Looking to win big? The Matadors and Gauchos face off at 11:30 ET on ESPN+. The Gauchos are hosting the game at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV. The over/under for this Big West conference contest is set at 149.5 points, with UC Santa Barbara being favored by -3.5 at home against CSUN.

CSUN MATADORS VS UC SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS BETTING PICK

The Pick: UC Santa Barbara Gauchos -3.5

This game will be played at Dollar Loan Center at 11:30 ET on Wednesday, March 13th.

WHY BET THE UC SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Gauchos.
  • Not only will UC Santa Barbara pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -3.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 149.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 145 points.

Will the Matadors Win on the Road?

CSUN enters this game as a 3.5-point underdog, and they have gone 7-11 this season when listed as the underdog. So far, they have gone 18-14 overall, including a 9-7 record on the road. Over their last 10 games away from home, they have gone 5-5.

Most recently, the Matadors lost to Hawaii by a score of 72-70. Over their last three games, they have gone 2-1, and they have dropped their last three games.

As the underdog, CSUN has gone 12-6 vs. the spread this season. On the road, the Matadors are 13-3 ATS this year and 7-3 in their last 10 road games vs. the spread. Overall, CSUN has an ATS record of 21-9 this season.

Today’s over/under line of 149.5 is similar to the average over/under line in CSUN’s games this season (149). So far, 19 of their games have finished with less points than 149.5. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 147 points and their over/under record in their last 10 games is 4-5-1.

In their recent game, the Matadors’ offense concluded with 70 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 74.9 points per contest. Currently leading the team in scoring is De’Sean Allen-Eikens who comes into today’s matchup averaging 18.5. Dionte Bostick also heads into the game with a PPG average of 15.2.

On defense, CSUN is currently around the NCAA average in points allowed, giving up an average of 73.2 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 8.3 threes per game vs. UC Santa Barbara. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 30.8%.

Will UC Santa Barbara Make it Happen at Home?

UC Santa Barbara enters this game as the favorite, as they have been in 18 of their 30 games this season. They have a record of 9-9 when favored, and their average scoring margin at home is +.4.

Over their last ten games at home, the Gauchos have gone 4-6, and they are coming off a loss to UC Riverside, 81-64. So far, they have gone 7-7 at home this season.

UC Santa Barbara has an ATS record of just 10-17-1 this season, including a mark of 3-10-1 at home. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Gauchos have gone just 3-7 vs. the spread. At home, their ATS record is just 2-8 in their last 10 games.

So far this season, the over/under record for UC Santa Barbara games is 16-12, and today’s over/under line of 149.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (145.2). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 148 points, which is right in line with their season average of 145.5 points per game. Currently, their over/under record in their last three games is 1-2.

In their latest game, UC Santa Barbara offense put up 64 points against UC Riverside. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 48.9% and made 5 threes. In terms of offense, the Gauchos have a season-long field goal percentage of 49%, putting them 39th in the NCAA. Regarding three-pointers, they are ranked 185th in percentage and 318th in three-pointers made.

At present, the Gauchos’ defense is nationally ranked 213rd, allowing 73.1 points per game. UC Santa Barbara’s defense is coming off a game in which they allowed the UC Riverside offense to knock down 48% of their shots on their way to putting up 81 points.