UC Irvine Defeats UC Riverside 80-66 in NCAAB Clash
Thursday, January 22, 2026, 10:00 PM ET · SRC Arena
UC Irvine Anteaters 80, UC Riverside Highlanders 66, 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 UC Riverside Highlanders?
UC Irvine Anteaters beat UC Riverside Highlanders 80-66 at SRC Arena on January 22, 2026.
Who was favored in UC Irvine Anteaters vs UC Riverside Highlanders?
UC Irvine Anteaters were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -395 (about 80% implied). The favorite won.
In a decisive matchup, the UC Irvine Anteaters defeated the UC Riverside Highlanders 80-66 at SRC Arena. This victory adds to UC Irvine's strong season, as they improve their record to 14-7, while UC Riverside falls to 7-14. The Anteaters showcased their offensive prowess, averaging 75.8 points in their last ten games leading up to this contest, while the Highlanders have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 82.7 points during the same span.
UC Riverside entered the game with a recent record of 3-7 over their last ten games, having won only one of their last five. Their scoring average during this stretch was 66.2 points per game, indicating significant difficulties in finding the basket. Conversely, UC Irvine had a record of 7-3 in their last ten games, but they were on a two-game losing streak prior to this victory. They averaged 75.8 points and allowed 70.5 points over their last ten games, reflecting a solid offensive output.
The Highlanders' home record stands at 2-2 in their last four games, while their away record is a troubling 1-5. In contrast, UC Irvine has performed well both at home and on the road, with a home record of 3-1 and an away record of 4-2 in their last six games. This fixture was particularly significant as it marked the third meeting between these teams in the current season, with UC Irvine having won two of the previous encounters.
In their last meeting on December 5, 2025, UC Irvine defeated UC Riverside 73-60, showcasing their dominance in the series. The Highlanders had previously secured a narrow victory against the Anteaters on January 24, 2025, winning 84-80 at home, but that success has been overshadowed by their recent struggles.
In terms of injuries, the block does not provide specific details on player availability, but the performance of both teams suggests that they were at full strength for this matchup. The betting market, according to DraftKings, had UC Irvine favored by 8.5 points, indicating expectations of a comfortable win for the Anteaters. The total for the game was set at 142.5, reflecting the anticipated scoring potential of both teams.
The conditions at SRC Arena were favorable for basketball, with a crowd likely energized by the rivalry and the stakes of the game. Viewers were treated to a competitive atmosphere, particularly as the Anteaters pulled away in the second half. Key moments included Andre Henry making crucial free throws that helped extend UC Irvine's lead, and Marqui Worthy Jr. contributing with a driving layup that kept the momentum in favor of the Anteaters.
Overall, this game highlighted the contrasting fortunes of the two programs, with UC Irvine looking to solidify their position in the standings while UC Riverside continues to seek answers to their recent woes.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | UCI -8.5 | 142.5 o -105 / u -115 | UC Irvine Anteaters -395 · UC Riverside Highlanders +310 |
Leaders
- PointsMarqui Worthy Jr.22UC Riverside Highlanders
- AssistsJailen Daniel-Dalton3UC Riverside Highlanders
- ReboundsBJ Kolly8UC Riverside Highlanders
- PointsJurian Dixon15UC Irvine Anteaters
- AssistsJovan Jester Jr.5UC Irvine Anteaters
- ReboundsKyle Evans15UC Irvine Anteaters
Recent form
UC Riverside Highlanders
Last 10: 3-7Streak W171 scored · 82.7 allowed per game2-2 at home
- W81-72vs Cal State Fullerton TitansJan 18
- L73-88at Long Beach State BeachJan 16
- L66-69vs UC San Diego TritonsJan 11
- L66-67at Cal State Bakersfield RoadrunnersJan 9
- L45-88vs Hawai'i Rainbow WarriorsJan 2
- L65-97at UCLA BruinsDec 23
- L78-92at St. Thomas TommiesDec 21
- W95-70vs Stanton ElksDec 17
- L53-100at BYU CougarsDec 14
- W88-84at Cal Poly MustangsDec 7
UC Irvine Anteaters
Last 10: 7-3Streak L275.8 scored · 70.5 allowed per game4-2 away
- L72-75at UC Davis AggiesJan 17
