UC Irvine Defeats Cal State Bakersfield 81-77
Thursday, January 1, 2026, 5:00 PM ET · Icardo Center
UC Irvine Anteaters 81, Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners 77, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won UC Irvine Anteaters vs Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners?
UC Irvine Anteaters beat Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners 81-77 at Icardo Center on January 1, 2026.
Who was favored in UC Irvine Anteaters vs Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners?
UC Irvine Anteaters were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -700 (about 88% implied). The favorite won.
In a closely contested matchup, the UC Irvine Anteaters edged out the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners with a final score of 81-77 at the Icardo Center. This game was significant as it saw UC Irvine improve their season record to 11-5, while Cal State Bakersfield fell to 6-10.
Both teams entered the game with contrasting recent form. The Roadrunners had a record of 4-6 over their last ten games, with a two-game winning streak leading into this matchup. They averaged 74.3 points scored per game but allowed an average of 79.8 points, indicating defensive struggles. In their last five games, they recorded an average of 75.2 points scored and 77.6 points allowed. At home, they had a record of 3-2, but their overall away performance was less favorable at 1-4.
On the other hand, the Anteaters had a record of 6-4 in their last ten games and also came into the contest on a two-game winning streak. They averaged 70.1 points scored and allowed 67.9 points during that stretch. In their last five games, they improved their scoring to an average of 75.8 points while allowing 71.6 points. UC Irvine had a balanced home record of 3-3 and a strong away record of 3-1.
This matchup was the third meeting between the two teams, with UC Irvine having won the previous two encounters. In their last meeting on February 23, 2025, UC Irvine defeated Cal State Bakersfield 73-64, and earlier in the season on December 6, 2024, they won 82-66.
In terms of injuries, the block did not provide specific details, but the overall performance of both teams could have been influenced by the health of key players.
The market had UC Irvine as 11.5-point favorites according to DraftKings, with a money line of -700 for the Anteaters and +500 for the Roadrunners. The total for the game was set at 143.5, with both the over and under priced at -110.
The game conditions appeared favorable for both teams, with no adverse weather or venue issues reported. Fans and viewers were treated to a competitive matchup, with key moments including Ronald Jessamy's crucial plays in the second half, which helped UC Irvine maintain their lead. Jessamy's performance included multiple layups and free throws, contributing significantly to the Anteaters' scoring in the final moments of the game.
Overall, the game showcased the resilience of UC Irvine as they secured a vital win on the road, while Cal State Bakersfield will look to regroup and address their defensive shortcomings moving forward.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | UCI -11.5 | 143.5 o -110 / u -110 | UC Irvine Anteaters -700 · Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners +500 |
Leaders
- PointsRonald Jessamy25Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners
- AssistsCJ Hardy3Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners
- ReboundsRonald Jessamy12Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners
- PointsJurian Dixon26UC Irvine Anteaters
- AssistsTama Isaac6UC Irvine Anteaters
- ReboundsKyle Evans11UC Irvine Anteaters
Recent form
Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners
Last 10: 4-6Streak W274.3 scored · 79.8 allowed per game3-2 at home
- W64-63vs Idaho VandalsDec 23
- W97-66vs Nobel KnightsDec 19
- L62-70vs Pepperdine WavesDec 14
- L69-80vs North Dakota State BisonDec 12
- L84-109at UC Santa Barbara GauchosDec 7
- L66-87at Cal State Northridge MatadorsDec 5
- W76-71at Fresno State BulldogsNov 30
- L59-89at Florida State SeminolesNov 26
- W86-70vs Mississippi Valley State Delta DevilsNov 22
- L80-93at Portland State VikingsNov 18
UC Irvine Anteaters
Last 10: 6-4Streak W270.1 scored · 67.9 allowed per game3-1 away
- W89-70at Norfolk State SpartansDec 23
- W74-73at North Dakota State BisonDec 22
- L58-84vs Belmont BruinsDec 20
- W85-71vs Cal State Northridge MatadorsDec 7
- W73-60vs UC Riverside HighlandersDec 5
- W72-63at San José State SpartansNov 30
