UCSB Gauchos (16-10, 8-5 Big West) vs. UC Irvine Anteaters (15-9, 9-5 Big West)
Henderson, Nevada; Thursday, 5:30 p.m. EST
LINE: UC Irvine -1.5; over/under is 125.5
BOTTOM LINE: The UC Irvine Anteaters and UCSB Gauchos meet in the Big West Tournament.
The Anteaters are 9-1 on their home court. UC Irvine averages 66.1 points while outscoring opponents by 6.6 points per game.
The Gauchos are 8-5 in Big West play. UCSB leads the Big West with 37.2 points per game in the paint led by Amadou Sow averaging 1.2.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Anteaters won 53-52 in the last matchup on Feb. 4. Collin Welp led the Anteaters with 17 points, and Sow led the Gauchos with 17 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: DJ Davis is shooting 37.6% from beyond the arc with 1.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Anteaters, while averaging 8.3 points. Welp is averaging 12 points and 6.8 rebounds over the past 10 games for UC Irvine.
Sow is scoring 15.8 points per game with 8.2 rebounds and 0.7 assists for the Gauchos. Ajay Mitchell is averaging 18.8 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 59.0% over the past 10 games for UCSB.
LAST 10 GAMES: Anteaters: 8-2, averaging 66.0 points, 32.5 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 4.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 59.2 points per game.
Gauchos: 8-2, averaging 73.1 points, 28.9 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 7.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 52.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.5 points.
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