- L66-67at Hawai'i Rainbow WarriorsJan 11
- W74-64vs Long Beach State BeachJan 9
- W86-64at Cal State Fullerton TitansJan 4
- W81-77at Cal State Bakersfield RoadrunnersJan 1
- 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
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 | UC Riverside Highlanders |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 27-59 | 22-64 |
| Field goal % | 46 | 34 |
| Three-pointers | 4-19 | 7-25 |
| Three-point % | 21 | 28 |
| Free throws | 22-31 | 15-16 |
| Free throw % | 71 | 94 |
| Rebounds | 44 | 33 |
| Offensive rebounds | 17 | 15 |
| Defensive rebounds | 27 | 18 |
| Assists | 16 | 12 |
| Steals | 12 | 4 |
| Blocks | 5 | 7 |
| Turnovers | 14 | 14 |
| Team turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 16 | 13 |
| Fast-break points | 19 | 0 |
| Points in the paint | 40 | 26 |
| Fouls | 14 | 24 |
| Largest lead | 24 | 0 |
| Lead changes | 0 | 0 |
| Time in front | 97 | 0 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half51-33Jurian Dixon makes 13-foot pullup jump shot (Tama Isaac assists)
- 2nd Half53-33Jovan Jester Jr. makes driving layup (Tama Isaac assists)
- 2nd Half55-33Tama Isaac makes layup (Jovan Jester Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half57-33Tama Isaac makes driving layup
- 2nd Half57-36Marqui Worthy Jr. makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half59-36Harrison Carrington makes 9-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half59-38Marqui Worthy Jr. makes driving layup (Jailen Daniel-Dalton assists)
- 2nd Half60-38Harrison Carrington makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half61-38Harrison Carrington makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half61-40Osiris Grady makes 17-foot pullup jump shot (De'Undrae Perteete Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half61-42Marqui Worthy Jr. makes driving layup (Osiris Grady assists)
- 2nd Half63-42Harrison Carrington makes layup (Jovan Jester Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half63-43BJ Kolly makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half63-44BJ Kolly makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half65-44Harrison Carrington makes 1-foot dunk (Nes Emeneke assists)
- 2nd Half65-45Marqui Worthy Jr. makes free throw 1 of 3
- 2nd Half65-46Marqui Worthy Jr. makes free throw 2 of 3
- 2nd Half65-47Marqui Worthy Jr. makes free throw 3 of 3
- 2nd Half65-50Andrew Henderson makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jailen Daniel-Dalton assists)
- 2nd Half67-50Andre Henry makes driving layup (Kyle Evans assists)
- 2nd Half67-52BJ Kolly makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half67-53BJ Kolly makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half67-56Marqui Worthy Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half67-58BJ Kolly makes layup
- 2nd Half69-58Andre Henry makes 8-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half70-58Jurian Dixon makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half70-59Marqui Worthy Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half70-60Marqui Worthy Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half72-60Harrison Carrington makes layup (Derin Saran assists)
- 2nd Half72-62Jailen Daniel-Dalton makes 7-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half74-62Derin Saran makes driving layup
- 2nd Half75-62Andre Henry makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half76-62Andre Henry makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half76-64Marqui Worthy Jr. makes driving layup
- 2nd Half77-64Derin Saran makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half77-65Ben Waller makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half77-66Ben Waller makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half78-66Tama Isaac makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half79-66Tama Isaac makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half80-66Tama Isaac makes free throw 2 of 2
Win probability
Above the line favours UC Riverside Highlanders, below favours UC Irvine Anteaters.
Venue
- SRC ArenaRiverside, CA
- Attendance647
- OfficialsRandy McCall, Bret Smith, Tony Padilla
Elsewhere
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- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond