The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos welcome the Oregon State Beavers to Thunderdome for their home opener. The game gets underway at 5:00 pm ET on Saturday, Nov. 21.
The Gauchos lost big to California 85-67 in their last game. Michael Bryson was the team’s leading scorer, putting up 23 points. The Beavers, meanwhile, are coming off a 77-69 win against Rice in their last outing. Gary Payton II led the game in scoring with 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting.
The odds for UC Santa Barbara and Oregon State are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is 137 points. The Gauchos enter this game with records of 1-1 Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS).
As for their opponent, the Beavers head into the game with records of 1-1 ATS and 3-0 SU. The Beavers convert their shots at a high percentage, ranking 49th in the country at .503. When it comes to making good decisions with the ball, not many are better than the Beavers. They have one of the top assist-to-turnover ratios in the country at 1.51. Switching gears to the Oregon State defense, the Beavers are a terror in the passing lanes, averaging an impressive 10.0 steals per game. Oregon State may be taking trips to the free throw line early and often with the Gauchos averaging 25.0 fouls per game, one of the highest marks in Division I.
This game marks the season’s first head-to-head clash between UC Santa Barbara and Oregon State. Their previous game was a Beavers victory, bringing their SU record to 1-0. With a 1-0 record, the Beavers also have the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – OreSt, ATS Winner – OreSt, O/U – Over
Notes
Santa Barbara is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
Santa Barbara is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games.
Santa Barbara is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home.
In its last game, UC Santa Barbara lost by a margin of 18 points. Oregon State is 2-0 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. UC Santa Barbara has a 0-1 record in blowouts.
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos average 73.9 possessions per game and .860 points per possession, while the Oregon State Beavers earn fewer possessions (68.9) but more points per possession (1.181).
UC Santa Barbara has an average effective field goal percentage of 41.9%. Oregon State is undefeated (2-0) when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Oregon State ranks 57th in assists, recording 17.7 per game. UC Santa Barbara performs worse at 272nd with 11.5 assists per game.
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos average 6.0 steals per game. The Oregon State Beavers are undefeated at 1-0 when they allow at least 6 steals.
