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The 2023 NIT championship game features a battle of Conference USA rivals as the UAB Blazers meet the North Texas Mean Green on Thursday night. The No. 3-seeded Mean Green (30-7) and No. 4-seeded Blazers (29-9) are both coming off memorable semifinals to reach the 2023 NIT championship game. North Texas overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to upend Wisconsin 56-54, while UAB squandered a 10-point lead but prevailed 88-86 over Utah Valley in overtime. The Mean Green swept the regular-season series, but the Blazers posted a 76-69 win in the C-USA tournament semifinals.
Tipoff is set for 9:40 p.m. ET from Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The Blazers are 2-point favorites in the latest UAB vs. North Texas odds according to Caesars Sportsbook. The over/under for total points scored is 128. Before making any North Texas vs. UAB picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Div. I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the Final Four of the 2023 NCAA Tournament 85-54 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also went 6-1 on top-rated picks during the first two weeks of March Madness. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on North Texas vs. UAB and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NIT 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UAB vs. North Texas:
- North Texas vs. UAB point spread: UAB -2
- North Texas vs. UAB over/under total: 128 points
- North Texas vs. UAB money line: UAB -135, North Texas +115
- UNT: The Mean Green are 12-3 against the spread in their past 15 games overall.
- UAB: The Blazers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against opponents with winning records.
- North Texas vs. UAB picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why UAB can cover
The Blazers have some momentum in the rivalry following their victory in the conference tournament semifinals, and they are the one North Texas foe that appears to have figured out how to score against the nation’s top-ranked defense. Their 76 points in the conference tournament semifinal were a season high in regulation against North Texas, and they also set the overall game high against the Mean Green in an 82-79 double overtime loss in the regular season.
UAB got its offense flowing early in the Tuesday semifinals and built a working margin that it held most of the way against Utah Valley. But the upstart Wolverines battled back by hitting the boards and getting to the free-throw line in the second half. Even so, UAB took the overtime lead on a 3-pointer by Eric Gaines and never trailed in the extra period. Senior forward Ty Brewer led the way with a season-high 30 points and added 12 rebounds and five steals. The Blazers have won 12 of their past 13, with the lone defeat coming 78-56 in the C-USA tournament final against Florida Atlantic, which went on to reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
Why North Texas can cover
The Mean Green might have a feeling of invincibility following a second consecutive NIT contest in which they rallied to defeat a Power Five conference opponent. In a national showcase contest on Tuesday, they managed an improbable comeback that will be remembered as one of the biggest in program history. The nation’s top-ranked scoring defense (55.7 points per game) looked more than vulnerable in the first half as the Badgers dissected it and hit shots with regularity. Behind five 3-pointers from Chucky Hepburn and other contributions, Wisconsin built a 41-29 lead against a North Texas club that appeared a little rattled on the big stage.
The North Texas comeback was a gradual climb, as it still trailed 54-46 with 9:08 remaining in the second half. The Badgers would never score again, amid a perplexing sequence of turnovers and missed shots down the stretch while the Mean Green whittled away at the deficit. Moulaye Sissoko gave North Texas its first and only lead at 56-54 with 2:08 remaining, and the Mean Green defense held Wisconsin scoreless on its final five possessions to close out the game.
How to make UAB vs. North Texas picks
The model has simulated the 2023 NIT championship and is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 137 points. It also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only see that selection at SportsLine.
So who wins North Texas vs. UAB? And which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on Thursday, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.
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