Who's Playing
UC San Diego Tritons @ Pepperdine Waves
Current Records: UC San Diego 5-4, Pepperdine 4-7
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 9 p.m. ET
- Where: Firestone Fieldhouse -- Malibu, California
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $10.00
What to Know
UC San Diego has enjoyed the comforts of home their last two games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will challenge the Pepperdine Waves at 9:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at Firestone Fieldhouse. UC San Diego might want some stickum for this match since the team gave up ten turnovers on Tuesday.
Winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to post 17 more assists than your opponent, a fact UC San Diego proved. They steamrolled past the Tigers 98-67 at home.
Meanwhile, the point spread may have favored Pepperdine last Wednesday, but the final result did not. They fell 60-55 to the Titans. Pepperdine has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Despite their loss, Pepperdine saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Houston Mallette, who scored 16 points along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists, was perhaps the best of all. Less helpful for Pepperdine was Nils Cooper's abysmal 0-5 three-point shooting.
The Tritons have yet to lose a game at home this season, leaving them with a 5-4 record. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 88.3 points per game. As for the Waves, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost six of their last seven contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-7 record this season.
UC San Diego is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: UC San Diego have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 35 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Pepperdine struggles in that department as they've been averaging 34 per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check CBS Sports after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more NCAA Basketball content.
Odds
Pepperdine is a 4.5-point favorite against UC San Diego, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Waves as a 4-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 145.5 points.
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