The Fullerton Titans take on the UCSB Gauchos. Our Big West Championship odds series has our Fullerton UCSB prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Fullerton UCSB.

The college basketball season has been noticeably unpredictable. Imagine having anyone saying before the season that North Carolina was not even going to make the NCAA Tournament, or that Northwestern would finish in second place in the Big Ten. In the Big West Conference, neat and clean conference seasons generally don't unfold. This is not a conference where the No. 1 seed consistently wins its conference tournament and goes to March Madness as a heavyweight team. That pattern of the No. 1 seed not winning the Big West has continued this year, with the tournament final matching the fourth-seeded Cal State Fullerton Titans and the second-seeded UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.

Fullerton won a two-point quarterfinal over fifth-seeded Hawaii, and then won a three-point semifinal over top-seeded UC Irvine, knocking out the regular-season conference champion in this single-elimination tournament. UCSB is now the higher seed in this title game. That really doesn't offer the Gauchos any comfort. This game feels up for grabs, just like any other Big West game.

UCSB got here by winning a very tough five-point semifinal over UC Riverside. UCSB trailed 10th-seeded Cal Poly for a good portion of its Big West quarterfinal before finally taking charge down the stretch. Nothing comes easily in this conference, so it is only fitting that Fullerton, the team which defeated the No. 1 seed now has to go through the No. 2 seed as well to make the NCAA Tournament.

Here are the Fullerton-UCSB Big West Championship odds, courtesy of FanDuel:

Big West Championship Odds: Fullerton-UCSB Odds

Fullerton Titans: +2.5 (-110)

UCSB Gauchos: -2.5 (-110)

Over: 128.5 (-115)

Under: 128.5 (-105)

How To Watch Fullerton vs UCSB 

TV: ESPN2

Stream: ESPN+

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. PT

*Watch Fullerton-UCSB LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*

Why Fullerton Could Cover The Spread

The Cal State Fullerton Titans won a low-scoring quarterfinal and a high-scoring semifinal. What does that tell you? It says that this team can win in different ways. It can win with offense and with defense. It can win with a faster pace and a slower pace. It can win when shots are falling and when it struggles to score. That kind of versatility and balance is a great sign heading into this Big West Tournament final. Cal State Fullerton has to think it can provide an answer for any question UCSB might ask.

Why UCSB Could Cover The Spread

If there is a rising coaching star in the Big West, it can be found at UCSB. Joe Pasternack is a standout coach who is now one of the early favorites to land the California Golden Bears' head coaching job after Cal fired Mark Fox earlier this week. Pasternack is one of the two or three top choices for the Bears and a guy who could soon move to the Pac-12. No, there are no rumors that he has been offered the job or will take the job, so his UCSB team is not going to be distracted by news reports. That is not a factor here. Pasternack being on the UCSB bench, and guiding the Gauchos through a pair of really tough Big West Tournament games before this final against Cal State Fullerton, should give the Gauchos the confidence and toughness they need to finish the job and return to the NCAA Tournament.

Final Fullerton-UCSB Prediction & Pick

Stay away from this game as a pregame play. Wait for a live betting angle.

Final Fullerton-UCSB Prediction & Pick: UCSB -2.5