North Texas Mean Green vs Oklahoma Sooners Point Spread Picks

Oklahoma plays excellent defense under coach Lon Kruger, holding four of its six opponents to 67 or fewer points. The Sooners are on a 103-75 run UNDER the total on the road, plus 12-3 UNDER after a win by 10+ points. North Texas is all about defense, limiting opponents to 61.5 points per game. They've held VCU, Arkansas, Rhode Island and Utah State all under 68 points. North Texas is 18-4 UNDER the total against winning teams, 16-6 UNDER versus opponents who allow 42% shooting or less. Oklahoma won 73-57 when they met a year ago holding North Texas to 27.5% shooting and this shapes up as another defensive duel. Play the UNDER.

Hats off to North Texas for a sizzling 8-0 start. But the unbeaten run ends tonight as they haven't played anybody. North Texas squeezed by Portland as a nine-point favorite and topped Maine just 74-63 as 19-point chalk. This hot start is all new territory for the Mean Green, who had a 15-17 regular season last year. That included an 86-67 loss to Nebraska and a 10-point loss to this Oklahoma squad, 82-72, allowing 54.2% shooting and 43.5% beyond the arc. Oklahoma has a terrific coach in Lon Kruger and star power behind guard Christian James and senior center Jamuni McNeace. The Sooners had their best defensive effort of the season in the second half Friday against Dayton, as they gave up 13 points in the final 16:40 while forcing the Flyers to miss 21 of their final 25 shots. The Sooners have covered four of their last five at home and are 39-19 ATS at home against teams who are called for 17 or fewer fouls per game, plus 21-7 ATS at home after scoring 65 points or less two straight games. Play Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners have struck gold with freshman Trae Young. Young looks like the best freshman in the country as he is averaging 28.2 points per game and 4.2rebounds per game, and 8.6 assists per game. he has transformed a good Oklahoma offense into an elite one. The Sooners are averaging 97 ppg on the season. Perhaps equal to that is a defense that has not allowed anyone to top 43% against them. That includes teams such as Arkansas, and Oregon. North Texas may be 4-3 on the season but have already played against four teams outside of Division-1, and lost one of those. They are not only going into the deep end of the pond here, they are going way over their head. Lay the bundle and play on Oklahoma.