UAB Blazers vs. Houston Cougars Predictions

UAB Blazers (27-7 SU, 18-13-1 ATS) vs. Houston Cougars (29-5 SU, 22-12-0 ATS)
When: Friday March 18 2022, 9:20 PM PM (ET)
Where: CONSOL Energy Center

Point Spread: UAB +8.5/Houston -8.5 (WagerWeb)
Total: 137
Money Line: Blazers +310/Houston -400

Key Injuries

UAB Josh LeBlanc Sr.: Knee (OUT)

Houston Ramon Walker Jr.: Undisclosed (QUESTIONABLE) Tramon Mark: Shoulder (OUT) Marcus Sasser: Toe (OUT) Kiyron Powell: Redshirt (OUT)

Recent Form

The UAB Blazers come into this matchup with an overall record of 27-7. On the season, the Blazers have performed well in their 13 non-conference games, posting a record of 10-3. For the year, the Blazers went 4-1 on a neutral courts. Heading into this matchup, the Blazers are looking to stay hot as they try to add on to their current 7 game win streak.

The Houston Cougars get set to host the Blazers with an overall record of 29-5. On the season, the Cougars have performed well in their 13 non-conference games, posting a record of 11-2. In addition to their strong non-conference record, Houston has also been tough when playing at neutral sites, going 7-1. Heading into this matchup, the Cougars are looking to pick up their 4 straight win.

For the season, the UAB Blazers are averaging 79.4 points per game, good for a rank of 13th in the NCAA. Defensively, the team allows an average of 67.6 points per contest (120th). On the other side, the Houston Cougars are the 42nd ranked scoring offense, averaging 75.8 points per game while allowing just 58.9.

Efficiency Outlook

Houston enters this matchup vs. UAB, having played 34 games as the more efficient offense and defensive team. In these contests, they have posted a record of 29-5. Through 34 games, the Cougars are averaging 78.0 points per 70.0 possessions (NCAA Average), compared to 76.0 for the Cougars. In these situations, Houston has an average scoring margin of 17.0 points. Until this point, the Blazers have not played a game in which they were the inferior team on both ends of the court. In terms of offensive efficiency, Houston is averaging 78.0 points per 70.0 possessions (NCAA Average), compared to 76.0 for the Blazers.

For the year, the Blazers are well below the NCAA average in percentage of points from made three-point shots, sitting at just 29.5%. On the other side, the Cougars have been a very balanced scoring unit, with 31.7% of their scoring coming from downtown. In terms of efficiency, UAB has been the more efficient team, connecting at a rate of 38.3%, compared to Houston at 34.1%.

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Betting Trends Worth Noting

• Blazers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.
• Blazers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games as an underdog.
• Cougars are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
• Cougars are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite.

Joe’s Pick to Cover the Spread

These teams are really exciting to watch. Houston gets the edge here though, as they play much better defense and don’t have letdowns like UAB does. I’m betting Houston to win by 10 points here.