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Long Beach State vs. UC Irvine Prediction and Odds (Back UC Irvine Against Ailing LB State)

By Matt De Saro

The UC Irvine Anteaters have a great matchup tonight at home against the conference-leading Long Beach State Beach.
The UC Irvine Anteaters have a great matchup tonight at home against the conference-leading Long Beach State Beach. / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
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Saturday’s nightcap comes out of the Big West Conference and features a showdown between the Long Beach State and the UC Irvine Anteaters. Long Beach State is hoping to hang on to their one-game lead over Cal State Fullerton atop the conference after having a very slow start to the year. If the Beach can beat the Anteaters tonight and win their last two games, they will take home the conference title.

Standing in their way tonight is the fifth-ranked team in the Big West. Here are the odds for this conference rivalry, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

Long Beach State vs. UC Irvine Odds, Spread, and Total

Spread:

  • Long Beach State +6.5 (-110)
  • UC Irvine -6.5 (-110)

Moneyline:

  • Long Beach State +230
  • UC Irvine -290

Total: 136.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Long Beach State vs. UC Irvine Prediction and Pick

Despite the difference in record and rankings, the Anteaters are sizable favorites tonight with a 6.5 point spread in their favor. A major reason for this is the awful injury luck that Long Beach State has had what seems like the entire season. Currently, the team is without Joe Hampton, Jordan Roberts, and Drew Cobb. Hampton and Robert are two of the team’s best scoring threats and one has to wonder where the points are going to come from tonight. This scoring issue goes from bad to possibly disastrous when you consider that the Anteaters have the eighth-best scoring defenses in the nation.

They are one of just a handful of teams that have managed to hold teams under 60 points per game. The Anteaters are the best perimeter defense in the nation and hold opponents to 25% from downtown. UC Irvine also ranks third in opponent effective field goal percentage and fifth in opponent shooting efficiency.

All that defense has to do to win tonight is shut down the 104th ranked offense missing three key parts of that offense. Things are about to get interesting in the Big West because I think Long Beach loses outright and drops into a tie with Cal State Fullerton. 

Pick: UC Irvine -6.5 (-110)

Follow all of Matt De Saro’s betting picks HERE

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