The Highlanders and Beach are set to face off at 11:30 ET on ESPN+. The Beach will host the game at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV. This Big West conference matchup has an over/under of 149.5 points, and Long Beach State is favored to win by -3.5 at home vs. UC Riverside.

UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS VS LONG BEACH STATE BEACH BETTING PICK

The Pick: Long Beach State Beach -3.5

This game will be played at Dollar Loan Center at 11:30 ET on Thursday, March 14th.

WHY BET THE LONG BEACH STATE BEACH:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Beach.
  • Not only will Long Beach State 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.

Do the Highlanders Stand a Chance on the Road?

UC Riverside is 4-12 on the road this season, but they have won four straight games away from home. Overall, they are 15-17, including a 10-9 mark in Big West Conference action.

As the underdog, the Highlanders are 4-14 this season. They are 10-2 when favored.

UC Riverside has a .500 ATS record this season at 15-15. On the road, they are 7-9 vs. the spread. As the underdog, the Highlanders have gone 9-9 vs. the spread this year. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, UC Riverside has an ATS mark of 5-5.

So far this season, the over/under record for UC Riverside games is 16-13-1. Today’s over/under line of 149.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games this year (138.7). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 with an average scoring total of 154 points.

UC Riverside finished with 81 points in their game against UC Santa Barbara. This total surpasses their season-average of 70.8 points per game. Barrington Hargress is the current leading scorer for the team, with an average of 12.7 as they approach today’s matchup. In addition, Isaiah Moses brings a PPG average of 12.2 into the game.

On defense, UC Riverside is currently around the NCAA average in points allowed, giving up an average of 71.4 points per game. UC Riverside’s three-point defense is currently 70th 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.

Does Long Beach State Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

Long Beach State Beach enters this game as a 3.5-point favorite. They have an 18-14 record this season, including a 10-10 mark in Big West games. Over their last 10 games, they have gone 5-5 at home.

Long Beach State Beach has lost their last five games, including their most recent matchup against UC Davis, where they fell by a score of 88-78. So far, they have been favored in 19 games and have gone 11-8 in those matchups.

Long Beach State has struggled against the spread this season, going just 13-17. Their home ATS record is even worse at 4-7. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Beach are just 5-5 vs. the spread.

This season, the over/under record for Long Beach State games is 17-13. So far, the average over/under line in their games is 152.2 and the average scoring total is 152.4. Today’s over/under line of 149.5 is lower than the average scoring total in their games this season. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total is 153 points.

The Beach’s offense finished with 78 points in their previous game, mirroring their current average of 77.4 points per contest. The team’s top scorer is Marcus Tsohonis, who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 17.6, while Aboubacar Traore also maintains a PPG average of 11.9 leading up to the game.

At present, the Beach’s defense is nationally ranked 272nd, allowing 76.1 points per game. In today’s game, the Long Beach State defense will be looking to once again do a good job defending the three-point line, as they gave up just 3 three-pointers while giving up 88 points.