North Texas has recently flipped the script and bounced back from a four-game losing streak by winning its last three games.
The Mean Green (15-11 overall, 6-7 American Conference) have been solid defensively for most of the season and especially during its winning streak, where they are only allowing 63 points per game. They are coming off a 65-62 win over Temple.
RELATED: College Basketball Odds to Win the 2026 National Championship
Tulane (15-10, 6-6) has also righted the ship following a long losing skid. After dropping five consecutive games, the Green Wave have won their last two and three out of their last four.
The Green Wave are coming off a 55-54 win over UAB, where they held the Blazers scoreless for the final 5 minutes, 13 seconds, until UAB tipped in a missed shot at the final horn.
Tulane at North Texas Odds
As of this writing, North Texas is a 7.5-point college basketball betting odds favorite on BetMGM against Tulane, while the Over/Under is 136.5 points.
The Moneyline for UNT is -300 and +240 for Tulane.
Tulane at North Texas on TV
The matchup between Tulane and North Texas will be televised on ESPN2.
Tonight’s game tips off at 9 p.m. ET.
Tulane at North Texas Prediction
I predict Tulane covers the 7.5-point spread, but North Texas wins. I also predict this game goes under 136.5 points.
These are two of the best defenses in the American. Per KenPom, UNT owns an adjusted defensive efficiency of 100.5, which ranks second in the conference. They turn over opponents on 23.1% of possessions, and their 9.9 steals per game are the fifth-most in the country.
The Mean Green like to pressure defensively and make it difficult for opponents to get set up in their offense. They are allowing a league-best 68.7 PPG and 43.6% against conference foes.
Tulane’s offense rolls through 6-foot-4 junior Rowan Brumbaugh, who likes to get to the rim and the free-throw line, but can also knock down shots from the outside and is a great passer. His 19.4 points per game are third-most in the league, and he’s averaging 5.5 assists per game. Asher Woods and Curtis Williams Jr. both add 12 PPG.
I expect UNT to apply a ton of pressure to Brumbaugh, deny him the ball, and maybe even throw a couple of guys at him at once. If he’s out of rhythm, then the Green Wave’s offense will be out of rhythm.
Like North Texas, the Green Wave make it difficult on opponents to get what they want offensively. The aforementioned scoring drought against UAB is an example.
Tulane has an ADE of 103.9, and its defensive effective field-goal percentage of 46.9% is the second-best in the conference. The Green Wave like to show different defensive looks and will apply light pressure to try to speed up opponents. Sometimes it works. The Green Wave’s 17.7% turnover rate is the third-highest in the American. They are allowing 71.8 PPG.
The Mean Green’s offense isn’t designed to score a ton. They like to get players moving toward the bucket and have attempted the fewest 3-pointers in the league. Their 58 made 3s are the lowest in the conference by 15, and their offensive effective field-goal percentage of 44.6% is also the lowest in the conference.
Six-foot-2 sophomore Je’Shawn Stevenson paces UNT with 16.8 PPG and 2.1 steals per game. David Terrell Jr. adds 12.7 PPG, 4.6 assists per game, and 1.7 SPG. The Mean Green are scoring 70.6 PPG.
With a pair of ho-hum offenses and the way these defenses are playing right now, I think this will be a low-scoring contest where it will be anybody’s game down the stretch.
