The Long Beach State vs. Arizona matchup will be one of the 15-2 contests in the NCAA Tournament. Is 19.5 too many points to lay with the Wildcats today at 2:00 p.m. ET?
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
755 Long Beach State Beach (+19.5) vs. 756 Arizona Wildcats (-19.5); o/u 163.5
2:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, March 21, 2024
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
TV: TBS
Long Beach State vs. Arizona: Bettors Backing Underdog
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that 60% of public bettors are currently backing Long Beach State when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Traore Leads Way for Long Beach State
Aboubacar Traore was named the Big West Championship Most Outstanding Player after averaging 13.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.6 assists over three games as the Beach claimed their spot with a 74-70 win over UC Davis. Lassina Traore and Marcus Tsohonis shared the scoring honors in the title game, both with 25 points for the Beach.
Traore had a memorable night to lead LBSU to a second round win over UC Riverside, recording the first triple-double in Big West Championship history and just the second-ever in Beach history. With 12 points, 11 rebounds and a LBSU tournament record 13 assists, Traore made it all happen while Lassina Traore had his 15th double-double of the season,
Love Named Pac-12 Player of the Year
Caleb Love was named Pac-12 Player of the Year on Tuesday, according to the conference’s website. North Carolina’s disappointing 2022-23 season was followed up by Love transferring from there to Arizona for a fresh start. The transfer worked wonders for him, as his recently won award indicates. Arizona finished atop the 2023-24 Pac-12’s regular season, during which Love averaged 20.0 points on 44.6/37.3/86.3 shooting splits. The senior finally established some scoring efficiency he lacked while enrolled at North Carolina. Improvement in both that category and output has led to his emergence as the best option for one of college basketball’s most promising teams.
Long Beach State vs. Arizona CBB Betting Trends
Under is 4-1-2 in Wildcats last 7 NCAA Tournament games
Over is 4-1 in Beach last 5 neutral site games
Under is 6-2 in Wildcats last 8 overall
Under is 4-1 in Beach last 5 games as an underdog
Long Beach State vs. Arizona CBB Prediction:
Take Long Beach State. The Wildcats are just 3-13-1 against the spread in their last 17 NCAA Tournament games, which includes a 0-4-1 ATS mark in their last five NCAA Tournament games when favored by 13 or more points. On the other side, the Beach are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games versus an opponent with a winning percentage above .600, are 4-1 against the number in their last five games following an ATS win and are 5-1-1 at the betting window in their last seven neutral site games when listed as an underdog.
Long Beach State vs. Arizona College Hoops Prediction: LONG BEACH STATE +19.5