Texas A&M vs. Florida Atlantic (FAU) Prediction, Preview, and Odds

It’s a semifinal matchup of the ESPN Events Invitational as a pair of ranked teams square off on the hardwood in the Sunshine State. The #12 Texas A&M Aggies take on the #19 Florida Atlantic Owls Friday morning with the winner advancing to the championship game. Texas A&M knocked off Penn State 89-77 Thursday afternoon, covering the line as a 9.5-point favorite. Florida Atlantic took down Butler 91-86 in their quarterfinal contest Thursday afternoon, failing to cover the line as a 5.5-point favorite. This marks the first time that the two programs have met on the hardwood as Division I opponents.

I've hit more than 45 parlays in the last few months, totaling over $56,982 in that span. That includes 15 wins since August 28 totaling $23,536! Looking for my Premium Picks? Don't miss out on another big payday!

Texas A&M Aggies Look to Remain Unbeaten

Texas A&M pulled away down the stretch to drop Penn State by double digits and remain unbeaten on the season. The Aggies improved to 5-0 on the season and they take the floor here against what may be their stiffest test so far this season. Against Penn State, Texas A&M used a 9-0 run late in the first half to turn a two-point deficit into a seven-point advantage. That was the margin at the half and they never let Penn State get closer than three in the second half en route to the victory. Texas A&M shot 59.6% from the field, including five of 14 from three-point range, and controlled the glass by a 33-20 margin. Henry Coleman III led the way for the Aggies with 24 points and six rebounds in the win.

The Aggies score an average of 78.6 points per game this season coming into this contest, putting them 176 in the nation in scoring offense. Texas A&M pulls down 44.2 rebounds per game (10) on the year and dishes out 13.6 assists a night. The Aggies are 39 in the nation in scoring defense as they allow 64.2 points a night. Wade Taylor IV leads the Aggies as he puts up 18.2 points plus 4.4 assists a game this season. Tyrece Radford (15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds) along with Henry Coleman III (15.4 points, 10 rebounds) provide valuable secondary scoring options. Hayden Hefner, Jace Carter, Solomon Washington, Eli Lawrence, Manny Obaseki, Andersson Garcia and Wildens Leveque are critical pieces for coach Buzz Williams. Texas A&M is shooting 43.8% from the floor as a team. The Aggies splash 5.6 three-pointers a night but are connecting on 26.2% from beyond the arc. Texas A&M is converting 75.9% of their chances at the charity stripe on the year, putting them 67 in the nation in that department this season.

Florida Atlantic Owls Seek to Punch Ticket to Title Game

Florida Atlantic bounced back from a dismal shooting showing against Bryant in their previous game as they took down Butler in a high-scoring affair Friday afternoon. The Owls improved to 3-1 on the season and look to punch their ticket to the title game as they take the floor in this contest. Against Butler, Florida Atlantic led by as many as 10 in the first half, by four at intermission and by nine early in the second half only to find themselves down four midway through the second half. The Owls led by one with 4:40 to play before going on an 8-1 run that gave them an 86-78 advantage with 2:32 remaining en route to the victory. Florida Atlantic shot 52.4% from the floor, including seven of 22 from three-point range, and won the rebounding battle 37-31. Vladislav Goldin led the Owls with 19 points and 11 rebounds in the win.

This season, the Owls put up an average of 79.5 points per game, putting them 180 in the nation in scoring offense. Florida Atlantic pull down 39 rebounds per contest, leaving them 108 in the nation, and dish out 14.5 assists a night. The Owls are above average defensively, ranking 24 in the country by allowing 66.5 points per game on the year. Vladislav Golden leads the team with 16 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Nicholas Boyd (10.7 points, 3.3 assists), Johnell Davis (11.3 points, 7.5 rebounds) and Brandon Weatherspoon (9.5 points) are solid secondary scoring options. Giancarlo Rosado, Alijah Martin, Bryan Greenlee, Brenen Lorient and Jalen Gaffney also are part of Dusty May’s rotation. Florida Atlantic shoot 46.8% from the floor as a team. The Owls connect on 8.3 three-pointers a night on 33% shooting from beyond the arc. Florida Atlantic is shooting a crummy 66.3% from the free throw line as a team this season.

Boyd (undisclosed) is questionable for this contest: he missed Friday’s contest.

Get our top NCAAB Betting Picks and increase your bankroll!

Best Bets for this Game

Full-Game Side Bet

Insiders Status:

Rating:

This one is going to be an interesting clash as both teams are loaded with veteran talent to lean on in crunch time. We talked about the trio of Coleman III, Taylor IV and Radford being the difference in their game against Penn State and that proved to be the case. In this one, the Aggies get a Florida Atlantic team that has plenty of experience of their own to lean on as the nucleus of last season’s Final Four team is intact. Both teams were in higher-scoring affairs than we expected in the first round. In this one, you have to give a slight edge to Florida Atlantic as they have shot the ball better than Texas A&M so far this season. That proves to be the difference in a tight game.

Prediction: Florida Atlantic Owls

Full-Game Total Pick

Insiders Status:

Rating:

Florida Atlantic has stayed under the total in two of their four games this season. The Owls are 59th in defensive efficiency, 131st in effective field goal percentage defense (48%), 126th in turnover percentage (18%) and 135th in three-point defense (31.2%) this season. Florida Atlantic is average in tempo this season, ranking 196th in adjusted tempo with an average of 68.9 possessions a night according to KenPom. Texas A&M has seen the over hit in three of their five games in relation to the total. The Aggies are 7th in offensive efficiency, 11th in turnover percentage (12%) and first in offensive rebounding percentage (46.1%) to offset being 216th in effective field goal percentage (48.1%) this season. Texas A&M is a slow-paced team as they are 339th in adjusted tempo with 64.6 possessions a night. Look for these teams to push this game over the total thanks to some late offense.

Prediction: Over

Chris King has been immersed in the world of professional and collegiate sports for more than three decades. Whether it's playing pickup games or being involved in organized sports to being a fan, he's checked all the boxes. From the NFL to arena football, the NHL to the KHL, the NBA to the WNBA to college hoops, and even MLB to the KBO.  If it's out there, he's covered it and bet on it as well, as Chris has been an expert bettor in his career.  Before joining Winners and Whiners back in 2015, his work appeared around the internet and in print. He's written books for Ruckus Books about college basketball, the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, golf, and the World Cup. If you're looking for the inside track on hitting a winner, do yourself a favor and read what Chris has to say.