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On Thursday, a matchup between the Portland Pilots (8-6) and the UC Riverside Highlanders (6-5) will take place at SRC Arena in Riverside, California. Oregon trounced the Pilots 78-56 on Saturday, making it two losses in a row for the Pilots.
On Tuesday night, the Highlanders suffered their second consecutive defeat when they lost to San Diego 92-84 in overtime. The last four games have resulted in losses for the Highlanders.
Portland vs UC Riverside Betting Odds
Portland vs UC Riverside Match Details
Fixture: UP Pilots at UC Riverside Highlanders
Date and Time: Thursday, December 22 at 5:00 PM ET
Venue: UCR Student Recreation Center, Riverside, CA
Portland vs UC Riverside Key Stats
This year, the offense of the Pilots has been their strongest suit, averaging 80.3 points per game, good for 46th in the US. The Pilots' field goal shooting percentage, which ranks 106th in the US, is 46.5%, while their three-point shooting percentage, which ranks 32nd, is 38.6%.
The opposition is shooting 42.0% overall and 35.7% from behind the arc while giving up an average of 71.9 points per game, according to the Pilots. The Pilots' average rebounding output is 35.4 per game, while their average rebounding output is 30.6.
The Highlanders are averaging a respectable 73.4 points per game, but more possessions are necessary for them to do so because they are only shooting 45.0% overall and 33.8% from beyond the arc. Their top scorer, Zyon Pullin, averages 20.5 points per game and shoots 66.7% from long range overall (54.4%).
Averaging 69.8 points per game, the Highlanders are scoring against their opponents. Averaging both 36.9% and 43.5% shooting from beyond the arc, they are allowing these percentages. The average number of rebounds the Highlanders grab per game is 37.2, while they give up 30.8 per contest.
Portland vs UC Riverside Betting Prediction
Through their first 14 regular-season games, the Pilots have an admirable 8-6 record while going 7-5 against the spread. With an average of 73.4 points per game and 45.0% shooting this season, the Pilots' offense has been their strength. They are outrebounding their opponents by 4.6 rebounds on average per game.
The Pilots have won against the spread in five of their last seven games and have limited their opponents to 69 points or fewer in three of their last four contests. Take the Pilots to win the game and cover the spread tonight.
Pick: Portland Pilots (-125)
