We're set to bring you another College Basketball betting prediction and pick as we head over to ESPN Primetime for a ranked matchup in the American Conference. The North Texas Mean Green (12-6, 5-1 American) will take on the No. 22 FAU Owls (16-4, 6-1 American) as both teams fight their way atop the conference. Check out our College Basketball odds series for our North Texas-FAU prediction and pick.
The North Texas Mean Green are currently tied for third in the American Conference and recently had a huge 68-66 nail-biting win against the SMU Mustangs. They're 7-3 in their last 10 games and their last loss came in a 56-44 blowout against Charlotte. They have a great chance to put the conference leaders on notice here with a win.
The FAU Owls are currently leading the American Conference and their lone loss within the conference came 68-70 against Charlotte. Since then, however, FAU has managed to win five-straight games and they've gone 12-2 in their home building this season. Expect them to try and establish their dominance early against a top competitor to their current throne.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: North Texas-FAU Odds
North Texas: +9.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +400
FAU: -9.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -550
Over: 133.5 (-110)
Under: 133.5 (-110)
How to Watch North Texas vs. FAU
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET/ 10:00 a.m. PT
TV: ESPN2, ESPN+, fuboTV
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why North Texas Will Cover The Spread/Win
North Texas faced SMU for the first time since 2002 in their last game and with both teams having a solid start to their season, the matchup proved to be an important one for both squads. SMU came out strong, but the Mean Green were able to match them bucket-for-bucket with their home fans fully into the game. They haven't been nearly as good in their away games at just 2-2, but this North Texas team stands a chance against any team in the conference if they're able to get out to get out to a fast start. They're extremely active on the defensive end and while they give up a decent number to opponents, they typically level-out the intensity with their offense.
North Texas can win this game against FAU if they're able to have a balanced attack from their starting five. The most impressive aspect of their game has been their ability to swing the ball along the perimeters and find open men in the paint. They did a tremendous job of getting the SMU defense to collapse in their zone and they could see some success in following a similar pace against the Owls. However, they only average 67 PPG to the Owls' 83 PPG, so they'll need to find success in forcing bad shots from their opponents.
Why FAU Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Florida Atlantic Owls have been a consistent team for the most part, but they still have their lapses with losses to teams like Bryant and Florida Gulf Coast. Their last loss came over three weeks ago against Charlotte and the Owls have really tightened up their play in the time since. They're coming in off a great game against Rice that saw them dominate the glass and run away by double-digits. Nick Boyd was seriously accurate going 5/6 from the field and 5/5 on his free throws. Playing this game on their home floor will be a huge advantage, but they'll have to be careful in not overlooking this North Texas team early.
On paper, FAU has the more efficient offense and they're averaging almost 20 more points per game than the Mean Green. They're also averaging five more assists and if they can effectively box-out and control the glass, they should run away with this game rather easily. Still, they'll be on upset alert and it'll take another solid night from the field to keep North Texas from any late-game comebacks.
Final North Texas-FAU Prediction & Pick
North Texas has won seven of their last eight games and they're proving to be a stingy team to anyone in the American Conference. The FAU Owls are also on a roll right now and will be seeking their sixth-straight win against a conference opponent. North Texas has been putting up a great fight against better teams, but their statistics just don't show enough to make us believe they can keep pace with the Owls.
FAU will be at a huge advantage being at home for this game and they're the much better scoring and rebounding team. They should have an advantage on the offensive glass and if they're able to find second-chance opportunities, they won't let the Mean Green back into this game. Let's ride with the Owls to win and cover the spread.
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Final North Texas-FAU Prediction & Pick: FAU Owls -9.5 (-120)
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