UAB Blazers (14-7) vs. Rice Owls (14-5)
January 28, 2023 3:00 pm EDT
The Line: Rice Owls +4 / UAB Blazers -4; Over/Under: +159.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The UAB Blazers and Rice Owls meet Saturday in college basketball action at the Tudor Fieldhouse. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
The UAB Blazers Betting Preview
The UAB Blazers are averaging 82.6 points on 45.3 percent shooting and allowing 71.3 points on 41.6 percent shooting. Jordan Walker is averaging 23.8 points and 2.6 rebounds, while Eric Gaines is averaging 12.9 points and 3.2 rebounds. KJ Buffen is the third double-digit scorer and Ledarrius Brewer is grabbing 3.9 rebounds. The UAB Blazers are shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc and 73 percent from the free throw line. The UAB Blazers are allowing 34 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 38.1 rebounds per game.
The Rice Owls Betting Preview
The Rice Owls are averaging 80.7 points on 48.8 percent shooting and allowing 73.1 points on 45 percent shooting. Quincy Qlivari is averaging 19.6 points and 5.7 rebounds, while Travis Evee is averaging 15.9 points and 2.2 rebounds. Max Fiedler is the third double-digit scorer and Mekhi Mason is dishing 2.1 assists. The Rice Owls are shooting 36.1 percent from beyond the arc and 73.5 percent from the free throw line. The Rice Owls are allowing 33.5 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 34.6 rebounds per game.
UAB vs Rice Trends
The Blazers are 5-15-2 ATS in their last 22 road games and 1-7-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall. The Owls are 21-9-2 ATS in their last 32 home games and 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games overall. The over is 37-15-1 in Blazers last 53 overall. The over is 9-2 in Owls last 11 overall. The favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Randy’s Free Pick
There’s not a lot of separation between these teams, and I’m not laying chalk with UAB on the road when this team doesn’t cover numbers. The Rice Owls have more than held their own this season, and they’re at home, where they win by an average of 16.1 points and shoot 52.1 percent from the field. This line is strange to me. Give me the points.
