Long Beach State at Pacific

Pacific has won 12 of their last 13 games to earn their way to the Big West Conference Championship game. They've posted a 23-7 record and have shown they can cover as a favorite. They are 9-2 ATS this season as a favorite of 9 or less points as they are in this one. Long Beach State has had a good season but the difference between these two teams is style. LBS has won in shootouts. They try to simply outscore their opponents while playing no defense. They've averaged 83.7 PPG while giving up 79.5 per game. On the road, they scored 87.1 while allowing 87.0. Meanwhile, Pacific plays great defense. They scored 74.1 per game but held opponents to 63 per game. Their defense has only gotten better late in the season as they've held their last five opponents to 52.6 per game. I harken back to the old adage, "Defense wins championships." Take Pacific here minus the number for two stars.