- Matchup: UC Irvine Anteaters vs Long Beach State Beach
- Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026
- Venue: Walter Pyramid, Long Beach, CA
- Broadcast: ESPN+
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On Thursday, the UC Irvine Anteaters (17-9) will take on the Long Beach State Beach (8-18) at the Walter Pyramid.
In their last outing, the Anteaters triumphed over CSU Fullerton with a score of 86-65. They showcased a strong performance, finishing with a field goal percentage of 57.4% (35 of 61) and hitting 10 of 24 shots from beyond the arc. From the charity stripe, they converted 6 of 10 attempts for a 60.0% success rate. On the boards, UC Irvine secured 39 rebounds, including 5 offensive ones. The team also recorded 21 assists, with 9 turnovers and 6 steals. Defensively, they held CSU Fullerton to a 37.3% shooting percentage (25 of 67). CSU Fullerton accumulated 18 assists and 9 steals, along with 26 total rebounds (8 offensive and 18 defensive). Their free throw shooting was at 55.6%, converting 5 of 9 attempts, and they made 10 of 32 three-point attempts. The Anteaters committed 16 fouls compared to 12 for CSU Fullerton.
Andre Henry was a standout player, scoring 19 points on a perfect shooting night (8 of 8) in 24 minutes, though he did not register any assists.
UC Irvine enters the game with a solid record of 17-9. They average 77.7 points per game (ranking 143rd in Division 1) while shooting 46.3% from the field. The Anteaters convert 33.3% of their three-point attempts (151 of 453) and 68.2% from the free-throw line. As a unit, they grab an average of 40.6 rebounds each game and have tallied 421 assists this season, placing them 67th nationally in assists. However, they average 12.5 turnovers per game and commit 16.2 fouls on average.
On the defensive front, the Anteaters force 13.7 turnovers per game while drawing 18.5 fouls on average. They currently rank 113th in the nation in assists allowed, giving up a total of 331 this year. Their defensive unit faces opponents shooting at 37.8% (621 of 1,642), allowing 37.3 rebounds per game, and they surrender 33.3% from three-point range. The Anteaters rank 43rd in college basketball for points allowed per game (68.0).
In their previous match, the Long Beach State Beach fell to UC Davis with a final score of 71-54. The Beach recorded 17 defensive rebounds and 8 offensive rebounds, totaling 25 in the game. They made 16 turnovers but secured 8 steals. UC Davis was called for 15 fouls, allowing the Beach 13 free throw attempts, of which they converted 9 for a 69.2% shooting percentage. From beyond the arc, Long Beach State made 3 of 14 attempts (21.4%). For the game, the Beach shot 21 of 58 from the field, resulting in a field goal percentage of 36.2%. They allowed UC Davis to shoot 27 of 57, or 47.4%, with UC Davis converting 8 of 24 three-pointers (33.3%) and finishing 9 of 10 from the free throw line (90.0%). Long Beach State allowed UC Davis 31 total rebounds, including 7 offensive boards.
Gavin Sykes emerged as a key player for the Beach, scoring 18 points during his 36 minutes on the court, along with 1 assist. He shot 5 of 13 for a field goal percentage of 38.5%, and collected 4 rebounds.
Long Beach State holds a record of 8-18 this season. The Beach average 19.7 fouls per game and convert 73.4% from the free-throw line. They average 13.6 assists per game (ranking 212th in NCAA) and commit 12.5 turnovers per game. So far this season, Long Beach State has scored 1,928 points (74.2 points per game) and averages 32.5 rebounds per game. Offensively, the Beach are hitting 45.7% from the field, placing them 150th in the nation.
Defensively, the Beach rank 269th in allowing points per game, giving up an average of 77.0. They force 13.3 turnovers each game while allowing teams to shoot 47.2% from the field, ranking 330th in Division 1. Their defense permits a 35.6% shooting percentage from three-point range (183 of 514) and allows opponents to convert 76.1% of their free throw attempts. They yield an average of 14.3 assists and 33.8 rebounds per game, ranking 260th and 139th in college basketball, respectively.
Which team will prevail in tonight’s NCAA game?
Prediction: Take UC Irvine
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