| MATCHUP | CSU Northridge Matadors | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 16-10 | 17-9 |
| Where | The Thunderdome, Santa Barbara, CA | |
| When | Thursday, February 19, 2026 | |
| Time | 09:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Preview
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos have a 17-9 overall record and a 10-5 record in the Big West. They are coming off an 89-79 road loss against Cal Poly and their previous three games were a 76-68 road win against UC Riverside, an 84-79 home win against UC Irvine and an 85-75 road loss against UC Davis.
Offensively, UC Santa Barbara averages 79.2 points per game, while allowing 73 points per game defensively. The Gauchos shoot with 48% from the field and grab 34.5 rebounds per game, while dishing out 14.9 assists per game. They average 2.3 blocks per game and 7 steals per game defensively.
Aidan Mahaney leads UC Santa Barbara in scoring, with an average of 15 points per game, while shooting with 45.4% from the field and 82.1% from the free throw line, adding a team-high 2.8 assists. Zion Sensley is the team’s leading rebounder with 7.6 per game.
Cal State Northridge Matadors Preview
The Cal State Northridge Matadors have a 16-10 overall record and a 9-5 record in the Big West. They are coming off an 84-60 home win against Hawaii and their previous three games were an 88-74 home win against UC Riverside, a 97-96 road win against Cal Poly and an 81-64 home win against UC San Diego.
Offensively, Cal State Northridge averages 82 points per game, while allowing 79 points per game defensively. The Matadors shoot with 46% from the field and grab 41.5 rebounds per game, while dishing out 17.5 assists per game. They average 2.8 blocks per game and 7.1 steals per game defensively.
Larry Hughes II leads Cal State Northridge in scoring, with an average of 19 points per game, while shooting with 45.1% from the field and 84.6% from the free throw line. Joshua O’Garro is the team’s leading rebounder with 9.6 per game. Josiah Davis leads the team in assists with 7.2 per game.
Cal State Northridge Matadors @ UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Betting Trends: February 19, 2026
Why the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos will win
- UC Santa Barbara has won eight of its last nine games at The Thunderdome.
- UC Santa Barbara has won the first half in each of its last 17 games at The Thunderdome.
Why the Cal State Northridge Matadors will win
- Cal State Northridge has won each of its last five games.
- Cal State Northridge has won the first half in each of its last four games.
Total Points Facts
- Nine of Cal State Northridge’s last 10 games at The Thunderdome have produced a total of 156 or fewer points.
- Each of the last four games between Cal State Northridge and UC Santa Barbara at The Thunderdome have produced a total of 156 or fewer points.
Cal State Northridge vs UC Santa Barbara Prediction
In this Cal State Northridge vs UC Santa Barbara Prediction, UC Santa Barbara is coming as -3.5 home favorites. Both teams have almost identical overall records and have been in very good form lately, as they are 8-2 and 5-0 in their last 10 and 5 games respectively. Both have efficient offenses this season as they score 161.2 points per game combined and UC Santa Barbara is 3-1 to the over in its last 4 games. Over is 7-2 in their last 9 meetings so I expect another high-scoring affair today. Take the over 157.5 points.