The UAB Blazers (13-3), the Conference USA’s top shooting team, will be in action against the Old Dominion Monarchs (9-7) at Constant Convocation Center. Action begins at 7:00 pm ET on Thursday, Jan. 14 and can be seen on CCS.
The Monarchs are hoping to rebound after their 73-71 loss to Southern Miss in their last matchup. Trey Freeman was the game’s leading scorer with 24 points. The Blazers, meanwhile, are coming off an 87-80 win against UTEP in their last game. William Lee claimed his second double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Aaron Bacote and Freeman have been better than usual over the last five games for the Monarchs. During that stretch, Bacote has averaged 20.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 1.8 three-pointers, while Freeman has recorded 21.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.8 three-pointers a game.
In terms of eFG%, this game will match strength against strength when the Blazers have possession. Their upper-echelon offense is ranked 24th in the nation in that metric at 55.4%, while Old Dominion is 24th-best in the nation in eFG% defense (44.4%).
Old Dominion is a four-point favorite against UAB and the Over/Under (O/U) for this game is sitting at 131 points. The Monarchs have gone 9-7 Straight Up (SU) and 3-9 Against The Spread (ATS). Over their last 10 games, they have only managed a record of 2-5 ATS. Old Dominion is one of the most disciplined teams in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.38.
In the other locker room, the Blazers have 13-3 SU and 6-5 ATS records. UAB performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 5-1 record. The Blazers are the better of the two teams when it comes to assist-to-turnover ratio, ranking 17th in Division I at 1.58. The UAB defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only .398 shooting from the field to its opponents. Blocking shots is an area where UAB has excelled. The Blazers average 6.6 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the nation.
The conference foes meet for what will be their first head-to-head battle of the season. UAB won the last game in the matchup, bumping its SU record to 5-1. With a 5-1 record, the Blazers also have the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – UAB, ATS Winner – UAB, O/U – Over
Notes
Old Dominion is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Old Dominion’s last 6 games when playing UAB.
Old Dominion is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing UAB.
The UAB Blazers have a defensive rating of 96.8 (ranked 75th), while the Old Dominion Monarchs have an offensive rating of 107.3 (ranked 141st).
UAB beats Old Dominion in both possessions per game and points per possession. The Blazers average 68.8 possessions and 1.157 points per possession, while the Monarchs average 62.0 possessions with 1.073 points per possession.
Ranked 24th in the nation, UAB has an average effective field goal percentage of 55.4%. Old Dominion has not won a game this season when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage (0-3).
The UAB Blazers rank fifth in assists per game, making an average of 19.6. The Old Dominion Monarchs are among the worst in the country with 13.0 assists per game (ranked 202nd).
UAB, the third-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 6.6 blocks per game. Old Dominion ranks 83rd with 4.4.
Old Dominion ranks 98th in offensive rebounding. When it comes to defensive rebounds, UAB ranks 57th.
On average, Old Dominion forces a turnover rate of 18.1%. When UAB turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has an outstanding 5-1 record.
