The UC Irvine Anteaters will face the Columbia Lions in the CIT Championship Game on Tuesday, and the Lions will be a slight favorite. UC Irvine has won three straight road games to get to the Final, and I think they'll prove to be too strong for a mediocre Ivy League squad. My money is on the Anteaters plus the points.

Here are my keys to the game.

1. Previous History - UC Irvine is a juggernaut on the road. In fact the Anteaters have more wins on the road (13) than they have at home (11). They are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games, and the Lions have failed to cover in four straight home games versus teams with a winning record.

2. Battle on the Boards - The Anteaters are best known for their giant center Mamado Ndaiye, who towers over opponents at 7 foot six inches tall. He pulled in nine rebounds against Coastal Carolina on Sunday, and he's blocked a whopping 23 shots over his last 10 games. UC Irvine has averaged over 40 rebounds per game over it's last five, roughly 10 rebounds more than Columbia during that same span.

3. X-Factor - Senior guard Alex Young leads the Anteaters in scoring, and he comes in feeling the hot hand. He's 8-of-13 from beyond the arc in his last two games.

Selection: This is a play on the UC Irvine Anteaters (10*)