UC Riverside vs San José State prediction: Joey Chammaa and Mekhi Mason lead San José State's rebuilt offense against UCR
Two programs that tore down their rosters get their first real look at each other, and only one has faced a Division I opponent so far.
- San José State's new guards should drive the game at home while UC Riverside's reshuffled roster faces its first Division I opponent.
- Chammaa and Mason against a Highlanders backcourt built around Tony Duckett and returner De'Undrae Perteete Jr.
- No spread or total is posted yet; the Spartans covered -8.25 and cleared a 155.5 total in their opener.
Two teams starting over
Neither program looks much like the one that finished last season. San José State returns just 8.2% of last season's minutes, and UC Riverside returns 17.5%. The Spartans went 9-24 last season and the Highlanders went 10-22, so the overhaul made sense, and it also means last season's ratings are a weak guide here. Those ratings had San José State's defense 324th nationally in adjusted efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents) and UC Riverside's offense 288th.
The openers don't settle much either. UC Riverside beat La Verne 110-47, a non-Division I opponent, so the Highlanders' gaudy early numbers say almost nothing. San José State beat UTSA 95-74, and UTSA ranked 339th in adjusted net efficiency last season. The Spartans at least have tape against a Division I roster. This game, on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 10 p.m. ET, is the first real measuring stick for UC Riverside.
The Spartans' new backcourt
Tim Miles, in his sixth season at San José State and 30th as a head coach, rebuilt around transfers, and two guards carried the opener. Joey Chammaa scored 27 points with six assists in 36 minutes, a big jump from the 9.9 points he averaged at Arkansas State last season. Mekhi Mason, the Wake Forest transfer, added 26 points and hit five threes while using 38.2% of possessions when on the floor.
The frontcourt has a familiar face. Center Robert Vaihola is back with the Spartans after a stop at Minnesota and went for 13 points and 11 rebounds against UTSA. Miles called freshmen Mookie Cook and KJ Martin Jr. "really, really solid" off the bench. Scotty Middleton and Luke Howard did not play in the opener, and no reason had been reported as of Nov. 2.
UC Riverside, in Gus Argenal's second year, leans on new guards too. Tony Duckett, a transfer from Saint Mary's, scored 21 in the opener after averaging 3.1 points there last season. Perteete is the key returner, and he shot 40.8% from three last season.
Possessions are the Spartans' risk
San José State's opener had one ugly number: a turnover rate of 27.6%, meaning more than a quarter of its trips ended in a giveaway. That ranks 286th of 303 teams so far. The Spartans made up for it on the glass, grabbing half of their own misses for an offensive rebound rate of 50.0%, 19th in the country.
The Highlanders weren't built to punish mistakes last season. Their steal rate ranked 336th, and the group that does return didn't carry that team. Tyus Parrish-Tillman gives them a shot blocker after three blocks against La Verne, and he and Devon Malcolm will need to keep Vaihola off the offensive glass.
Tempo and the market
No spread or total has been posted for this game. The one data point on San José State's market profile: the Spartans covered as 8.25-point favorites against UTSA and went over a 155.5 total.
That opener ran at 75 possessions, a sharp change from last season, when the Spartans' pace ranked 301st. If Miles keeps this group playing faster, the old profile is no help for the total. UC Riverside played quickly last season, ranking 58th in pace. Both teams come in on 10 days of rest.
What to watch
- Whether Chammaa and Mason keep the turnovers down against the first Division I defense UC Riverside has faced.
- Vaihola against Parrish-Tillman on the offensive glass.
- Whether Duckett can repeat his opener against a Division I opponent.
- Any word on Middleton and Howard before tip.
Key players
- Joey Chammaa (San José State): Scored 27 points with six assists in the opener after averaging 9.9 points at Arkansas State last season.
- Mekhi Mason (San José State): Posted 26 points and five threes against UTSA with a 38.2% usage rate.
- Robert Vaihola (San José State): Back from Minnesota, he went for 13 points and 11 rebounds in the opener without missing a shot.
- Tony Duckett (UC Riverside): Scored 21 points in 23 minutes against La Verne after averaging 3.1 points at Saint Mary's last season.
- Tyus Parrish-Tillman (UC Riverside): Had 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the opener with a team-high 27.4% usage rate.
- De'Undrae Perteete Jr. (UC Riverside): Shot 40.8% from three over 26 games last season, the steadiest holdover on a rebuilt roster.
Numbers that matter
| SJSU returning minutes | 8.2% | Almost none of last season's 9-24 team is back, so last season's numbers say little about this group. |
|---|---|---|
| SJSU turnover rate | 27.6% | The Spartans gave the ball away on more than a quarter of their possessions against UTSA, 286th nationally. |
| SJSU offensive rebound % | 50.0% | Grabbing half its own misses, 19th in the country, offset the turnovers in the opener. |
| SJSU opener closing spread | -8.25 | The Spartans covered that number against UTSA, their only game with a line so far. |
UC Riverside vs San José State: quick answers
When is UC Riverside vs San José State?
Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 10:00 PM ET.