UC Irvine vs. Cal Poly, Picks and Prediction for Thursday, February 12, 2026

UC Irvine (16-8, 9-3 BigWest) will be trying to take sole possession of first place in the Big West standings when they visit Mott Athletics Center on Thursday night to face Cal Poly (9-16, 5-8 Big West) at 10 PM. ET. Read on to find out which team picks up the win in this Anteaters vs. Mustangs prediction. Do you need a boost in your handicapping? Try our NCAAB Betting Picks

The Anteaters are coming off an 84-79 loss to UC Santa Barbara as 1.5-point underdogs. The Mustangs are coming off a 67-58 loss to UC Davis as 5.5-point underdogs.

UC Irvine is 9-1 in its last 10 games against Cal Poly.

UC Irvine Trying To Bounce Back From Loss

The Anteaters had their three-game winning streak snapped by UC Santa Barbara in their last game, dropping them into a tie with Hawaii at the top of the Big West standings. They will try to bounce back from the loss and retake the top spot in the conference with a win on Thursday.

UC Irvine averages 77.5 points per game. They’ve made 46 percent of their field goals and 32.4 percent of their three-pointers.

Jurian Dixon leads UC Irvine with 15.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Kyle Evans averages 12.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, while Derin Saran averages 11.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

UC Irvine is giving up 67.7 points per game. Opponents have made 38 percent of their field goals and 33 percent of their three-pointers against them.

Cal Poly Trying To Snap Two-Game Losing Streak

The Mustangs followed up their two-game winning streak with losses to CSU Northridge and UC Davis. They will try to put an end to the streak with a win over the Anteaters.

Cal Poly averages 81.1 points per game. They’ve made 43 percent of their field goals and 34 percent of their three-pointers.

Hamad Mousa leads the Mustangs with 20.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Cayden Ward averages 13.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Peter Bandeji averages 13.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Cal Poly is giving up 86 points per game. Opponents have made 46 percent of their field goals and 35 percent of their three-pointers against them.

UC Irvine vs. Cal Poly Picks

Point Spread Pick for UC Irvine vs. Cal Poly

• UC Irvine Anteaters to cover. (4 Units)

The Anteaters have the edge in this game because they’re playing well offensively, scoring more than 80 points per game in their last three games. Their ball movement has been good, and they rebound the ball well, grabbing more than 11 offensive rebounds per game, which will give them more second-chance opportunities. They also do a good job of protecting the ball, and won’t give up many easy-scoring chances. The Mustangs have struggled defensively this season, and they gave up more than 80 points per game in their last three games, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Anteaters. Take UC Irvine to cover the spread.

Over/Under Pick for UC Irvine vs. Cal Poly

• Over (4 Units)

The Anteaters played over the total in three of their last five games, while the Mustangs played over the total in three of their last four games. UC Irvine averages 77.5 points per game. They play at the 79th-fastest pace in the nation, and they’re facing a team that gave up 83.7 points per game in their last three games. The Mustangs average 81.1 points per game. They play at the third-fastest pace in the nation, averaging 78.1 possessions per game, and they’re facing a team that gave up 74 points per game in their last three games. Expect these teams to score enough points to push the score over the total. The Anteaters and Mustangs played over the total in their last four meetings.