| MATCHUP | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | CSU Northridge Matadors |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 9-6 | 9-7 |
| Where | Premier America Credit Union Arena, Northridge, CA | |
| When | Saturday, January 3, 2026 | |
| Time | 04:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
Cal State Northridge Matadors Preview
Cal State Northridge Matadors have an 8-7 record this season and are in 7th place in the Big West Conference. They have a 6-0 home record and are coming off an 89-80 away loss against UC Davis. Their previous three games were an 88-80 away loss against Stanford, a 100-88 home win against Sacramento State and an 88-53 home win against Life Pacific.
Offensively, Cal State Northridge averages 80.5 points per game, while allowing 79.1 points per game defensively. The Matadors shoot with 44% from the field and grab 41.1 rebounds per game, while dishing out 16.5 assists per game. They average 2.5 blocks per game and 7.3 steals per game defensively.
Lamont Hughes II leads Cal State Northridge in scoring, with an average of 18.8 points per game, while shooting with 46.5% from the field and 84.6% from the free throw line. Josh O’Garro is the team’s leading rebounder with 9.2 per game, while Jeremiah Davis adds a team-high 5.9 assists per game.
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Preview
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos have a 9-5 record this season and are in 3rd place in the Big West Conference. They have a 1-3 away record and are coming off a 95-84 away win against Cal State Fullerton. Their previous three games were a 79-61 home win against Portland, a 67-64 away win against Green Bay and a 68-53 home win against Utah Valley.
Offensively, UC Santa Barbara averages 79.7 points per game, while allowing 73.2 points per game defensively. The Gauchos shoot with 48% from the field and grab 36.1 rebounds per game, while dishing out 15.1 assists per game. They average 2.6 blocks per game and 7.6 steals per game defensively.
Aidan Mahaney leads UC Santa Barbara in scoring, with an average of 15.5 points per game, while shooting with 46.1% from the field and 83.8% from the free throw line. Zion Sensley is the team’s leading rebounder with 7.7 per game, while Aidan Mahaney adds a team-high 2.9 assists per game.
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos @ Cal State Northridge Matadors Betting Trends: January 3, 2026
Why the Cal State Northridge Matadors will win
- Cal State Northridge has won each of its last eight games at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
- UC Santa Barbara has lost three of its last four games.
- Cal State Northridge has won the first half in each of its last six home games.
Why the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos will win
- UC Santa Barbara has won five of its last six day games against Cal State Northridge.
- Cal State Northridge has lost three of its last four games against Conference opponents.
- UC Santa Barbara has won the first half in six of its last seven games against Conference opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Twelve of UC Santa Barbara’s last 13 day games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 156 or fewer points.
- Twenty-four of Cal State Northridge’s last 30 games against Conference opponents at Premier America Credit Union Arena have produced a total of 155 or fewer points.
Matchup/League Facts
- Cal State Northridge ranks 356th among Division 1 teams for opponent free throw percentage this season (76.8%).
- Cal State Northridge ranks 24th among Division 1 teams for field goal attempts per game this season (65.2).
- UC Santa Barbara ranks T3rd among Division 1 teams for opponent rebounds per game this season (28.8).
- UC Santa Barbara ranks T17th among Division 1 teams for opponent field goal attempts per game this season (53.5).
UC Santa Barbara vs Cal State Northridge Prediction
In this UC Santa Barbara vs Cal State Northridge Prediction, UC Santa Barbara is coming as -1 road favorites. Both teams have almost identical overall records this season but Northridge has been undefeated in its six home games, while Santa Barbara has been terrible on the road and struggling against the spread. They are 1-3 both straight up and against the spread in their last 4 games while Northridge is 4-2 in its last 6 and 3-1 against the spread, so I like the value with the home dog in this matchup. Take Cal State Northridge on the moneyline in this one.