UC Riverside Highlanders (5-7) vs. UC Irvine Anteaters (7-5)
UC Riverside Highlanders vs. UC Irvine Anteaters 12/28/23 – As December comes to a close, NCAA Men’s Basketball fans and bettors alike are eagerly awaiting an intriguing matchup between UC Riverside Highlanders and UC Irvine Anteaters – two teams which have seen uneven results this year: Highlanders at 5-7 while Anteaters slightly ahead at 7-5 – as part of NCAAB free predictions for Thursday 28 December 2023 at Bren Events Center. Fans and bettors alike eagerly anticipate this contest which has quickly become one of the premier picks.
The Highlanders have shown inconsistent performances this season, posting an overall record of 5-7 while showing both strengths and weaknesses through statistics analysis. Their offense features strong offensive rebounding presence with 12.8 offensive boards per game averaged, which could play an instrumental part against Anteaters; their field goal percentage stands at 39.4% with 30.8% 3-point percentage; however their field goal percentage falls short in shooting efficiency (39.4% field goal and 30.8% 3-point shooting efficiency respectively); defensively speaking they averaged 5.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game which suggests an efficient setup on defense;
Anteaters (7-5 record), on the other hand, present a more potency offensive profile than Highlanders; their 48.4% field goal percentage puts them ahead in scoring efficiency while 36.1% 3-point shooting is an outstanding strength of theirs. Defensively they excel with 6.8 steals per game and 3.3 blocks while their turnover rate of 12.2 may present difficulties; maintaining defensive pressure while controlling turnovers could prove crucial in this matchup.
UC Riverside Highlanders vs. UC Irvine Anteaters 12/28/23 Game Info
| When: | Thursday, December 28, 2023 at 10:00 PM ET |
| Where: | Bren Events Center |
| TV: | ESPN+ |
| Stream: | Sofascore |
Isaiah Moses (Guard) vs. Justin Hohn (Guard)
Isaiah Moses of the Highlanders is an integral piece to their team’s success, contributing 12.9 points per game with an outstanding 43.4% field goal percentage and 5 assists per game on average. Additionally, his playmaking abilities could make all the difference on any given night; yet 3-point shooting efficiency and defense could use some improvement.
Justin Hohn of the Anteaters boasts an average scoring output of 13.7 points per game with an impressive 46.5% field goal percentage and 39.4% 3-point shooting percentage, along with lower assist numbers but notable defensive contributions (1 steal/game).
Moses and Hohn will face off on the court in an intense contest of offensive prowess vs. shooting efficiency, both having significant potential impact on game results; so their head-to-head meeting will be key for watching out the outcome of each contest.
NCAAB Odds/Point Spread: TBD
Betting odds and point spreads have yet to be finalized for this matchup; however, considering each team’s performances and statistics so far, the Anteaters may hold an edge due to their superior scoring efficiency and shooting prowess.
UC Riverside Highlanders Betting Trends
The Highlanders have gone 4-1 against the spread in their last five games, suggesting an effective performance and solid results against any spread opponent. However, their performance versus betting expectations remains underwhelming; two out of five road games against the spread reveal challenges faced during away contests while totals going over in three of their last five contests demonstrate they possess enough scoring capacity for high-scoring encounters.
UC Irvine Anteaters Betting Trends
The Anteaters have shown themselves to be quite reliable against the spread in recent games, going 3-2 against it overall in five of them and posting four wins against it while going 4-3 away from home against it; two out of their five matches also went over, suggesting relatively high-scoring affairs.
UC Riverside Highlanders vs. UC Irvine Anteaters 12/28/23 Betting Picks
Given statistical analysis and betting trends, this game appears to be closely contested. With their offensive advantage and slightly superior defensive stats, UC Irvine appears to have an edge; but ultimately success hinges on whether UC Riverside can leverage their rebounding strength while holding off Irvine’s efficient scoring ability.
Betting-wise, Irvine may be the safer pick; however Riverside has proven their ability to cover spreads in recent games with relative ease. Prop bets focusing on individual player performance could prove intriguing with Moses and Hohn both known for being key contributors on offense; ultimately the final over/under number will depend upon both teams executing offensively effectively.
UC Irvine will likely come out ahead, due to their offensive efficiency and home court advantage, yet expect a highly-competitive game between UC Riverside and UC Irvine; both should provide fans and top exclusive handicappers an exciting contest to watch out for!
Free Pick and Prediction: UC Irvine Anteaters 74 – UC Riverside Highlanders 68