We’ve been riding with UC Irvine, and they haven’t let us down yet. The Anteaters have found another gear in this tournament, dominating late in games and proving they belong in this WAC Championship showdown against a UC San Diego team that’s been the class of the conference all season. It’s a 9:30pm ET tip tonight, so not really as WACky, per se, but why not gild our Saturday evenings with a little California love? Let’s hit my preview, prediction, pick, and best bet for this championship college basketball game between UC San Diego and UC Irvine in the WAC Tournament tonight.
Here’s how I intend to play this early WACtion. I’ll be picking individual games throughout the weekend, with plenty of coverage here on DraftKings Network. Follow my handle @dansby_edits for more to-the-minute, point-of-need analyses and plays throughout conference tournament week.
Want to approach your March Madness Bracket with the same precision as the top 1% of bracket pool winners? Check out what the PoolGenius optimizer has to offer!
UC San Diego vs. UC Irvine preview, prediction
The Anteaters didn’t just cover -9.5 against Cal Poly—they buried them in the second half, outscoring the Mustangs by 19 after halftime in an 83-65 rout. They shot 57% from the field, controlled the glass with a +7 rebounding margin, and turned up the defensive pressure, forcing 14 turnovers. We liked what we saw, and now they’re catching 5.5 points in the WAC Championship against UC San Diego. Given how well Irvine is playing, that number feels inflated.
UC San Diego has been the class of the Big West all season, rolling into this title game on a 14-game winning streak with a 29-4 record to back it up. They don’t just win—they overwhelm, posting a +18.3 scoring margin behind an offense that hums at 79.9 points per game and a defense that holds opponents to just 61.6. Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones has been the heartbeat of this team, leading them in points (19.7), rebounds (5.4), and assists (3.6). He was in full control in their semifinal win over UC Santa Barbara, dropping 20 points and setting the tone with his ability to attack the rim and get to the line. The Tritons play disciplined, efficient basketball, and if Tait-Jones is dictating the action, they’re nearly impossible to rattle.
But UC Irvine is surging at the right time, and their recent play makes them a legitimate threat to crash the Tritons’ party. Over their last five games, they’ve averaged 76.4 points while holding opponents to just 40.8% shooting, all while dominating the glass with a +5.8 rebounding margin. Bent Leuchten has been a monster inside, dropping 21 points and snagging 10 boards in their semifinal rout of Cal Poly, and his ability to control the paint could be the key to slowing down the Tritons’ attack. If Irvine imposes their physicality early and forces San Diego into tougher shots than they’re used to—like they did in their 67-54 win over UC Riverside, where they held the Highlanders to 37% shooting and out-rebounded them by 12—this game could turn into a grind. And that’s exactly the kind of battle that favors the red-hot Anteaters.
UC Irvine at UC San Diego pick, best bet
UC Irvine isn’t just here on a hot streak—they’ve been grinding opponents down with size and endurance. San Diego has the résumé, but Irvine has been tested all tournament, showing the ability to adjust on the fly and wear teams down late. They’ve now covered four straight spreads, and they have the length (they rank top-50 nationally in average height) to disrupt San Diego’s perimeter-heavy offense, along with the depth (eight players averaging at least 15 minutes per game) to keep fresh legs in the rotation. The +5.5 line suggests UC Irvine is a step below, but with the way they’re executing on both ends, they feel like the more complete team right now.
We’ve been cashing with the Anteaters, and there’s no reason to hop off the train now. UC Irvine +5.5 isn’t just the play—it’s a statement. They’ve been relentless in this tournament, and if they keep this up, don’t be surprised when they’re the ones hoisting the trophy when the dust settles.
Best bet: UC Irvine +5.5 (-112)
Go with me once more, friends, unto the Anteating breach. Tail in the DKN betting group here!
Want to approach your March Madness Bracket with the same precision as the top 1% of bracket pool winners? Check out what the PoolGenius optimizer has to offer!
