In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, basketball fans are gearing up for the clash between Long Beach State (21-14, 10-10 Big West) and Arizona Wildcats (25-8, 15-5 Pac-12) on Thursday. Long Beach State is the No. 15 seed and the Wildcats is the No. 2 seed in the West region.
Who are the Long Beach State vs Arizona Wildcats basketball game announcers today?
Brad Nessler will handle the play-by-play updates in today's game between Long Beach State and Arizona.
Brendan Haywood will be offering an in-depth analysis. On the sidelines, Dana Jacobson will be providing live updates, player interviews and behind-the-scenes insights.
What time is the Long Beach State vs Arizona Wildcats basketball game today?
The Long Beach State vs Arizona Wildcats first-round matchup in the NCAA tournament will be broadcast on TBS and can be streamed on ESPN at 2:00 p.m. ET. The game will take place at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Arizona Wildcats have had an amazing season and will enter the matchup with high confidence. They average 87.9 points, 42.6 rebounds and 18.6 assists per game. Long Beach State averages 77.7 ppg, 38.5 rpg and 15.4 apg.
What to expect in the Long Beach State vs Arizona Wildcats basketball game today?
Arizona Wildcats are the clear favorites as they hold the second seed in the West Region, with Long Beach being 15th. Also, this will be Long Beach's first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2012. They will look to put up a statement in their return to the tournament but might find it difficult in front of the strong Arizona lineup.
Arizona will be led by key players such as Caleb Love and Oumar Ballo, who have been dominant this season, and they will look to continue their form of 21-12-0 ATS record this year.
Long Beach State will be led by Marcus Tsohonis and Lassina Traore, who have been incredible for them this season. Head to head, Arizona has a 7-0 lead against Long Beach State. The last time these two teams met, Arizona thrashed Long Beach 104-67.
The following are the odds for the game according to Sporting News:
- Spread: Arizona -20.5
- Over/Under: 163.5
- Money Line: Long Beach State +1400, Arizona Wildcats -2500
- Wildcats have 97.3% to win the game
- Wildcats have finished the game with more than 163.5 points 14 times in the 2023-24 season
- As underdogs, Long Beach State has won 7 out of the 13 games
