Betting on today’s Roadrunners and Highlanders game? Catch the action at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV, as the Highlanders hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 131.5 points, and UC Riverside is favored by -2.5 vs. Bakersfield in a Big West conference matchup.

BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS VS UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: UC Riverside Highlanders -2.5

This game will be played at Dollar Loan Center at 9:00 ET on Wednesday, March 13th.

WHY BET THE UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-66 in favor of the Highlanders.
  • Not only will UC Riverside pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 131.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.

Will the Roadrunners Win on the Road?

As a team, Bakersfield has struggled on the road this season, going just 3-14 away from home. Their average margin of defeat on the road is -8.4 compared to their average margin of victory at home, which is +4.2. Over their last 10 games on the road, they have gone just 2-8.

So far this season, Bakersfield has been the underdog in 24 of their 31 games, going 6-18 in those contests. In their most recent game, they fell to Hawaii by a score of 74-57. For the year, Bakersfield is 13-18 overall and 8-12 in Big West play.

As the underdog, Bakersfield has gone 12-12 against the spread this season. On the road, the Roadrunners are 9-8 vs. the spread this year. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, Bakersfield is 5-5 vs. the spread.

Today’s over/under line of 131.5 is slightly lower than the average over/under line in Bakersfield’s games this season (136.1). So far, 13 of their games have finished with less points than today’s OU line. In their last three games, the average scoring total is 127 points.

In their recent matchup, the Bakersfield offense ended with 57 points against Hawaii. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 40.4% and made 6 threes. Coming into the game, the Roadrunners offense has strugled with their outside shot this season, hitting threes at a rate of just 31%. On average, they get up 15 three-point attempts per game and are averaging 13.7 made free-throws.

So far, the Roadrunners’ defense is ranked 86th in the country at 68.7 points per contest. Against Hawaii in their most recent game, the Bakersfield defense gave up a total of 74 points while allowing Hawaii to hit 49% of their shots.

Do the Highlanders Have a Shot at a Home Win?

UC Riverside enters this game as the favorite, as they have been in 12 of their 32 games this season. They have gone 10-2 in those games, and they have gone 10-4 at home compared to 4-12 on the road. Over their last 10 games at home, they have gone 6-4.

For the season, the Highlanders have a record of 15-17, and they have won their last three games. In their most recent game, they defeated UC Santa Barbara by a score of 81-64.

As the favorite, UC Riverside has gone 6-6 vs. the spread this season and is 5-5 in their last 10 games as the favorite. At home, the Highlanders have an ATS record of 8-6 this year and are just 1-2 ATS in their last 3 home games.

So far this season, the over/under record for UC Riverside games sits at 16-13-1. Today’s over/under line of 131.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games this year of 138.7. Across their last three games, the average scoring total is 150 points and over their last 10 games, their OU record is 6-3-1.

Coming off their recent game, the UC Riverside offense tallied 81 points in a matchup against UC Santa Barbara. Their field goal percentage for the game was 46.9%, and they made 14 threes. Kaleb Smith was the leading scorer for the Highlanders, putting up 28 points. In addition, Nate Pickens contributed 16 points.

The Highlanders’ defense is presently ranked 152nd nationally, allowing an average of 71.4 points per contest. UC Riverside’s three-point defense is currently 66th in the country at 6.3 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 44.6% of their shots vs. UC Riverside.