The two second-place teams in the American Athletic Conference square off when North Texas visits UAB on Monday evening.
North Texas (16-5, 7-2) is coming off Saturday’s 54-50 home loss to UTSA. That snapped a six-game winning streak for the Mean Green. UAB (14-8, 7-2) won its second consecutive game with Saturday’s 96-78 home victory over Charlotte. The Blazers had a 66-50 advantage in points in the paint.
Both North Texas and the Blazers are one game behind first-place Memphis in the AAC.
On New Year’s Eve, the Mean Green won the first meeting against UAB with a 78-75 home victory. Atin Wright, a 6-foot-1 senior transfer from Drake, hit the game-winning three-pointer as North Texas overcame an 18-point deficit. Wright is North Texas’ leading scorer, averaging 13.9 points.
Senior guard Latrell Jossell, a transfer from Stephen F. Austin, scored 20 points and hit 6 of 9 three-pointers for the winning Mean Green. UAB was led by 6-foot-4 senior Alejandro Vasquez, who scored 15 points.
One of the keys to North Texas’ win over UAB was limiting the Blazers in transition. UAB was held to 10 fast break points. The Blazers are second nationally with 17.86 fast break points per game. North Texas averages just eight fast break points per game, but in the win over UAB, it had 12. The other key stat in the North Texas win was the Mean Green outscored UAB in bench points, 40-28.
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
North Texas at UAB Odds
UAB is a 1.5-point college basketball odds favorite on BetMGM against North Texas with the Over/Under at 137.5 points.
The moneyline for UAB is -110 while it is also -110 for North Texas.
North Texas at UAB On TV
The game between North Texas and UAB will be televised by ESPN2.
Tonight’s tipoff is shortly after 9 p.m. ET.
North Texas at UAB Prediction
I like UAB laying the points.
This is definitely an offense vs. defense matchup. UAB is first in the AAC and ninth nationally in scoring, averaging 84.6 points per game, while North Texas is last in the AAC (68.6 PPG). Conversely, North Texas leads the AAC and is fourth nationally in scoring defense, allowing 58.9 points per game. UAB is 10th in the AAC in scoring defense, allowing 76.2 points per game.
What is interesting is that in the first meeting, UAB lost despite shooting 10 for 18 (.555) from three-point range and 19 for 21 (.904) from the foul line. North Texas shot well from three, 9 for 21 (.428), but the difference was at the foul line where the Mean Green shot 25 of 26 (.961).
Both teams are strong from the foul line. North Texas is second in the AAC (.771), while the Blazers are fourth (.755).
The Mean Green shoot .362 from three-point range, while UAB shoots .337.
UAB 6-foot-9 senior Yaxel Lendeborg leads the Blazers in scoring (17.6 PPG), rebounding (10.4), and assists (4.3). In the earlier game, North Texas did a good job on Lendeborg, limiting him to 12 points (5 of 13 from the field). He also committed three turnovers.
North Texas’ other double-figure scorer besides White is 6-foot-9 junior Brenen Lorient, who averages 12.5 points. He has come off the bench every game this year.
The key to this game will be which team can play at its accustomed pace. UAB’s adjusted tempo according to Kenpom.com is 69.2. Adjusted tempo is possessions per 40 minutes. North Texas’ adjusted tempo is 60.3.
One other factor – it’s very difficult to limit Lendeborg to another subpar game. UAB will need its star to rebound from that first game for the Blazers to emerge victorious.
