The 3-seed UAB Blazers (25-8) face the 1-seed FAU Owls (30-3) Saturday in the Conference USA Tournament championship game with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line. Tip from Ford Center At The Star in Frisco, Texas, is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the UAB vs. FAU odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
UAB showed Rice the door in the C-USA quarterfinals Thursday by an 87-60 count as a 14.5-point favorite as the Under (155.5) cashed. The Blazers then topped North Texas 76-69 Friday to punch their ticket to the title game as the Over (126.5) connected.
FAU blasted Western Kentucky 75-51 Thursday in the quarters to easily cover a 10.5-point number. However, the Owls had a scare put into them by Middle Tennessee Friday, needing late free throws to escape with a 68-65 victory as 10.5-point favorites. The Under connected in both games.
FAU edged UAB 88-86 in Boca Raton on Jan. 5 as the Over (150.5) easily cashed, while the Blazers dumped the Owls 86-77 in Birmingham on Feb. 2 in another game which saw the Over (146) comfortably connect.