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The Cal State Fullerton Titans (16-12) visit the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (20-6) on Monday night! Action tips off at 10:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a Fullerton-UCSB prediction pick, and how to watch.
Fullerton has won four straight games and sits at 10-6 and in fifth place in the Big West. The Titans covered 71% of their games while 58% went under the projected point total. UCSB has lost two straight but remains 11-4 and in second place in the Big West. The Gauchos covered 61% of their games while 54% went over. This will be the second meeting of the season between the conference foes. UCSB came away with a 66-58 road victory the last time they matched up.
Here are the Fullerton-UCSB college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Fullerton-UCSB Odds
Cal State Fullerton: +5.5 (-102)
UC Santa Barbara: -5.5 (-120)
Over: 128.5 (-110)
Under: 128.5 (-110)
How To Watch Fullerton vs. UCSB
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Fullerton Could Cover The Spread
Article Continues Below
Cal State Fullerton has been inconsistent this season after a poor 6-6 record in non-conference play that saw them lose five games in a row. That being said, the Titans have flipped a switch since mid-January and have won six of their last seven games. Fullerton holds a solid spot within the advanced rankings considering their conference as they come in at No. 132 in KenPom and No. 136 in NET. While they do have a Quad 2 win, their 6-7 record in Quad 3 is less than ideal. As a result, Cal State Fullerton does not currently project to make the NCAA Tournament.
The Titans are led by 6'3″ guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. The junior slots in at fourth in the Big West in scoring with 16.5 PPG. Additionally, he is a pest on the defensive end where he ranks third with 1.6 steals per game. Wrightsell is a lethal outside shooter who exploded in his junior season. After averaging under nine points per game in his first two years he has nearly doubled that output thanks in large part to his outside shooting. The Omaha native averages 2.6 threes per game while shooting 41% from deep. Coming off back-to-back 23-point games, look for Wrightsell to be highly motivated to rebound after he was held to 10 points against the Gauchos back in December.
The X-factor for Fullerton has to be junior guard Max Jones. The 6'5″ sharpshooter averages 11.7 PPG and 1.1 threes per game while shooting 40% from deep. He's scored double-digit points in 10 of his last 11 games and has really come along as his minutes have increased.
Why UCSB Could Cover The Spread
The preseason favorite to win the Big West, UC Santa Barbara has been stellar throughout the season. They rank through their non-conference slate by going 9-2 with wins over Fresno State and Pepperdine. The Gauchos are in the midst of their first losing stark of the season, however, as they've suffered back-to-back double-digit losses to UC Irvine and UC Riverside. That being said, UCSB still has a great chance to win the conference and they currently sit at No. 111 in KenPom and No. 102 in NET. They've gone 2-1 in Quad 2 games but do have a pair of Quad 4 losses. Thanks to their recent losing streak, the Gauchos do not currently project to make the tournament although they are just a game back of projected 14-seed UC Irvine.
UCSB forced Fullerton into 21 turnovers in their previous meeting as that proved to be the difference in the eight-point Gauchos win. Leading scorer Ajay Mitchell was tremendous in the win, scoring 24 points on 8/13 shooting. While he may not shoot the three vert well, Mitchell is a talented and capable scorer. For the season, Mitchell ranks fifth in the Big West with 16.0 PPG. Additionally, his 4.7 APG ranks second in the conference. Although he scored just 8 points in their most recent loss, expect him to bounce back considering the sophomore had scored 24 points in both prior games.
Senior forward Miles Norris could prove to be the X-factor tonight thanks to his all-around impact on the game. Norris ranks second on the team in both scoring with 13.5 PPG and rebounding with 6.3 RPG. After being held to four points and three rebounds in their last meeting with Fullerton, look for the 6'10” senior to bounce back tonight.
Final Fullerton-UCSB Prediction & Pick
UCSB already got the best of Fullerton once this season – and that was on the road. Considering the Gauchos are 10-2 at home this season and the Titans are 5-8 on the road, I'll play UCSB with confidence tonight.
Final Fullerton-UCSB Prediction & Pick: UCSB -5.5 (-120)
