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USATSI

Defending Conference USA Tournament champions the UAB Blazers get a chance to go back-to-back Saturday when they face the Florida Atlantic Owls in the final on CBS Sports Network. The Blazers (25-8) built a huge early lead in Friday's semifinal victory against North Texas and pulled out a 76-69 victory despite a late scare. FAU (30-3) also held a large lead in the earlier semifinal and had to fend off a late rally to beat Middle Tennessee State 68-65. The Blazers defeated Louisiana Tech 82-73 in last year's final for their second tournament title. The Owls haven't reached the final since the tournament debuted in 1996. FAU and UAB met twice in the regular season, with the home team winning each time.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The Blazers are 2-point favorites in Caesars Sportsbook's latest Florida Atlantic vs. UAB odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 148. Before making any UAB vs. Florida Atlantic picks, you need to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters conference tournament week 76-51 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,200 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on UAB vs. FAU and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for FAU vs. UAB:

  • FAU vs. UAB spread: Blazers -2
  • FAU vs. UAB over/under: 148 points
  • FAU vs. UAB money line: Owls +110, Blazers -130
  • FAU: The Owls have won six straight games, by an average of 21 points.
  • UAB: The Blazers have won eight in a row, by an average of 14.6 points.
  • FAU vs. UAB picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Florida Atlantic can cover

FAU leads the conference in scoring margin at 14 points, as the Owls are second on offense (79 per game) and third on the defensive end (65). They are 20-10-1 against the spread this season, 12-9-1 ATS in conference games. The Owls should get a boost -- and a little wake-up call -- from their tight battle Friday. They nearly blew a 16-point lead but managed to hold off MTSU and avenge one of their three losses. The Owls are 17-10-1 ATS following a victory. They lead C-USA in shooting (47.2%), while opponents hit 40.6% of their shots (second-lowest).

The Owls hit 37.5% of attempts from beyond the arc (third in C-USA) while holding foes to 32.7%. MTSU shot 22.7% from long range Friday. Johnell Davis averages 13.2 points per game and scored 18 on Friday, while Alijah Martin averages 12.4 and had 17. They combined for 10 rebounds, and 7-foot-1 center Vladislav Goldin joins them in averaging more than five per game. He also averages 1.1 blocks. Davis scored a career-high 36 when the teams met in Boca Raton back in January, an 88-86 victory, and had 17 points and eight rebounds in the road loss.

Why the UAB can cover

Jordan "Jelly" Walker scored 32 points and dominated in the early going Friday as UAB took control. He leads the conference in scoring and is third in the nation, with his 23.3 average per game three points better than any other C-USA player. Trey Jemison leads the conference in rebounding at 8.3 per game and had seven Friday. K.J. Buffen averages 10.7 points and 6.7 rebounds, and Walker and Buffen both had six boards in the semifinal as UAB had a 42-36 edge. The Blazers are 14-16-2 ATS this season, going 9-11-1 ATS in conference matchups.

The Blazers have won eight straight and 12 of 13, and they just avenged the loss by beating North Texas. They lead C-USA in scoring, averaging 82.4 points, and their 12-point average margin of victory ranks second. Eric Gaines, who averages 11.9 points, scored 21 in an 86-77 home victory against the Owls last month. Walker scored 13 and had six assists as he returned from injury. He is the team's top 3-point shooter, leading C-USA and ranking third in the nation with 4.5 made 3's per game. He makes 40% of his tries from outside, second-best in C-USA.      

How to make UAB vs. Florida Atlantic picks

The model is leaning Over the total, predicting a combined 149 points, and it also has generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in almost 70% of simulations. You can get the model's pick only at SportsLine

So who wins FAU vs. UAB? And which side of the spread hits in almost 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has crushed its top-ranked college basketball picks, and find out.