North Texas Mean Green vs Memphis Tigers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/5/25

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Mean Green versus the Tigers? Tip off is at at 5:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN. The game will be played at FedExForum in Memphis, TN. The over/under for this game is set at 136.5 points, and Memphis is favored by -8.5 vs. North Texas in a American Athletic conference matchup.

NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN VS MEMPHIS TIGERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Memphis Tigers -8.5

This game will be played at FedExForum at 5:00 ET on Sunday, January 5th.

WHY BET THE MEMPHIS TIGERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-67 in favor of the Tigers.
• Not only will Memphis pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -8.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 136.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Will the Mean Green Defense Show Up on the Road?

North Texas Mean Green Recent Game/Games

North Texas improved to 8-3 on the season with a 78-75 win over UAB on Tuesday. Despite being -6.5 favorites, the Mean Green didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 153 exceeded the over/under line of 138.5.

North Texas had a huge 2nd half, outscoring UAB 47-27 after trailing 48-31 at halftime. Their strong defensive effort in the 2nd half was key to the comeback.

North Texas put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 44% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52%. They hit 9 of 21 from three-point range, connecting at 42.9%, and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, going 25 of 26 for 96.2%.

Latrell Jossell led the way from deep, hitting 6 of 9 threes and finishing with 20 points. Atin Wright added 22 points, despite shooting just 4 of 12 overall and 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. Yaxel Lendeborg contributed 12 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, while Tyren Moore was efficient, hitting 3 of 4 from three-point range.

North Texas gave up 75 points in this one, with the opposing team shooting 44% from the field. They allowed 22 made field goals on 50 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the other team shot 42%, hitting 9 of their 21 three-point attempts. North Texas also sent them to the line 26 times, where they converted 25 free throws for a 96% rate.

Can Memphis Pull Off a Home Win?

Memphis improved to 11-3 on the season with a dominant 90-62 road win over Florida Atlantic on Thursday. The Tigers entered the game as 3.5-point favorites and covered the spread comfortably. The total points for the game ended at 152, falling short of the 163.5 O/U line.

Memphis led 42-32 at halftime and clamped down defensively in the second half, allowing just 30 points while scoring 48 of their own. The Tigers’ strong defensive effort and efficient offense were key to their victory.

Memphis put up 90 points in their last game, shooting 55.9% from the field and hitting 10 of 18 threes at a 55.6% clip. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 64.4%, and they connected on 73.7% of their free throws, going 14 for 19 from the line.

Tyrese Hunter led the way with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, hitting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. PJ Haggerty added 19 points, and Dain Dainja contributed 16 points and 5 boards in just 21 minutes of action.

Memphis put on a defensive clinic, holding their opponent to just 62 points on 32% shooting from the field. They were particularly effective at defending the three-point line, where they limited their opponent to just 5 made threes on 31 attempts, a 16% success rate.

Inside the arc, their opponent shot 45%, hitting 17 of 37 two-point attempts. Memphis also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 21 times, where they made 13, shooting 61%. Despite giving up 19 offensive rebounds, Memphis’s defense held strong.