The No.3-seeded Long Beach State 49ers (18-13) and No.6-seeded UC Riverside Highlanders (14-18) get together in the first round of the BigWst tournament at Honda Center. The game begins at 11:30 pm ET on Thursday, Mar. 10.
The 49ers barely escaped Hawaii 74-72 in their last game. Nick Faust was the team’s leading scorer with 19 points on 6-for-13 shooting. The Highlanders, meanwhile, are coming off a 76-66 loss to UC Irvine in their last game. Jaylen Bland had a team-high 15 points.
Over the last five games, Justin Bibbins has really been playing well for the 49ers. During that stretch, he has averaged 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.8 three-pointers.
Points could be at a premium in this matchup between two of the nation’s best defenses. Long Beach State ranks 21st in the nation in defensive efficiency (103.4), while UC Riverside is 18th (101.8). Also, the Highlanders commit the 26th-fewest errors in the nation (TO% of 19.6%), while the disruptive defense of the 49ers causes the 11th-most (opponents’ TO% of 20.4%).
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The 49ers had the upper hand in the most recent game, a close 66-55 win. Bibbins had a standout performance in the victory, putting up 10 points, five rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and one three-pointer.
The 49ers have gone 18-13 Straight Up (SU) and 17-11-2 Against The Spread (ATS). Opposing offenses have been stifled by the 49ers, allowing a field goal percentage of only .443.
In the other locker room, UC Riverside has a SU record of 14-18 and an ATS record of 9-14-1. The UC Riverside defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only .426 shooting from the field to its opponents.
With the 49ers’ last win against UC Riverside, their SU record is now 9-1 over UC Riverside in their most recent games. The Highlanders lead the matchup ATS with a record of 5-4-1. During their latest five matchups, neither team ever held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers.
Predictions: SU Winner – LgBch, ATS Winner – LgBch
Notes
The UC Riverside Highlanders have a defensive rating of 101.8 (ranked 18th), while the Long Beach State 49ers have an offensive rating of 105.2 (ranked 199th).
The Long Beach State 49ers average 70.3 possessions and 1.052 points per possession in games this season. The UC Riverside Highlanders average fewer possessions with 67.7, as well as fewer points per possession with 1.027.
The Long Beach State 49ers average an effective field goal percentage of 50.1% this season. The UC Riverside Highlanders have a poor record of 3-8 when opponents have an eFG% of 50.1% or greater.
Long Beach State attempts an average of 22.0 three pointers per game and UC Riverside attempts 21.0. In games where they have 20 or more three point attempts, the Long Beach State 49ers have a 13-11 record while the UC Riverside Highlanders have an 8-11 record.
Long Beach State ranks 71st in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.24. UC Riverside is ranked lower at 263rd with an A/TO of .94.
The Long Beach State defense has forced an average TO% of 20.4% this season (ranked 11th). In games where it gives up a TO% of 20% or greater, UC Riverside has a losing 5-8 record.
