It might be the most surprising conference championship game of any multi-bid league in the country, as the No. 11 Temple Owls will face the No. 3 UAB Blazers for the American Conference Championship on Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas.
Tip-off is set for 3:15 p.m. ET from Dickie’s Arena, and the game will air on ESPN.
Temple: 16-19 (5-13 AAC), 198 NET, 180 KenPom
Of all the teams you’ve ever seen be accused of point shaving in the middle of a season, none has ever performed better than the Owls. On the heels of a 100-72 loss to UAB just 10 days ago, Temple was informed that they were being investigated due to unusual line movement around the game.
But they haven’t lost since, winning five in a row including four in a row at the AAC Tournament to get in this position. Point guard Hysier Miller has been terrific of late, including 21 points on 8-16 shooting in their upset win 74-73 over NCAA-bound Florida Atlantic on Saturday.
UAB: 22-11 (12-6 AAC), 107 NET, 106 KenPom
The Blazers 93-83 upset win over No. 1 seed South Florida on Saturday was marred by some controversial officiating. But that doesn’t mean the Blazers don’t deserve their spot to play for the championship. JC transfer Yaxel Lendeborg has averaged a double-double this season (13.9 points, 10.5 rebounds), and UAB recovers 35.5% of their misses, good for 20th in the country.
While Andy Kennedy teams are often known for their bruising style, it’s the offense this year that’s been terrific. They get to the line often, and are able to throw the ball inside to score or just grab it off the rim and put it back as well as anyone in their league.
How to watch the American Tournament Championship Game
When: Sunday, March 17
Where: Dickie’s Arena, Fort Worth, TX
TV: ESPN
Livestream: WatchESPN.com, ESPN App
Odds for AAC Tournament Championship Game from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: UAB -6
Moneyline: UAB -270, Temple +220
Total: 138
The Pick: UAB -6
At some point Cinderella has to drop her slipper, and a physical UAB team that can wear down a team playing their fifth contest in five days has to mean something.
Eric Gaines (11.9 points, 5.4 assists per game) should be able to do enough to slow down Miller in the backcourt, while the Blazers have too many weapons on the block. The Owls 46% eFG is one of the worst marks in the country, and they’ll get no easy baskets today.