UC San Diego Tritons vs CSU Fullerton Titans Prediction, 3/5/2026 College Basketball Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: UC San Diego Tritons vs CSU Fullerton Titans

Date: Thursday, March 5, 2026

Location: Titan Gym in Fullerton, CA

TV: ESPN+

Titan Gym is the location where the CSU Fullerton Titans (15-15) will play the UC San Diego Tritons (21-9) on Thursday.

The UC San Diego Tritons faced off with Cal Poly and took home the win by a score of 80-64 in their last game. UC San Diego finished having earned a 46.3% field goal percentage (31 out of 67) and converted 8 out of their 24 three-point shots. At the charity stripe, the Tritons made 10 of their 16 tries for a rate of 62.5%. In reference to pulling down rebounds, they collected 30 with 5 of them being of the offensive variety. They also dished out 18 assists in the game while forcing 15 turnovers and having 10 steals. In regard to defending, UC San Diego allowed the other team to go 37.9% from the field on 22 out of 58 shooting. Cal Poly distributed 14 dimes and had 3 steals in the matchup. On top of that, Cal Poly grabbed 36 boards (5 offensive, 31 defensive), but didn't have a block. Cal Poly ended up shooting 100.0% at the free throw line by burying 8 of 8 shots. They also made 12 of 39 shots from distance. In reference to fouls, the Tritons ended up finishing with 14 and Cal Poly accounted for 15 fouls.

Alex Chaikin is one player who came through in this matchup. He recorded 17 points on 4 of 11 shooting. He was on the court for 31 mins played and also pulled down 2 rebounds. He finished shooting 36.4% from the floor and earned 1 assist.

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UC San Diego heads into this contest with a mark of 21-9 on the season. They lose possession by turning the ball over 11.3 times per game and as a unit they commit 16.2 fouls every game. As a team, UC San Diego is pulling down 37.4 rebounds per contest and has accumulated 448 assists this year, which has them ranked 115th in college hoops in terms of passing the rock. The Tritons are shooting 33.9% on shots beyond the perimeter (260 of 766) and 68.9% from the free throw line. They have an average of 76.5 pts per contest (159th in the country) while going 45.9% from the floor.

When they are on the defensive end, the Tritons are forcing 12.0 turnovers per game while drawing 16.5 personal fouls. They currently rank 189th in Division 1 in giving up assists to the opposition with 406 conceded for the campaign. The Tritons are giving up an opponent shooting percentage of 41.4% (739 of 1,785) and they concede 35.5 rebounds per game as a squad. They are giving up 32.5% on shots from distance and they are 77th in college hoops in PPG allowed (70.1).

When they last played, the CSU Fullerton Titans walked away from this one with a loss by a score of 87-85 against Hawaii. The Titans pulled down 21 defensive boards and 7 offensive rebounds totaling 28 for the matchup. They also gave up possession of the ball 7 times, while earning 8 steals for the contest. Hawaii was called for 21 fouls for the contest which got the Titans to the charity stripe for a total of 26 tries. They were able to convert 18 of the free throw attempts for a rate of 69.2%. Pertaining to three-point shots, CSU Fullerton converted 11 of their 26 tries (42.3%). At the conclusion of this game, the Titans ended up going 28 for 60 from the floor which gave them a rate of 46.7%. The Titans permitted Hawaii to convert 28 of their 59 attempts from the field which gave them a shooting percentage of 47.5% for this contest. They finished 35.9% from 3-point land by shooting 14 of 39 and finished the game at 17 of 20 from the free throw line (85.0%). In regard to rebounding, CSU Fullerton permitted Hawaii to grab 33 in total (7 offensive).

Josh Ward ended up being a major contributor for the Titans in this game. He made 6 of 9 for the game for a rate of 66.7%, and accounted for 4 rebounds. He accumulated 16 points in his 38 mins on the hardwood and earned 8 dimes in this game.

CSU Fullerton has a win-loss record of 15-15 so far this year. The Titans are responsible for committing 19.1 fouls per game and they shoot 71.2% from the free throw line. Their rate of dishing out assists is at 16.2 times per game (57th in the nation) and they lose possession via turnover 11.5 times per game. CSU Fullerton has scored 2,512 pts on the season (83.7 per game) and they collect 35.1 rebounds per contest. In terms of offensive execution, the Titans are hitting on 45.8% from the field, which ranks 150th in the nation.

The Titans on the defensive side of the court are 351st in D-1 in PPG given up with 82.7. They are able to force 14.8 turnovers on a nightly basis and have allowed teams to shoot 46.4% from the floor (305th in college). The CSU Fullerton defense allows 35.0% on shots from beyond the arc (298 of 851) and their opposition knocks down 73.6% of their free throw shots. They have given up 16.4 dimes and 37.9 rebounds on a nightly basis, which has them ranked 346th and 343rd in Division 1.

Who will win tonight's NCAA game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take UC San Diego

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