UTEP Miners vs UC Santa Barbara Gauchos NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/20/24
The Miners and Gauchos are set to face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The Gauchos will host the game at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, CA. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 146.5 points, with UC Santa Barbara being favored by -7.5 over UTEP.
UTEP MINERS VS UC SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS BETTING PICK
The Pick: UTEP Miners +7.5
This game will be played at The Thunderdome at 10:00 ET on Wednesday, November 20th.
WHY BET THE UTEP MINERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Gauchos.
- Even though we have UC Santa Barbara winning straight-up, we like UTEP at +7.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 146.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Can UTEP Pull Off A Win at The Thunderdome?
UTEP Miners Recent Game/Games
UTEP’s season got off to a rough start with an 89-60 loss to Utah Valley on Saturday. The Miners were +1 underdogs going into the game but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 149, surpassing the over/under line of 143.5.
After trailing 43-28 at halftime, UTEP couldn’t turn things around in the second half, scoring 32 points while allowing 46. They’ll need to regroup quickly after this lopsided loss.
UTEP struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 26.3% from the field and 23.8% on two-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 31.6%, but they did manage to hit 33.3% of their three-pointers, going 5-for-15 from deep.
At the free-throw line, the Miners were strong, converting 86.2% of their attempts (25/29). Dominick Nelson led the way with 21 points and 8 rebounds, while Tanner Toolson added 16 points, hitting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
UTEP’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 89 points on 52% shooting. They allowed 26 field goals, including 11 three-pointers on 21 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 52% from beyond the arc.
The Miners also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 43 times, where they converted 31 free throws at a 72% rate. UTEP gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.
Can the Gauchos Live Up to the Hype at Home?
UC Santa Barbara improved to 3-1 on the season with a 64-59 win over San Jose State on Sunday. The Gauchos were -6 favorites going into the game, but they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 123, well under the O/U line of 144.5.
Santa Barbara led 30-27 at halftime and added 34 points in the 2nd half while allowing 32. They’ll look to build on this win as they continue their season.
In their recent game, UC Santa Barbara put up 64 points, shooting 43.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 52.7%, thanks in part to hitting 40% of their three-pointers (10/25). They also managed 10 offensive rebounds and dished out 12 assists.
Josh Uduje led the way with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Cole Anderson knocked down 6 of 8 threes, finishing with 18 points. Kenny Pohto contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, adding 7 assists to his stat line.
UC Santa Barbara’s defense held their opponent to just 59 points, with the Gauchos allowing 40% shooting from the field (22/54). They gave up 16 two-point baskets on 31 attempts, a 51% shooting rate.
From beyond the arc, the Gauchos limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 23 attempts, a 26% shooting percentage. At the free-throw line, their opponent shot 90%, hitting 9 of 10. UC Santa Barbara also allowed 10 offensive rebounds.