UC Irvine Anteaters vs Chattanooga Mocs Prediction & Picks - National Invitation Tournament
USA - National Invitation Tournament
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by Travis Pulver | in Basketball Picks
The Final Four is not until this weekend, but it is already championship time—the NIT Championship, that is. Chattanooga (Mocs) and UC Irvine (Anteaters) will face off at the Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN, on Thursday, April 3, for the NIT title. Fans can watch the game unfold on ESPN/ESPN+ when it gets underway at 9 p.m. EST.
Chattanooga had the best record in the Southern Conference during the regular season, but since they lost to Furman in the conference semis, they missed out on the National Championship Tournament and got an invite to the NIT instead. They nearly lost in the first round but managed to pull out a 109-103 win in 3OT vs. Middle Tennessee. They went on to beat Dayton by 15, Bradley by two, and Loyola Chicago by seven to earn a spot in the title game. As for UC Irvine, they had the second-best regular season record but lost in the Big West tournament final to the team with the best record, UC San Diego. In the NIT, they’ve had to battle almost the whole way. They beat Jacksonville State in the second round by five, needed OT to squeeze by UAB by four, and beat North Texas in the semis by two, 69-67.
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UC Irvine Anteaters - Chattanooga Mocs Key Points
- The two teams have only played three times against each other; each hosted a game, and the other was on a neutral court; Chattanooga won all three.
- UC Irvine has been in the NIT nine times and has a record of 6-8. This year is the first time they’ve made it past the second round.
- This season is the fifth time Chattanooga has made it to the NIT and the first time getting past the quarter-final stage.
- Chattanooga has been an underdog in every NIT game.
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Our UC Irvine Anteaters vs Chattanooga Mocs Prediction
Chattanooga has been on a heck of a Cinderella run, winning four in a row as underdogs to get to the NIT title game. But UC Irvine was among the favorites when the tournament got underway. Can we count on the Mocs to defy the odds one more time? I’m going to say yes, UC Irvine has the size to dominate the paint and the boards and probably will, but Chattanooga will simply counter by taking three-point shots. They’ve averaged 9.7 per game and hit over 36% of their shots. But if they don’t win, they will not lose by much.
Our Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine Pick: Chattanooga +4.5
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