NCAAB · Final

UC Irvine Edges North Dakota State in Thrilling Finish

Sunday, December 21, 2025, 7:00 PM ET · Don Haskins Center

UC Irvine Anteaters 74, North Dakota State Bison 73, 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 North Dakota State Bison?

UC Irvine Anteaters beat North Dakota State Bison 74-73 at Don Haskins Center on December 21, 2025.

Who was favored in UC Irvine Anteaters vs North Dakota State Bison?

North Dakota State Bison were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -115 (about 53% implied). The underdog won.

In a tightly contested matchup, the UC Irvine Anteaters narrowly defeated the North Dakota State Bison 74-73 at the Don Haskins Center on December 22, 2025. This game was noteworthy not only for its close score but also for the contrasting recent forms of both teams leading into this fixture. The Bison entered the game with a strong home record of 10-4, showcasing a remarkable performance in their last ten games with a record of 9-1 and a five-game winning streak. They averaged 85.1 points scored while allowing 68.8 points per game during this stretch. In their last five games, they scored an average of 86.0 points while conceding 74.0, indicating a potent offense but a slightly vulnerable defense.

On the other hand, the Anteaters had an away record of 8-5 and were 6-4 in their last ten games, but they were coming off a loss against the Belmont Bruins, which snapped a previous winning streak. UC Irvine averaged 74.7 points scored and allowed 66.9 points per game over their last ten games, with their last five games yielding an average of 70.4 points scored and 66.0 points allowed. This indicated a more balanced approach, though they struggled to maintain consistency in their scoring.

The game unfolded with both teams exchanging leads, but it was UC Irvine's Kyle Evans who made critical plays in the second half. Evans scored on a dunk and a hook shot, pushing the Anteaters to a 70-66 lead. Free throws from Damari Wheeler-Thomas kept the Bison in contention, narrowing the gap to 70-68. However, Trevian Carson's floating jump shot tied the game at 70-70, showcasing the Bison's resilience.

As the game progressed, Derin Saran hit a jumper, putting UC Irvine ahead 72-70, but a clutch three-pointer from Treyson Anderson gave North Dakota State a brief lead at 73-72. In the final moments, Evans responded with a jumper to seal the game at 74-73, showcasing the Anteaters' ability to perform under pressure.

In terms of injuries, the block did not specify any significant player absences, indicating both teams were likely at full strength for this important matchup. The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had North Dakota State favored by 1.5 points, with a total set at 146.5. The odds reflected a competitive matchup, and the final score confirmed the expectations of a closely fought contest.

The conditions at the Don Haskins Center were conducive for a high-scoring game, and the atmosphere was charged as fans witnessed a thrilling finish. Viewers were treated to a showcase of skill and determination from both teams, particularly in the second half where the lead changed hands multiple times.

Overall, this game exemplified the competitiveness of NCAAB basketball, with UC Irvine managing to edge out North Dakota State in a dramatic finish. The Anteaters' ability to execute in clutch moments proved pivotal, while the Bison's strong offensive output highlighted their potential as a formidable opponent. This encounter will likely be remembered as a classic example of collegiate basketball's unpredictability and excitement.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	NDSU -1.5	146.5 o -115 / u -105	UC Irvine Anteaters -105 · North Dakota State Bison -115

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsMarkhi Strickland14North Dakota State Bison
AssistsDamari Wheeler-Thomas5North Dakota State Bison
ReboundsNoah Feddersen9North Dakota State Bison
PointsKyle Evans24UC Irvine Anteaters
AssistsTama Isaac6UC Irvine Anteaters
ReboundsKyle Evans9UC Irvine Anteaters

Recent form

North Dakota State Bison

Last 10: 9-1Streak W585.1 scored · 68.8 allowed per game5-0 at home

W101-67vs Crookston (MN) Golden EaglesDec 16
W99-94at Drake BulldogsDec 13
W80-69at Cal State Bakersfield RoadrunnersDec 12
W69-68vs Northern Arizona LumberjacksDec 7
W81-72at Montana GrizzliesDec 4
L80-85at Arkansas State Red WolvesNov 28
W56-43at Jacksonville State GamecocksNov 26
W82-67vs Jamestown JimmiesNov 20
W92-85vs Southern Illinois SalukisNov 18
W111-38vs St. Scholastica SaintsNov 13

