The UC Irvine Anteaters (13-2, 3-0 Big West) travel to meet the Cal State Northridge Matadors (11-4, 3-1) Thursday. Tip-off at Premier America Credit Union Arena is set for 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the UC Irvine vs. Cal State Northridgeodds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Keep a close eye on this game Thursday. The NHL postponed Wednesday’s game between the Calgary Flames and LA Kings due to the terrible wildfires in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Northridge is just 30 miles west of one of the hardest hit areas, Altadena, and just 20 miles north of the Pacific Palisades area, another location which has been heavily affected. Rest in peace to those lost in the blazes, and thoughts and prayers to those dealing with this ongoing disaster.
If this game does take place, UCI has won and covered 3 in a row to vault to the top of the Big West standings. The Under is 3-1 in the past 4 games, too. The Anteaters are on a 10-4 against-the-spread (ATS) run in the previous 14 contests, while the Under is also 10-4 this season.
For CSUN, it has won 4 in a row, while covering the previous 3 outings. The Matadors are 9-3 ATS in the past 12 games, too. The Mats have hit the Over in 3 of the past 5 games, although the Under is 3-0 in 3 home games to date.
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UC Irvine at Cal State Northridge odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college basketball odds. Lines last updated at 10:55 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): UC Irvine -175 (bet $175 to win $100) | Cal State Northridge +145 (bet $100 to win $145)
- Against the spread: UC Irvine -3.5 (-110) | Cal State Northridge +3.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 147.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
UC Irvine at Cal State Northridge picks and predictions
Prediction
UC Irvine 76, Cal State Northridge 69
Moneyline
Backing UC Irvine (-175) will cost you nearly 2 times your potential return, which is just a little too expensive for a standalone wager. However, if you were to toss the Anteaters into a multi-leg parlay, that is perfectly acceptable and not priced out of line.
AVOID.
Against the spread
UC IRVINE -3.5 (-110) is worth playing lightly. The Anteaters have won 9 of the past 10 meetings in this series since Feb. 7, 2018, while going 3-1 ATS in the past 4 since Jan. 14, 2023. That includes 3 covers as favorites, including twice by double digits.
Cal State Northridge +3.5 (-110) has covered 3 in a row, so don’t get carried away backing UCI. CSUN is a very respectable 9-4 ATS in 13 games with a spread this season.
Over/Under
UNDER 147.5 (-110) is the lean in this Big West clash, just don’t get carried away.
The Under has hit in 3 of the past 4 games for the Anteaters, who have allowed 70 or fewer points in 3 of those outings and 8 of the past 10 games.
For the Matadors, the Under has a slight 4-3 edge in the past 8 games, with the Mats allowing 65 or fewer points in each of the past 4 outings.
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