Rice vs UAB Prediction 2/8/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Rice Owls and the UAB Blazers will meet on Sunday afternoon in an American Athletic Conference matchup at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Rice Owls Betting Preview

The Rice Owls enter Sunday’s contest with a 10–13 win‑loss record, including a 4–6 mark in conference play and a 3–6 record on the road. The Owls have earned wins over North Texas, UTSA, Temple and Wichita State, while dropping recent games to Tulsa, Memphis and Charlotte. More recently, in the Rice Owls 86–83 overtime win over the North Texas Mean Green three days ago, Rice guard Trae Broadnax delivered a standout performance accumulated 22 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block showcasing his ability to lead the Owls backcourt.

The Rice Owls average 72.3 points on 41.9 percent shooting from the field and 35.6 percent shooting from three-point range per game. Shifting our attention to the defensive side of the basketball, the Owls are allowing 77.8 points per contest.

Senior guard Trae Broadnax leads the Rice Owls averaging 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Senior guard Nick Anderson contributes 15 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 steals per contest providing the Owls with further backcourt depth, while guard Jalen Smith adds 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.  

UAB Blazers Betting Preview

The UAB Blazers enter Sunday afternoon’s matchup with a 14–9 overall record, including a 5–5 mark in conference play and a 6-7 record at home. The Blazers have amassed recent wins over East Carolina, Tulane, UNC Asheville and Cleveland State, while losing games to  Tulsa, Florida Atlantic and the Wichita State Shockers. In the UAB Blazers 109-106 thrilling double overtime victory over the South Florida Bulls last month, Blazers guard Chance Westry tallied 24 points (8 of 12 shooting from the field), 2 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal.  

The UAB Blazers are averaging 80.5 points (70th in country) on 40.9 percent shooting from the field and 28.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc per game. Defensively, the Blazers are allowing opponents 76.5 points per contest.

Sophomore guard Chance Westry leads the UAB Blazers averaging 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Junior guard Jacob Meyer is averaging 14.2 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist per contest. Senior forward Daniel Rivera averages 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  

Why the Rice Owls Will Win

• Backcourt production. Guard Trae Broadnax is coming off a 22‑point performance in Rice’s last outing, an 86 -83 overtime win over the North Texas Mean Green.

• Balanced scoring. The Rice Owls have three players averaging over 12 points per game.•

Why the UAB Blazers Will Win

• Guard play. Chance Westry provides scoring and playmaking at the guard position. Westry is averaging 14.9 points per game.

• Defensive edge. The UAB Blazers are allowing opponents 76.5 points per game. Conversely, the Owls are allowing 77.8 points per contest.

• Frontcourt play.  Senior forward Daniel Rivera averages 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. 

Rice Owls vs. UAB Blazers Prediction

This matchup features the Rice Owls quality guard play and balanced scoring against a UAB team that has been more consistent offense of the two teams in this matchup. The Rice Owls overall defensive volatility this season and reliance on perimeter shooting make the Owls difficult to trust on the road, especially against a UAB Blazers team that moves the ball well and features one of the AAC’s most dominant interior players. For the reasons just noted, I am backing the UAB Blazers to win this game rather easily.

Hans Geevers's Pick: UAB Blazers TBA