It’s time for the quarterfinals in the NIT as the UC Irvine Anteaters host the UAB Blazers tonight.
Irvine is looking to tie its program record for wins in a season (31) as a 4.5-point favorite, but it’s the total that my UAB vs. UC Irvine predictions are more interested in.
Irvine’s defense is well-poised to check UAB’s high-powered offense, while the Blazers are playing better defensively, leading me to the Under with my college basketball picks for Wednesday, March 26.
Who will win UAB vs UC Irvine?
UC Irvine will advance as the lone No. 1 seed still alive in the NIT. The Anteaters are 4.5-point favorites at home and are -200 on the moneyline. They’re 12-2 at home, while UAB is 7-5 on the road. The Blazers rank 215th in Haslametrics’ away-from-home metric, which doesn’t provide much confidence for this tough road test.
UAB vs UC Irvine prediction
My best bet: Under 159.5 (-110 at bet365)
What have the UC Irvine Anteaters done en route to the second 30-win season in program history? Play stingy defense, mostly. Russel Turner’s squad ranks 20th in adjusted defensive efficiency (KenPom) and 13th in effective field goal defense (46.1%).
Led by 7-foot German center Bent Leuchten, the Anteaters wall off the paint (second in near-proximity field goal defense per Haslametrics) and crash the boards (43rd in rebounding percentage). They’ll rely on that approach staying true against a potent UAB Blazers offense averaging 82.3 points per game and ranking 41st in adjusted offensive efficiency.
Irvine’s interior defense will be needed against a Blazers offense that makes the fourth-most 2-point shots per game (23.4) on the third-most attempts (46.2). The Blazers prefer to get to the cup (24th in near-proximity attempt rate), but this is far from an easy matchup to find easy looks repeatedly.
Star Blazers big man Yaxel Lendeborg has been an unstoppable force, averaging 17.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. While he’ll still get his, Irvine is a tough matchup for him.
The results are less than pretty when UAB is forced to take jump shots. The Blazers attempt only 19.4 3-pointers per game (321st) and instead take ill-advised 2-point jumpers, ranking 26th in mid-range attempt rate but converting at just the 309th-ranked mid-range field-goal percentage.
On the flip side, Irvine’s offense (161st in adjusted efficiency) lags behind its defense. UAB isn’t known for its stop unit, but it has been much better lately, ranking 41st in defensive momentum (Haslametrics) en route to a 3-6-1 O/U record in its last 10 games.
Irvine is 4-7-1 O/U in its last 12 games and has trended to the Under for much of the year (14-20-1 O/U). Sign me up for another Under in a game with a high total.
UAB vs UC Irvine same-game parlay (SGP)
UAB +2.5 in 1H
Under 75.5 in 1H
Under 159.5
Although UC Irvine is having a fantastic season, the Big West’s performance in postseason tournaments is a cause for pause. The Anteaters are the first Big West team to make it to the quarterfinals of the NIT since Fresno State in 1985.
There’s not much separating these teams lately, as they have been neck-and-neck in BartTorvik since February 14 (UC Irvine 76th, UAB 77th). UAB has been profitable in its last 10 games (7-3 ATS), while UC Irvine has been as well (6-4 ATS).
The Blazers’ resume has aged fairly well, with only two sore spots standing out (losses at East Carolina and Tulane). The Anteaters have at least that many demerits (losses at Oregon State, Duquesne, and UC Riverside), leading me toward the underdog in what could be a tight game.
I’m targeting the first-half spread instead of the full-game number. UAB is 19-7 ATS in its last 26 games in the first half, while UC Irvine is 10-19 ATS in the first half in its last 29.
This will be UAB’s fifth consecutive game away from home, which may come back to bite them in the second half, so I’m isolating for the first half only. In its last 22 games, UAB is 8-14 O/U in first halves, a trend I won't ignore.
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UAB vs UC Irvine odds
UAB vs UC Irvine live odds
UAB vs UC Irvine opening odds
- Spread: UAB +5 (-110) | UC Irvine -5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Kent State +170 | Loyola Chicago -205
- Over/Under: Over 159.5 (-110) | Under 159.5 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365
UAB vs UC Irvine betting trend to know
UC Irvine is 0-3 O/U in its last three home games. Find more college basketball betting trends for UAB vs. UC Irvine.
How to watch UAB vs UC Irvine
| Location | Bren Events Center, Irvine, CA |
| Date | Wednesday, 3-26-2025 |
| Tip-off | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN2 |
UAB vs UC Irvine key injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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