UC Irvine Anteaters

Last 10: 6-4Streak L174.7 scored · 66.9 allowed per game1-1 away

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
W79-70vs Weber State WildcatsNov 16
W130-63vs Lincoln (CA) OaklandersNov 11

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
North Dakota State	27-8	-	14-2
St. Thomas	24-10	2	12-4
North Dakota	18-17	4	10-6
South Dakota	16-16	6	8-8
Omaha	16-17	6	8-8
Denver	15-17	7	8-8
South Dakota State	14-18	7	7-9
Oral Roberts	10-23	10	4-12
Kansas City	4-27	13	1-15

Box score

Stat	UC Irvine Anteaters	North Dakota State Bison
Field goals	29-58	27-58
Field goal %	50	47
Three-pointers	6-17	11-25
Three-point %	35	44
Free throws	10-16	8-17
Free throw %	63	47
Rebounds	29	41
Offensive rebounds	11	19
Defensive rebounds	18	22
Assists	21	13
Steals	8	7
Blocks	3	2
Turnovers	11	19
Team turnovers	0	0
Technical fouls	0	1
Technical fouls, total	0	1
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	16	14
Fast-break points	16	14
Points in the paint	44	28
Fouls	16	18
Largest lead	11	5
Lead changes	7	7
Time in front	72	15

How the scoring went

1st Half37-33Andre Henry makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Half38-33Andre Henry makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Half40-33Tama Isaac makes layup
2nd Half42-33Derin Saran makes layup (Kyle Evans assists)
2nd Half42-36Damari Wheeler-Thomas makes 26-foot three point jumper (Noah Feddersen assists)
2nd Half45-36Jurian Dixon makes 25-foot three point jumper (Tama Isaac assists)
2nd Half47-36Jurian Dixon makes layup (Tama Isaac assists)
2nd Half47-38Markhi Strickland makes 0-foot tip in dunk
2nd Half48-38Tama Isaac makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half48-41Treyson Anderson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Damari Wheeler-Thomas assists)
2nd Half50-41Kyle Evans makes 1-foot dunk (Tama Isaac assists)
2nd Half50-44Andy Stefonowicz makes 24-foot three point jumper (Damari Wheeler-Thomas assists)
2nd Half53-44Jurian Dixon makes 23-foot three point jumper (Tama Isaac assists)
2nd Half53-47Damari Wheeler-Thomas makes 25-foot three point jumper (Emil Skytta assists)
2nd Half54-47Harrison Carrington makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half54-49Markhi Strickland makes 4-foot hook shot
2nd Half54-50Treyson Anderson makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half54-53Riley Massey makes 24-foot three point jumper (Markhi Strickland assists)
2nd Half56-53Andre Henry makes 10-foot jumper
2nd Half58-53Kyle Evans makes layup (Derin Saran assists)
2nd Half58-55Markhi Strickland makes 0-foot tip in layup
2nd Half60-55Kyle Evans makes 2-foot jumper (Tama Isaac assists)
2nd Half60-57Trevian Carson makes layup
2nd Half60-60Treyson Anderson makes 25-foot three point jumper (Markhi Strickland assists)
2nd Half62-60Jurian Dixon makes 7-foot jumper (Andre Henry assists)
2nd Half62-62Markhi Strickland makes 2-foot dunk
2nd Half63-62Jurian Dixon makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half64-62Jurian Dixon makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half64-63Damari Wheeler-Thomas makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half64-64Damari Wheeler-Thomas makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half64-66Trevian Carson makes 5-foot jumper
2nd Half66-66Kyle Evans makes layup (Derin Saran assists)
2nd Half68-66Kyle Evans makes 0-foot dunk (Jurian Dixon assists)
2nd Half70-66Kyle Evans makes 7-foot hook shot (Jurian Dixon assists)
2nd Half70-67Damari Wheeler-Thomas makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half70-68Damari Wheeler-Thomas makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half70-70Trevian Carson makes 15-foot floating jump shot
2nd Half72-70Derin Saran makes 20-foot jumper (Kyle Evans assists)
2nd Half72-73Treyson Anderson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Markhi Strickland assists)
2nd Half74-73Kyle Evans makes 6-foot jumper

Win probability

Above the line favours North Dakota State Bison, below favours UC Irvine Anteaters.