UAB vs UC Irvine: NIT Quarterfinal Picks For March 26, 2025

UAB and UC Irvine clash in a NIT quarterfinal game on Wednesday night in college basketball. Get college basketball picks for today around UAB vs UC Irvine battling in a NIT quarterfinal matchup in Irvine, CA!

Here’s a breakdown of predictions and picks for this NIT quarterfinal game tipping off at 9:00PM ET on March 26, 2025!

UAB vs UC Irvine Game Details

Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Time: 9:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM PT
Broadcast: ESPN2
Location: Bren Events Center, Irvine, CA
Spread: UC Irvine -4.5 | Total: 159.5

UAB vs UC Irvine Betting Preview

The Blazers got an unexpected California vacation this week as UAB elected to stay out West after beating Santa Clara on Sunday.

UAB’s first two wins in this event have each come by four points. This game will be the mid-major college basketball equivalent of “the irresistible force meets an immovable object” as two of the country’s best big men will take the court.

UAB runs its offense through 6-foot-9, 240-pound senior Yaxel Lendeborg. In Sunday’s win over Santa Clara, Lendeborg finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists with two blocks and three steals on the defensive end.

He can fill the stat sheet against almost anyone, but his defense is going to be key in this one. Against East Carolina in the AAC Tournament, Lendeborg had 20 rebounds, four blocks and five steals.

He’s going to be very busy in the paint because Irvine also runs everything through its center, 7-foot-1 senior Bent Leuchten.

It’s fair to question how much Leuchten has left in the tank at this point of the season. Dating back to last December, Leuchten has played in 59-straight games for the Anteaters and he’s started every game this season.

In this era of college basketball, how many seven-footers can say that they started every game of the season while averaging over 26 minutes per game? Not many.

Leuchten only attempted seven shots from the floor in Sunday’s win over Jacksonville State, and he only attempted seven shots from the floor in the Anteaters’ Big West Championship Game loss to UC-Stan Diego. 

UAB vs UC Irvine Predictions

UAB seems to have a little bit more pep in its step right now, and Andy Kennedy is a fantastic coach in a tournament setting. UAB won the Conference-USA Tournament in 2022.

UAB won four games in the 2023 NIT and lost in the championship game. UAB won the AAC Tournament last year. Kennedy is very good in this environment, and we’ll gladly take the points with the Blazers.

UAB vs UC Irvine Prediction: UAB +4.5

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