. Stefan Todorovic added 32 points, knocking down 4 of 9 from three, while Moe Odum dished out 11 assists.

Long Beach State gave up 76 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 40% from the field on 24 of 59 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 16 two-point baskets on 38 attempts, a 42% shooting rate.

From beyond the three-point line, Long Beach State’s defense allowed 8 made threes on 21 attempts, a 38% success rate. They also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 28 times, where they converted 20 free throws, a 71% rate. Long Beach State gave up 12 offensive rebounds in the game.