Florida Atlantic vs. UAB Odds
In a matchup between two top-mid teams, UAB hosts No. 19 Florida Atlantic at the Bartow Arena on Thursday night.
The Blazers came into the campaign as a preseason favorite in Conference USA, but they’ve stumbled with five losses in the league and are 15-7 on the year.
Meanwhile, the Owls are on a 20-win streak and lead the conference standings at 11-0.
In the first meeting, the schools accumulated over 170 points in a game decided by one possession, meaning this could be one of the best face-offs of the night in college hoops.
When you look at FAU’s remaining schedule, this trip to Birmingham, Alabama, is the toughest test between the Owls and a perfect conference season. They’ve already defeated North Texas twice and beat the Blazers once.
In ESPN’s latest Bracketology, the Owls were shown as the No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would make you think their resume might be good enough to secure a major offer. However, Coach Dusty Mae’s team must avoid bad losses in the conference to take its place.
As a team, Mai’s team is very balanced, ranking 50th in AdjO (47), AdjD (43) and EFG% on both ends of the field, according to barttorvik.com. Meanwhile, the Owls also clean the glass defensively (38th) and defend two shots (9th) at elite levels.
The Owls are led by sixth Man of the Year nominee Jonelle Davis, who averages 16.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in conference play. He scored 36 points in the first meeting, and FAU needed every one of them.
After last season’s Big Dance performance, most were expecting the Blazers to be the C-USA representative again this year, especially with the return of strong cores to the program.
It started with the return of guard Jordan “Jelly” Walker for another season. The senior is among the nation’s leading scorers and tied for second in the NCAA with 23.8 points per game.
Unfortunately, Walker has missed the past five games, which included a pivotal contest against North Texas. It will be very important to monitor his condition as we approach the first tip.
With the Blazers at 74 in the NET rankings with no 4 1 wins, this is easily their biggest game of the season, and we should give it our all.
Florida Atlantic vs. UAB Betting Pick
In a match between two top teams, the handicap really comes down to Walker’s case. I think his presence swings who will win this contest.
So, your best bet is to back UAB on the money line with anything better than -130 odds if he plays. However, I would bet FAU the same price if Walker gets out for the sixth game in a row.
It’s hard to say the full scope of what Walker meant to this team, but you can see the struggles without him in recent games. The Blazers were unable to beat Middle Tennessee and North Texas in a pair of games that Walker missed.
He also scored nearly 25% of UAB’s 86 points in the first game. Speaking of that first meeting, it follows the trend of coach Andy Kennedy’s team this season.
In the season, 71% of UAB games have been cashed out and that may also be worth a look because both teams are playing at a decent pace.
Be sure to check out for updates on Walker’s condition and hope he plays to make this one of the top games on the list for college hoops on Thursday.
pluck or pluck: UAB ML -130 or better if Walker works | FAU ML -130 or better if Walker is seated
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