Utah Valley vs UAB Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for March 28 NIT Tournament Game (Blazers Left Shocked in Vegas)

Utah Valley vs UAB Game Info

• 2022-23 NIT Tournament Game
• Utah Valley (28-8) vs. UAB (28-9)
• Date: Tuesday, March 28, 2023
• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Orleans Arena -- Las Vegas, Nevada
• Coverage: ESPN2, ESPN+

The 2022-23 NIT Tournament's semifinals are set for Tuesday, March 28. The night's second matchup sees the Utah Valley Wolverines colliding with the UAB Blazers at 9: 30 p.m. ET.

Utah Valley advanced to the semifinals with a 74-68 win over Cincinnati, backed by four Wolverines scoring 12+ points. Meanwhile, UAB overcame a halftime deficit to pick up a 67-59 win against Vanderbilt.

So, which team is the better bet to make it to the NIT finals? Let's find out.

Utah Valley vs UAB Odds & Spread

• All college basketball betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: UVU: (TBD) | UAB: (TBD)
• Spread: UVU: +1.5 (-110) | UAB: -1.5 (-110)
• Total: TBD -- Over: (TBD) | Under: (TBD)

UAB enters this contest as a slim favorite on the spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. The moneyline and over/under haven't been posted by the time of writing, so check back for updates when they are available. 

Utah Valley vs UAB Betting Trends

• Utah Valley is 5-1 straight up in its last six games against the C-USA.
• UAB is 11-1 straight up in its last 12 games.
• Utah Valley is 7-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last eight games.
• UAB is 1-5 ATS in its last six games against the WAC.
• The total has hit the under in six of Utah Valley's last seven games on a Tuesday.
• The total has hit the under in five of UAB's last six games.

Utah Valley vs UAB Prediction & Pick

Although UAB escaped with a win against Vanderbilt, the victory was far from flawless. Not only did the Blazers turns the ball over 10 times, but they only shot 37.5% from the field and 13.3% from the three-point line. Now, they face the Wolverines, who hold opponents to 39.0% shooting from the floor (No. 5) and 30.8% from beyond the arc (No. 29).

Utah Valley won't have issues taking advantage of UAB's accuracy issues. While both sides sit in the NCAA's top 10 when it comes to total rebounding, the Wolverines tally the second-most defensive boards in the country. The Blazers average the second-most offensive rebounds, but Utah Valley will make it difficult to continue that trend.

In a game that'll come down to which defense stays strong longer, I like Utah Valley prevailing. Its defense simply doesn't break, giving the Wolverines a great opportunity to reach the finals.

Final Score Prediction: Utah Valley: 68 | UAB: 65

Utah Valley vs UAB Best Bet

With only one betting option at the moment, Utah Valley at +1.5 on the spread is the best bet for now. Although the Wolverines and Blazers both excel at covering the spread this season, UAB is just 1-5 ATS against its last six WAC opponents. Considering the issues that UAB had against Vanderbilt, I don't see it having what it takes to take down Utah Valley.

Bet: Utah Valley +1.5 (-110)

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.