Long Beach State vs. Arizona Betting Prediction, Best Bets, and Odds

• Long Beach State received a #15 seed after winning the Big West

• Arizona received a #2 seed but failed to win the Pac-12

• Beach head coach Dan Monson will step down after the season

Long Beach State has its work cut out for it in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Beach will face the Arizona Wildcats, the second-ranked seed in the West Region. 

The Wildcats will be angry after losing to Oregon in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinal. Arizona has been known to choke in the big moments, but we don’t expect them to slip up on Thursday.

The Beach do have momentum coming into this game as they won the Big West. The team is playing hard for their coach, Dan Monson, who was relieved of his coaching duties for next season. However, Monsoon will be on the court for the remainder of the season, which could spark a Cinderella run. 

The opening tip from the Delta Center is scheduled for 2:00 PM ET on March 21. Here, we will break down the game and give our best bet for Long Beach State vs. Arizona.

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Long Beach State vs. Arizona Prediction and Odds 

Long Beach State

Long Beach State needs more offensive firepower to win from the perimeter. Their best chance of success is driving to the rim and making high-percentage shots. 

If the Beach has to shoot threes from behind, live bet Arizona because this won’t end well for Monson’s team. The positive for Long Beach State’s play style is that they’re facing an Arizona team that commits many fouls. 

Arizona commits just under 20 fouls per game, so Long Beach State should have plenty of chances to get to the foul line. If they're efficient from the charity stripe, they could keep this game closer than many expect.

The Beach also plays fast despite taking few threes, scoring just under 80 points per game. However, they’re just 145th in adjusted offensive efficiency from KenPom. 

Beach is led by Marcus Tsohonis, who averages 17.8 points per game. Yet, he shoots just 40.5% from the field, which must improve to give his team a chance. 

Arizona Wildcats 

Arizona is defined by Caleb Love, one of the country's best scorers. Love has been a machine all season for Arizona, averaging 18.1 points per game with 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists. 

He will be one of many Wildcats who should be able to score at will in this contest. Love led the North Carolina Tar Heels to the 2022 Final Four before transferring to Arizona. 

The Wildcats have the efficiency advantage from the perimeter and a considerable size gap over the mid-major Beach. The Wildcats will be able to attack the rim in transition, and Beach won’t be able to keep pace. 

Arizona also has the advantage from the arc because Long Beach State doesn’t defend threes very well. Arizona is the 24th-ranked program in the country in three-point shooting, which will make 

Long Beach State vs. Arizona Pick

• PICK: Arizona -20.5 (-110) at FanDuel Sportsbook

There is a path to success for Long Beach State to cover in this game. If Arizona jumps out to an early lead but Beach stays composed, they can get to the line and have success. 

However, Long Beach State will press very early in this game when the Wildcats start making three-point shots. Beach hasn’t seen anyone like Caleb Williams in the Big West, so look for the experienced March Madness veteran to make the difference. 

How to Watch Long Beach State vs. Arizona

• When: Thursday, March 21st @ 2:00 PM ET

• Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT

• TV: TBS

• Streaming: March Madness App