UAB Blazers vs North Texas Mean Green NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/31/24

Planning on watching today’s Blazers and Mean Green game? Catch the action at UNT Coliseum in Denton, TX, as the Mean Green hosts this showdown at 4:00 ET on ESPNU. The odds for this American Athletic conference game currently have North Texas as the -5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 140.5 points.

UAB BLAZERS VS NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN BETTING PICK

The Pick: North Texas Mean Green -5

This game will be played at UNT Coliseum at 4:00 ET on Tuesday, December 31st.

WHY BET THE NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Mean Green.
• Not only will North Texas pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 140.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Will the Blazers Come Through as Road Underdogs?

UAB moved to 6-6 on the season with a 91-74 home win over Alcorn State on Sunday. The Blazers were -22.5 favorites going into the game but didn’t cover the spread. The total points of 165 went over the O/U line of 153.5.

UAB took control early, leading 50-31 at halftime. However, they allowed 43 points in the 2nd half while scoring 41, which might be a concern for the Blazers moving forward.

UAB’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 91 points while shooting 52.5% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 59.3%, and they were especially strong inside, hitting 67.6% of their two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, they connected on 32% of their shots, going 8-for-25.

At the free-throw line, UAB was nearly perfect, making 21 of 23 attempts for a 91.3% success rate. They also dished out 21 assists and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds. Keionte Cornelius led the way with 22 points, hitting 6 of 10 from three-point range, while Bradley Ezewiro was perfect from the field, going 5-for-5 and finishing with 19 points.

UAB’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 74 points on 52% shooting from the field. The Blazers had a tough time containing two-point shots, where their opponents hit 67% of their attempts, going 23/34.

From beyond the arc, UAB allowed 8 threes on 25 attempts, a 32% shooting rate. They also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 21 of those for 91%. Additionally, UAB gave up 12 offensive rebounds.

Will the Mean Green Defense Show Up at Home?

North Texas Mean Green Recent Game/Games

North Texas improved to 7-3 on the season with a 62-46 win over Houston Christian on Sunday, December 22nd. The Mean Green were heavy favorites at -22.5, but they didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 108 fell short of the 128.5 O/U line.

North Texas led 30-23 at halftime and maintained control in the 2nd half, scoring 32 points and holding the Huskies to 23 points.

North Texas put up 62 points in their last game, shooting 47.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.9%. They connected on 54.5% of their two-point attempts, while hitting 33.3% from beyond the arc, making 6 of 18 three-pointers.

The Mean Green added 11 offensive rebounds and dished out 9 assists. At the free-throw line, they shot 72.7%, hitting 8 of 11 attempts. Julian Mackey and Johnathan Massie each scored 14 points, with Massie going 2 for 2 from three-point range.

North Texas gave up 46 points, with their opponent shooting 47% from the field, including 54% on two-pointers (18/33). From beyond the arc, the opposition hit 6 of 18 threes, good for 33%.

At the free-throw line, the other team went 8/11, shooting 72%. North Texas also allowed 11 offensive rebounds.