After a dismal 2022-23 season, the Pepperdine Waves will look to start the season 2-0 when they take on the UC Davis Aggies in non-conference action on Thursday. The Waves (1-0), who started last season 5-2, ended up going 4-20 the rest of the way for a 10th-place finish in the West Coast Conference. The Aggies (1-0), who placed sixth in the Big West in 2022-23, are looking to continue their home success at the University Credit Union Center in Davis, Calif., where they have gone 11-4 since the start of last year. This will be the second-ever meeting between the schools, with Pepperdine winning 72-67 in November 2021.
The game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. ET. Pepperdine averaged 78 points per game in 2022-2023, while UC Davis averaged 74.8. The Aggies are 8-point favorites in the latest Pepperdine vs. UC Davis odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 154.5. Before making any UC Davis vs. Pepperdine picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It went 85-55 on all top-rated college basketball picks last season, returning more than $1,600 for $100 players. Anyone who followed it saw huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Pepperdine vs. UC Davis and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UC Davis vs. Pepperdine:
- Pepperdine vs. UC Davis spread: UC Davis -8
- Pepperdine vs. UC Davis over/under: 154.5 points
- Pepperdine vs. UC Davis money line: Pepperdine +281, UC Davis -356
- PEP: The Waves have hit the game total over in 19 of their last 25 games (+12.40 units)
- UCD: The Aggies have won 7 of their last 9 games at home (+4.50 units on money line)
- Pepperdine vs. UC Davis picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why UC Davis can cover
The Aggies are paced by senior guard Elijah Pepper, who was named to the Big West Conference Preseason Coaches Team for the third time in his career. Pepper, an All-Big West first team selection a year ago, averaged 22.5 points, 3.4 assists and 5.9 rebounds last season. In the 86-51 season-opening win over William Jessup on Monday, Pepper played 27 minutes, scoring 21 points, grabbing six rebounds and making six steals. In five seasons at the school, Pepper has started 104 of 106 games played, averaging 15.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals.
Junior forward Francesco Borra played 16 minutes in the opener, scoring 12 points with two rebounds. He is in his fourth season with the Aggies and continues his steady improvement over last season, when he averaged 1.5 points and two rebounds per game. Borra has played 37 games in his career, all coming as a reserve. He played in 18 games in 2021-22, the most action he has seen. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Pepperdine can cover
Junior guard Houston Mallette is off to a fast start to the season, scoring 26 points and grabbing three rebounds in the win over Concordia on Monday. He connected on 7 of 14 shots from the floor, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range. Mallette is in his third season with the Waves, and has started 60 of 64 games in his career. In that time, he is averaging 13.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 32.7 minutes of action.
Also off to a good start to the season is sophomore guard Malik Moore. He made his second career start on Monday and poured in 16 points, while grabbing five rebounds and two assists. In 31 games last season, he averaged five points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He has been a weapon from beyond the arc, connecting on 43.2% of his 3-pointers in his career. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make UC Davis vs. Pepperdine picks
The model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 148 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits more than 60% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Pepperdine vs. UC Davis, and which side of the spread hits more than 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that went 85-55 on its top-ranked college basketball picks last season, and find out.
