We have an exciting non-conference matchup happening on Wednesday evening as the Florida Atlantic (FAU) Owls face off against the 15th-ranked Florida International Panthers.
The Panthers are currently 3-7 and are coming off a 74-59 home victory over the Long Island University Sharks on Dec. 2. The Owls are coming off a 98-89 home loss on Dec. 5 against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida International game details
Fixture: Florida Atlantic Owls (3-7) vs. Florida Atlantic Owls (7-2)
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida International betting odds
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida International picks
The Florida Atlantic Owls have been one of the most significant offensive teams in the country, ranking 28th with an impressive 84.4 points per game. However, their defense, which is allowing 70.6 points, needs to improve significantly if they are to stay one of the top programs in the nation.
The Florida International Panthers are not doing well on the offensive side of the court, as they are averaging 72.0 points per game, which is 248th in college basketball. Their defense is not much better, as they are currently 286th with 75.6 points per game allowed heading into this matchup.
The Owls are scoring the ball at an incredible rate, and their shooting percentage shows just that. They are shooting 50.5 percent from the field as a program, while the Panthers are connecting at 44.1 percent thus far.
Looking at the spread figures this season, Florida International is 5-5 ATS and Florida Atlantic is 6-3 ATS, thus taking the Owls to cover a huge number.
In terms of individual player bets that are interesting, junior guard Alijah Martin's over 14.5 points seems like the closest thing to a lock for this game. He is averaging 17.6 points in his previous five games and should be able to put the ball in the basket without much difficulty against the Panthers' shotty defense.
He is shooting 33.3 percent from beyond the arc this year, and we just need a pair of threes from him in this game to feel comfortable with the number as a lock.
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida International key injuries
Florida International
No injuries to report
Florida Atlantic
Guard Nick Boyd: Leg (OUT)
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here