- W64-52vs South Dakota State JackrabbitsNov 27
- L45-57vs New Mexico State AggiesNov 26
- L69-70vs Northern Iowa PanthersNov 23
- L72-79at Utah Valley WolverinesNov 20
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Irvine | 23-12 | - | 15-5 |
| Hawai'i | 24-9 | 1 | 14-6 |
| UC San Diego | 23-11 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Cal State Northridge | 20-14 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 18-16 | 3 | 12-8 |
| UC Davis | 19-14 | 4 | 11-9 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 18-14 | 4 | 11-9 |
| Cal Poly | 14-19 | 5 | 10-10 |
| Long Beach State | 10-22 | 9 | 6-14 |
| UC Riverside | 10-22 | 10 | 5-15 |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 8-24 | 13 | 2-18 |
Box score
| Stat | UC Irvine Anteaters | Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 28-52 | 29-72 |
| Field goal % | 54 | 40 |
| Three-pointers | 8-13 | 5-13 |
| Three-point % | 62 | 38 |
| Free throws | 17-25 | 14-18 |
| Free throw % | 68 | 78 |
| Rebounds | 32 | 39 |
| Offensive rebounds | 9 | 20 |
| Defensive rebounds | 23 | 19 |
| Assists | 13 | 9 |
| Steals | 2 | 7 |
| Blocks | 6 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 15 | 9 |
| Team turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 11 | 21 |
| Fast-break points | 5 | 5 |
| Points in the paint | 32 | 36 |
| Fouls | 15 | 19 |
| Largest lead | 18 | 0 |
| Lead changes | 0 | 0 |
| Time in front | 98 | 0 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half47-45Jaden Alexander makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half49-45Kyle Evans makes 9-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half51-45Harrison Carrington makes 10-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half52-45Harrison Carrington makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half52-46AJ George makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half52-47AJ George makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half52-49Dailin Smith makes driving layup
- 2nd Half52-50Dailin Smith makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half53-50Jovan Jester Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half54-50Jovan Jester Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half54-52Ronald Jessamy makes driving layup
- 2nd Half57-52Jurian Dixon makes 24-foot three point jumper (Tama Isaac assists)
- 2nd Half57-54Ronald Jessamy makes 1-foot dunk
- 2nd Half60-54Jurian Dixon makes 24-foot three point jumper (Tama Isaac assists)
- 2nd Half62-54Andre Henry makes layup (Tama Isaac assists)
- 2nd Half64-54Jurian Dixon makes 10-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half66-54Kyle Evans makes layup (Jurian Dixon assists)
- 2nd Half68-54Tama Isaac makes 9-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half68-56AJ George makes layup
- 2nd Half69-56Kyle Evans makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half72-56Jurian Dixon makes 26-foot three point jumper (Elijah Chol assists)
- 2nd Half72-57Pierre Geneste Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half75-57Andre Henry makes 27-foot three point jumper (Derin Saran assists)
- 2nd Half75-60Kadar Waller makes 24-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half75-61CJ Hardy makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half75-62CJ Hardy makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half75-63CJ Hardy makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half76-63Andre Henry makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half77-63Andre Henry makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half77-65Jaden Alexander makes 20-foot jumper (Kadar Waller assists)
- 2nd Half78-65Andre Henry makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half79-65Andre Henry makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half79-67Ronald Jessamy makes layup (Kadar Waller assists)
- 2nd Half79-68Ronald Jessamy makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half79-70Ronald Jessamy makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half79-72CJ Hardy makes layup
- 2nd Half80-72Kyle Evans makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half80-74Kadar Waller makes layup
- 2nd Half80-77CJ Hardy makes 23-foot three point jumper (AJ George assists)
- 2nd Half81-77Jurian Dixon makes free throw 1 of 2
Win probability
Above the line favours Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners, below favours UC Irvine Anteaters.
Venue
- Icardo CenterBakersfield, CA
- Attendance305
- OfficialsRick Crawford, Randy McCall, Adam Flore
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