UC Irvine vs New Mexico Odds
| UC Irvine Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 154.5 -110o / -110u | +350 |
| New Mexico Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 154.5 -110o / -110u | -450 |
The New Mexico Lobos and UC Irvine Anteaters face off in a meeting between two top-65 ranked teams in KenPom. The Lobos have won nine consecutive games since losing against Saint Mary’s. Meanwhile, UC Irvine enters the contest at 7-4.
UC Irvine Anteators
UC Irvine is far and away the No. 1 Big West team, according to KenPom. That’s significantly different than the preseason polls indicated.
The Anteaters lost starting guards Dawson Baker and DJ Davis to the portal, and somehow have gotten better.
Well, there's actually not an intricate reason for the improvement. The team's defense is vastly improved with the departure of two below-average defenders. Head coach Russell Turner fully bought into defense being the team’s winning formula this season, and it’s translated to seven early non-conference wins.
UC Irvine hasn’t fared well against top-100 opponents — losing three of four games, with the win coming against a short-handed USC team. The trio of losses came to Utah State, Duquesne and San Diego State in narrow margins.
The Anteaters' offense is more questionable, ranking outside the top-100 in Offensive Efficiency. The duo of Derin Saran and Justin Hohn carry the offensive load, each averaging over 11 points per game.
If UC Irvine wants to compete against the stacked, up-tempo Lobos, it’ll need to score.
New Mexico Lobos
The Lobos look the part of an NCAA tournament team for the first time in a decade. That’s an incredibly lengthy drought for a program with an impressive history.
New Mexico pushes the pace (10th in Adjusted Tempo) and can rattle off a quick 10-0 run without sweating. The duo of speedy guards — Jaelen House and Donovan Dent — fit the quick tempo perfectly. Both guys compete and gamble on defense, trying to force turnovers and get into a transition situation.
Dent is averaging over 17.7 points and 6.7 assists per game this year — both lead the team.
I’m still expecting more from House moving forward, too. He’s averaging 13.3 points, down from 16.9 each of the past two seasons. He’s also shooting only 33% from the floor and 34% from 3.
House isn’t connecting on shots, and New Mexico is still comfortably dominating teams. That’s promising for Richard Pitino's club.
The one difference from last year's New Mexico team to this year's is the lack of a go-to post threat. In the toughest moments last year, New Mexico fed Morris Udeze the ball inside. This season, the duo of JT Toppin and Nelly Junior Joseph provide stability and dominate the glass, but neither are scoring like Udeze.
Both will face difficult assignments against the UC Irvine big-man rotation of 6-foot-11 Dean Keeler and 7-foot-1 Bent Leuchten.
UC Irvine vs. New Mexico
Betting Pick & Prediction
The Lobos regularly hammer opponents from smaller conferences, like UC Santa Barbara two weeks ago.
Plus, the incredible environment of The Pit completely alters the outcome of games.
The Anteaters will be overmatched against New Mexico’s quick-strike attack and quickness in the backcourt.
This feels like a game New Mexico takes the lead early and never lets up.
Pick: New Mexico -8.5
The new ESPN Sportsbook is now online and you can use Action’s ESPN BET promo code TANBONUS for a new user welcome.
