The UAB Blazers (21-5) and the Conference USA’s top-ranked offense visit Middle Tennessee to play the Blue Raiders (18-7) and the third-ranked defense in the conference. Action gets underway at 6:00 pm ET on Sunday, Feb. 21 and will air on CCS.
The Blue Raiders won big over Southern Miss 76-54 in their last matchup. Edward Simpson was the game’s leading scorer with 19 points on 5-for-7 shooting. The Blazers are coming off an 85-76 loss against Louisiana Tech in their last game. Chris Cokley played well for UAB, registering 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Blazers winning the first matchup 78-67. Nick Norton was a standout player in the game, producing 14 points, two rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one three-pointer.
The Blue Raiders look to build on their records of 18-7 Straight Up (SU) and 11-13-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Blue Raiders have seen an uptick in scoring as of late, averaging 78.3 points during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 72.3 points per game.
As for their opponent, the Blazers have records of 12-10 ATS and 21-5 SU. The Blazers are shooting lights out so far, with a .483 field-goal percentage that ranks 20th in Division I. The Blazers are an unselfish team with an average of 19.0 assists per game, ranking fourth in Division I. Moving on to the UAB defense, teams seem to consistently miss shots against the Blazers, who are the 46th-best team in the nation in terms of opponent field goal percentage allowed at .403. The Blazers have established a reputation of cleaning up the defensive glass with 27.8 defensive rebounds per game, making them one of the top teams in the nation.
The Blazers’ win over Middle Tennessee in their last clash brought their SU record in their most recent games to 7-3. With a 7-2-1 record, the Blazers also have the advantage ATS. Neither Middle Tennessee nor UAB has led in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers) over their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – UAB, ATS Winner – UAB
Notes
Middle Tennessee scores an average of just 72.3 points per game (ranked 152nd). UAB ranks 85th in points allowed, giving up 68.6 points per game.
Middle Tennessee scores just 78.1 points per home game (ranked 115th). UAB ranks 85th in points allowed on the road, giving up 71.9 points.
Middle Tennessee won its last game by a 22-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, UAB is 5-0. Middle Tennessee is 3-0 in blowouts this season.
The UAB Blazers rank 34th for their offensive rating of 113.5. The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders have a defensive rating of 97.6 (ranked 54th).
Ranked 20th in the country, UAB has an average field goal percentage of 48.3%. Middle Tennessee is 2-3 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders rank lower for their field goal percentage (167th) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (129th), but the UAB Blazers have a better FG% ranking (20th) than eFG% ranking (28th).
Ranked fourth in the nation, UAB has an average of 19.0 assists per game. Middle Tennessee ranks lower at 186th with 13.2.
UAB, the second-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 6.5 per game. Middle Tennessee ranks lower at 174th with 3.4.
Middle Tennessee ranks 201st in offensive rebounds, while UAB ranks 34th in defensive rebounds.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders make an average of 6.3 steals per game. When the UAB Blazers allow 6 or more steals, they are an outstanding 13-3.
