Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine Prediction Tonight: Best Picks, Preview & Odds for NIT Championship
The Chattanooga Mocs (28-9) and UC Irvine Anteaters (32-6) are both trying to capture their school's first NIT Championship tonight. Tipoff for the tournament finale from Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is set for 9 p.m. ET (ESPN).
Our Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine prediction, odds, and preview break down the matchup from a betting lens based on the best NIT odds. The Anteaters are 3-point betting favorites over the Mocs at our best sports betting sites.
We are one UC Irvine win away from cashing our +800 futures ticket, and we expect the Anteaters to secure their first NIT title - and cover the spread in the process - tonight.
🏀 Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine prediction & picks tonight
Here are my best Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine predictions for the Championship of the National Invitational Tournament; use our parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay:
✅ Against the spread pick: UC Irvine -3.5 (-110 via BetMGM) vs. Chattanooga ⭐⭐⭐
🔥 Over/Under pick: Over 145.5 (-110 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐
🎯 Exact score prediction: UC Irvine 77, Chattanooga 71
👉 Want more picks? Check out our latest college basketball picks and the rest of our March Madness predictions.
📈Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine betting insights
- Betting on the spread is even, with Chattanooga and UC Irvine both getting 50% of the action to cover
- There's a greater lean tied to tonight's total, with the Over getting 79% of the action, despite an increased total of 145.5
- UC Irvine remains a staunch moneyline favorite with -170 odds in the hours leading up to tipoff
🏆 Best Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine pick & score prediction
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✅ UC Irvine to cover the spread: -3.5 ⭐⭐⭐
Chattanooga has won four straight NIT games as an underdog of +2 to +4.5 points to reach the final. But UC Irvine had the third-shortest odds to win the NIT prior to the tournament starting, and will end the Mocs’ “Cinderella” run while proving it should’ve been considered for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Anteaters shot 50% from 3-point range on Tuesday against a North Texas defense that ranked in the top 32 in 3-point percentage allowed.
Meanwhile, Chattanooga shot 52% from the field and scored 38 of its 80 points in the paint in its semifinal win over Loyola Chicago.
The Mocs should not expect to bully the Anteaters in the paint as much as they did the Ramblers. UC Irvine has D-I’s second-best 2-point percentage defense (42.8% allowed) while also ranking seventh in effective field goal percentage defense.
📊 Best odds: -110 via BetMGM ($10 to win $9.09)
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🔥 Over/Under pick: Over 145.5 ⭐⭐
Chattanooga was 9-of-21 from 3-point range (42.9%) against Loyola Chicago, which is made even more impressive considering the Ramblers had a size advantage at nearly every position in the backcourt.
I expect the Mocs to similarly spread out the UC Irvine defense, as the Anteaters allowed opponents to score 34.7% of their points from 3-point range. That ranks in the top-70 highest in D-I.
UC Irvine was only held under 70 points by Jacksonville State and North Texas in this NIT run. While those are two of the slowest-paced teams in the country, the Anteaters' offense should score much more efficiently in a more free-flowing and fast-paced game.
Our best sports betting sites have totals ranging between 145.5 and 146, and FanDuel is one of the only ones offering the Over of 145.5 at standard -110 juice.
📊 Best odds: -110 via FanDuel ($10 to win $9.09)
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🎯 Score prediction: UC Irvine 77, Chattanooga 71
UC Irvine improved to 19-4 in away/neutral site games this season, and has won 31 games against D-I competition. While Chattanooga held Loyola Chicago scoreless over the final 2:37 in Tuesday’s win, I expect the Anteaters to perform better in crunch time. That’s why I’m predicting a final score of UC Irvine 77, Chattanooga 71.
📊 Best odds: +17000 via DraftKings ($10 to win $1700)
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🤖 Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine AI prediction
For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze historical trends and live NIT Tournament stats before predicting the winner and exact score for Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine. Our AI prediction projects a final score of Chattanooga 71, UC Irvine 67.
🖥️ AI score prediction: Chattanooga 71, UC Irvine 67
- Chattanooga's Offensive Depth: Chattanooga has a balanced offensive attack. Its ability to hit from beyond the arc and attack the rim gives it an edge in fast-paced moments.
- UC Irvine's Defensive Efficiency: The Anteaters boast one of the best defenses in the tournament.
- Momentum and Experience: Chattanooga has been on a roll, winning close games in the tournament with a mix of grit and timely shooting. UC Irvine, though disciplined, faces a tough challenge in dealing with Chattanooga’s versatile scoring options in high-stakes situations.
🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean Chattanooga covering the spread (+3.5) and a total of Under 146.5 points. ChatGPT is not a dedicated sports betting model, but it can identify data that NIT bettors might overlook.
📊 Live Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine odds
Follow the latest live NIT college basketball odds and real-time college basketball scores.
🔢 Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine opening odds
- Spread: Chattanooga +3.5 (-110) | UC Irvine -3.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Chattanooga +145 | UC Irvine -175
- Over/Under: Over 146.5 (-115) | Under 146.5 (-105)
📺 How to watch Chattanooga vs. UC Irvine: NIT Championship
📅 Date: Thursday, April 3
🕗 Time: 9 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
📺 TV: ESPN
💻 Streaming: ESPN+
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