Time:<\/strong> 9:00 PM ET \/ 6:00 PM PT
Broadcast:<\/strong> ESPN2
Location:<\/strong> Bren Events Center, Irvine, CA
Spread:<\/strong> UC Irvine -4.5 | Total: 159.5<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UAB vs UC Irvine Betting Preview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Blazers got an unexpected California vacation this week as UAB elected to stay out West after beating Santa Clara on Sunday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
UAB’s first two wins in this event have each come by four points. This game will be the mid-major college basketball equivalent of “the irresistible force meets an immovable object” as two of the country’s best big men will take the court. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
UAB runs its offense through 6-foot-9, 240-pound senior Yaxel Lendeborg. In Sunday’s win over Santa Clara, Lendeborg finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists with two blocks and three steals on the defensive end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He can fill the stat sheet against almost anyone, but his defense is going to be key in this one. Against East Carolina in the AAC Tournament, Lendeborg had 20 rebounds, four blocks and five steals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He’s going to be very busy in the paint because Irvine also runs everything through its center, 7-foot-1 senior Bent Leuchten. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s fair to question how much Leuchten has left in the tank at this point of the season. Dating back to last December, Leuchten has played in 59-straight games for the Anteaters and he’s started every game this season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this era of college basketball, how many seven-footers can say that they started every game of the season while averaging over 26 minutes per game? Not many. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leuchten only attempted seven shots from the floor in Sunday’s win over Jacksonville State, and he only attempted seven shots from the floor in the Anteaters’ Big West Championship Game loss to UC-Stan Diego.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UAB vs UC Irvine Predictions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
UAB seems to have a little bit more pep in its step right now, and Andy Kennedy is a fantastic coach in a tournament setting. UAB won the Conference-USA Tournament in 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
UAB won four games in the 2023 NIT and lost in the championship game. UAB won the AAC Tournament last year. Kennedy is very good in this environment, and we’ll gladly take the points with the Blazers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UAB vs UC Irvine Prediction: UAB +4.5<\/h3>\n\n\n\nFREE March Madness Betting Guide Now Available<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Gear up for the Madness with our must-have 2025 March Madness Guide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s what’s included in your FREE 9-page Betting Guide<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2705 21 Proven March Madness Betting Systems & Sub-Systems<\/strong>
\u2705 Straight-Up, ATS, & Over\/Under records<\/strong>\u2014sorted by seeds and tournament rounds from the past four years
\u2705 Conference Records<\/strong> as Favorites and Underdogs (last 4 years)
\u2705 National Championship Odds Comparison<\/strong>: DraftKings vs. FanDuel
\u2705 The Biggest March Madness Upsets Since 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/-LWCov8fmqA\/maxresdefault.jpg\")