This year’s NIT championship game comes down to an all-Conference USA affair when North Texas and UAB meet for the fourth time this season Thursday night in Las Vegas. The Mean Green and the Blazers finished second and third in CUSA this season behind first-place Florida Atlantic, which is also still playing basketball; the upstart Owls will play in the NCAA tournament’s Final Four Saturday against San Diego State.

How are we playing this NIT championship game with our free college basketball betting pick?

NIT Championship Betting Odds

The NCAAB betting market opened UAB as a two-point favorite for this NIT title tilt, with an over/under of right around 127.5. Both figures were holding steady in the early betting action.

According to Sagarin’s NCAAB ratings at USAToday.com the Blazers should only be favored by half a point for this match-up.

NIT Championship Betting Preview

UAB reached this NIT championship game by outlasting Utah Valley in a semifinal match-up Tuesday night 88-86 in overtime. The Blazers scored the first eight points of the game, led 41-37 at the half and by eight midway through the second half. UAB then allowed the Wolverines to come back and tie the game in the final minute, forcing OT. The game was still tied with a minute left in extra time but the Blazers scored the next four points and held on from there for the victory.

However, UAB came up short ATS as a 4.5-point favorite.

The Blazers only shot 41 percent from the field Tuesday but hit 17/22 from the free-throw line, held Utah Valley to 42 percent FG shooting and won the turnover battle 15-11.

UAB opened this NIT with an 88-60 romp over Southern Miss and covered at -8.5. The Blazers then beat Morehead State 77-59 and covered at -15. They then won at Vanderbilt 67-59 and cashed at -2.

Stretching back into January UAB is 16-2 SU, 11-7 ATS over its last 18 games.

North Texas reached this NIT title bout by coming from behind to beat Wisconsin in the other semifinal Tuesday night 56-54. The Mean Green fell down to the Badgers 5-0 out of the gate, trailed 41-29 at the half and 54-46 with nine minutes to go. But Wisconsin went dead cold and North Texas finished by scoring the last 10 points of the game to steal the W and cover the spread at -1.5.

The Green shot 44 percent from the floor and held the Badgers to 38 percent shooting.

North Texas began this NIT with a 69-53 win over Alcorn State, although they came up just short ATS at -17. The Mean Green then beat Sam Houston State 75-55, covering at -5, then won at Oklahoma State 65-59 in overtime as four-point dogs.

Stretching back into January North Texas is 15-2 SU, 13-4 ATS its last 17 times out.

These two teams have already met three times this season; first, the Mean Green won at home 63-52 in January; then the Green won in Birmingham 82-79 in OT in February; but the Blazers then beat North Texas in the semifinals of the CUSA tournament 76-69.

UAB out-shot the Green in those three games combined 45 percent to 41 percent.

Also, while two of those three games played over their totals (average total 127) one of them needed overtime to do it.

Totals Report

The Overs are 23-14 in Blazers games this season, which are averaging 153 total points.

The Totals are split 17-17 in Mean Green games this season, which are averaging 119 points.