UAB vs. North Texas Odds
| UAB Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 128.5 -108o / -112u | +118 |
| North Texas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 128 -108o / -112u | -142 |
North Texas welcomes UAB to The Super Pit on Thursday night in a matchup between the last two NCAA Tournament teams from Conference USA.
The Mean Green are second in the C-USA standings with a 10-3 league mark to go with a 19-5 overall record.
Meanwhile, the Blazers (17-7) enter the contest after giving Florida Atlantic its first conference loss.
UAB Blazers
Jordan “Jelly” Walker returned from a five-game absence and led UAB to a huge victory over then-No. 19 FAU last week.
The star point guard is one of the most dynamic scorers in the nation, ranking third in scoring at 23.2 points per game. Walker is also fourth in C-USA with 4.33 assists per game, so he was definitely missed while out injured.
As a team, the Blazers are known for their high-powered offense, which leads the conference with 81.92 PPG and ranks 67th in the nation in AdjO, according to barttorvik.com.
Coach Andy Kennedy’s squad also crashes the offensive glass. The Blazers lead C-USA and are eighth in the country in offensive rebounding. Of course, it helps that they have a pair of players — KJ Buffen (3.00 OREB) and Trey Jemison (2.71 OREB) — in the top five in the league in that category.
North Texas Mean Green
UAB is known for its offense, but North Texas is dominant on the defensive end of the floor.
On the year, coach Grant McCasland’s squad is in the top 30 in multiple defensive categories, including AdjD (30th), EFG% (20th) and opponents’ 2-point percentage (27th) and 3-point percentage (28th).
The Mean Green also lead Conference USA in scoring defense, allowing only 58.08 PPG — 6.5 more points than the second-place squad — in league play.
On offense, everything runs through guard Tylor Perry, who leads the team with 17.1 PPG. His matchup with Walker will go a long way toward deciding who claims the victory in this game.
UAB vs. North Texas Betting Pick
North Texas held UAB to its lowest point total of the season and just one made 3-pointer in the 63-53 victory last month. With Walker returning for this second meeting, the Mean Green will be in for a much more difficult challenge.
So, my best bet is to back the Blazers at +3. I also think this is a great spot to play the visitors on the moneyline at a plus price.
This number has shifted too far in my opinion. In the last game, UAB closed as a 3-point home favorite, which was assuming Walker was playing.
You now flip where the contest is played, and I just don’t weigh North Texas’ home-court advantage that highly. This spread also suggests the Mean Green would be favored on a neutral floor, which I don’t agree with.
I think we are about to see the Blazers make a late-season push for another C-USA Championship. They have already beaten FAU and I believe they have a great shot to take down North Texas.
Pick: UAB +3 |
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