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The UC Irvine Anteaters (9-1) and the Belmont Bruins (9-2) meet Thursday at the Curb Event Center Arena in Nashville. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the UC Irvine vs. Belmont odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
UC Irvine lost 67-55 at the Oregon State Beavers on Saturday, its first loss of the season. Despite the setback and non-cover, UCI is still a respectable 6-3 against the spread (ATS) in 9 games, while the Under has cashed in 7 of 9 outings.
Belmont picked up a 93-86 win at the Richmond Spiders on Saturday as a 2-point road favorite as the Over (149) connected. The Bruins have 5 wins in 6 tries at home, while going 2-1-1 ATS in the past 4 at Curb. The Over has cashed in 5 in a row, while going 8-1 in the past 9 outings.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll
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UC Irvine at Belmont odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college basketball odds. Lines last updated at 5:47 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): UC Irvine -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Belmont +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
- Against the spread: UC Irvine -2.5 (-105) | Belmont +2.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: 152.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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UC Irvine at Belmont picks and predictions
Prediction
UC Irvine 85, Belmont 79
Moneyline
Rolling with UC Irvine (-135) straight up is a little more expensive than necessary. It does have a Quad 1 victory against the Northern Iowa Panthers on the road, and it came by 20 points, too. That was the only loss for the Anteaters, as they have 4 Q3 wins and 3 Q4 victories with no bad losses.
While Belmont (+110) has been money lately, it hasn’t had close to the same type of resume of UCI. The Bruins had a solid win at Richmond Saturday, but that’s just a Q4 game. It has ticked off a Q2 victory over the rival Lipscomb Bisons, but Belmont also lost a Q4 game against the Loyola Marymount Lions. Not good.
PASS, and look to the spread instead.
Against the spread
BACK UC IRVINE -2.5 (-110) laying the points for a much better value as opposed to backing it on the moneyline.
UCI is 3-2 ATS in the past 5 games, although it is coming off a 67-55 loss at Oregon State.
Belmont +2.5 (-110) is 3-1-1 ATS in the past 5 games, which is impressive, but it is just 2-2-1 ATS in 5 games against home against Division I teams.
Over/Under
OVER 152.5 (-115) might be the best play on the board in the Music City.
The Over has cashed in 5 straight games for the Bruins, with Belmont going for 82 or more points in each of the outings. The total has gone high in 8 of the past 9 games, too.
UC Irvine managed just 55 points in a loss at Oregon State last time out, but it did fill up the basket with 82 points in a win over Cal State Bakersfield prior to that one Dec. 5. Defensively, UCI allows just 60.3 PPG, while teams are hitting only 37.8% from the field against them. But, facing Belmont is a huge test, and perhaps the toughest of the season for UCI.
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