Temple vs UAB Prediction & Best Bets (The American Championship): Will the Miracle Owls Get It Done in Fort Worth?

The American Athletic Conference had the potential to be one of the chaos conferences during conference tournament season, but what has transpired has been even wilder than expected. And after upsetting the conference's top two teams yesterday, #11 seed Temple and #4 seed UAB will meet for the automatic bid this afternoon (3:15 pm ET, ESPN).

FAU, the #2 seed, is an NCAA Tournament lock, but the only way that The American would receive multiple bids is if someone else won the automatic bid, given that South Florida, an unexpected regular season champion, was not heavily in the at-large picture.

And much to the chagrin of bubble teams out there, The American has been as helpful as the ACC (#11 NC State winning to get in), Atlantic 10 (Dayton being eliminated), and Pac-12 (Oregon winning to get in) were.

FAU and USF made the semifinals and were seemingly on track for a #1 vs #2 matchup at Dickies Arena, but Temple (15-19, 5-13 American) and UAB (22-11, 12-6 American) had other ideas.

In a battle of Owls, Temple proved to be superior, upsetting FAU 74-73 to reach the conference tournament championship game for the first time. UAB followed up by denying South Florida a chance for a regular season and tournament sweep, taking out the Bulls 93-83 to reach the title game in their first season in the conference.

After an 80-68 loss at FAU on February 15, Temple was 1-11 and in danger of finishing dead last in the conference standings in head coach Adam Fisher's first season at the helm. Now, Fisher and the Owls are a win away from the program's first NCAA Tournament bid since 2019.

Can they seal the deal, or will the Blazers go dancing for the second time in three seasons?

Temple vs UAB Odds

Odds are via BetOnline, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on today's NCAA basketball action.

Spread

• Temple +7 (-110)
• UAB -7 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 138 (-110)
• Under 138 (-110)

Moneyline

• Temple +250
• UAB -300

Looking for more men's college hoops picks? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for all of the top games each day.

Temple vs UAB Betting Analysis and Prediction

Just ten days ago, the Blazers scored 100 points for the first and only time this season in a 28-point win at Temple.

That win is part of an impressive run for UAB as a favorite. Over their last ten games as a favorite, the Blazers are 8-2 SU and 7-2-1 ATS, with covers in their last three games when favored.

Will that run continue this afternoon? Whatever was said between the end of the regular season and the start of the conference tournament appears to have worked wonders for Temple.

Despite that blowout loss at the hands of the Blazers, defense has been the Owls' best attribute throughout the season. But they have kicked it up a few notches in Fort Worth. They shut down UTSA (31.7% FG), SMU (39.3% FG), and Charlotte (32.7% FG), then held FAU, a solid three-point shooting team, to just 3 of 17 from outside.

Offensively, the Owls have also stepped up when needed. They haven't shot well from outside for the most part this season, but they were 9 of 18 from three in their 75-60 win over SMU on Friday and 12 of 24 from outside against FAU yesterday.

NC State showed yesterday that having to play five games in five days was no sweat. Will Temple repeat that feat? It would be quite the story if they did, but I do like the Blazers in this spot. I think Temple will give it all they have, but UAB will put them away in the end.

For what it's worth, UAB is 10-4 SU and 7-6-1 ATS this season when favored by fewer than eight points. That includes marks of 9-1 SU (a home loss to Wichita State on 2/28) and 7-2-1 ATS against conference opposition.

Prediction: UAB to win and cover

Temple vs UAB Best Bets

UAB -7 & Temple/UAB over 138

This will be just the 11^th time this season that a UAB game has had a total of fewer than 145 points. In the first ten instances, the over is 7-3 and has hit in six straight since a miss on a total of 143.5 in a 81-60 loss to McNeese State on November 28.

UAB -7

Other NCAA Basketball Betting Information

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Will the Owls or Blazers represent The American in the tournament field for the $200,000 Bracket Madness contest at BetOnline? Selection Sunday and the start of the contest aren't until Sunday, March 17, but the contest is now open for entry fees. In the meantime, you can take advantage of their 100% cryptocurrency welcome bonus and build your bankroll for March Madness.