The Anteaters probably got the second biggest snub for the Big Dance after West Virginia. They went 31-6 overall and 17-3 in Big West play. They played just two Quad 1 games and split the pair. This is a solid mid-major, and you just don’t see teams with 30 wins miss the tourney very often. They have a defense that’s every bit as good as the Mean Green, but, unlike N Texas, they run an up-tempo offense and can win shootouts or defensive battles. Irvine also has one more advantage if this game is close. They’re the 4th-best free-throw shooting team in the nation. This game could very well be close and free throws could play a very big role.