The UC Irvine Anteaters (16-5) will attempt to keep their six-game winning streak alive when they meet the Cal State Northridge Matadors (7-13) at Matadome. Action begins at 10:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Jan. 27 and can be seen on ES3.
The Matadors are hoping to rebound after their 74-61 loss to UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. Kendall Smith was the game’s leading scorer with 20 points. The Anteaters, meanwhile, are coming off a 72-59 win against Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday. Jaron Martin was the game’s top scorer, accounting for 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting.
UC Irvine takes on Cal State Northridge as an eight-point favorite. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is sitting at 135 points. The Matadors have gone 7-13 Straight Up (SU) and 7-10 Against The Spread (ATS). The Matadors are one of the best in Division I in terms of free throws made, making an impressive 17.0 per game.
In the other locker room, the Anteaters have records of 9-9-1 ATS and 16-5 SU. The Anteaters allow just 63.0 points per game, ranking them 19th in the nation. The Anteaters have one of the best opponent field-goal percentages in the nation at .374. Blocking shots is an area where UC Irvine has excelled. The Anteaters average 5.0 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the nation.
This game marks the season’s first head-to-head clash between these conference foes. Their previous game was an Anteaters victory, bumping their SU record over their most recent meetings to 6-4. The Matadors lead the matchup ATS with a record of 6-4. In these last five matchups, UC Irvine held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers three times, with Cal State Northridge controlling all three of these areas one time.
Predictions: SU Winner – UC-Irv, ATS Winner – UC-Irv, O/U – Under
Notes
CS Northridge is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games.
CS Northridge is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home.
CS Northridge is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing UC Irvine.
CS Northridge is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against UC Irvine.
UC Irvine hasn’t lost a game against any of its Big West Conference opponents, sitting at 5-0. Cal State Northridge, on the other hand, has a poor 2-4 SU record against these teams.
Cal State Northridge scores just 74.1 points per home game (ranked 237th). UC Irvine ranks 26th in points allowed on the road, giving up 66.4 points.
The Cal State Northridge Matadors average 70.5 possessions per game and 1.000 points per possession, while the UC Irvine Anteaters earn fewer possessions (65.6) but more points per possession (1.044).
The Cal State Northridge Matadors average an effective field goal percentage of 48.5% this season. The UC Irvine Anteaters have a poor record of 2-4 when opponents have an eFG% of 48.5% or greater.
The Cal State Northridge Matadors average 13.0 three point attempts per game, while the UC Irvine Anteaters attempt 17.0. When attempting 20 or more three pointers in a game, Cal State Northridge has yet to win a game (0-1), while UC Irvine is an even 2-2.
UC Irvine, the 44th-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 5.0 per game. Cal State Northridge does worse, ranked 202nd with 3.2.
UC Irvine ranks 269th in offensive rebounds, while Cal State Northridge ranks at 86th in defensive rebounds.
On average, Cal State Northridge forces a turnover rate of 17.5%. When UC Irvine turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a solid 7-4 record.
