Check out our free North Alabama vs Florida Gulf Coast pick and preview for this NCAA Basketball game in Fort Myers. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this College Basketball matchup.

North Alabama vs Florida Gulf Coast Pick & Preview: Saturday, February 4th Betting Odds

Lions vs Eagles Matchup at a Glance

  • Sport: NCAAB
  • Teams: North Alabama Lions at Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
  • Where: Fort Myers at Alico Arena
  • Date: Saturday, February 4th
  • Betting Odds: North Alabama +8, NAL +285 | FLGC -375 O/U 147.0

Lions Preview:

The North Alabama Lions head into today’s game in what will be their 25th game of the season, posting a record of 13-11. On the road, the Lions will be playing their 15th game of the season, having gone 6-9. So far, the Lions have been the underdog 16 times, going 6-10 straight up. Heading into today’s contest, they are the +8 underdogs on the spread.

North Alabama will be counting on another strong performance from the team’s leading scorer Daniel Ortiz who is averaging 13.58 points per game for the Lions. Ortiz is also important to the team’s ability to score on the perimeter. So far, he leads the team in 3-point shots made. Also key to the Lions’ offensive game plan is the play of KJ Johnson who has hit 49.7% of his field goal attempts on his way to averaging 11.88 points per game.

Offensive production has been hard to come by for North Alabama this season, as they are currently ranked 256th in college basketball at 69.4 points per game. A major reason for low scoring totals is the fact that they have played at a below average pace, and have struggled to knock down outside shots. As a team, the Lions’ 3-point shooting percentage sits at just 31.6%, placing them 384th in the NCAA.

Eagles Preview:

Florida Gulf Coast heads into this matchup having played 24 games and have an overall record sitting at 14-10. Currently, the Eagles have been the home team 12 times, sitting with a record of 10-2. The Eagles’ are sitting with a betting line that is -8 points in their favor. For the season, Florida Gulf Coast has been favored to win in 15 games, sitting with a mark of 10-5.

Florida Gulf Coast will be counting on another strong performance from the team’s leading scorer Isaiah Thompson who is averaging 14.29 points per game for the Eagles. Thompson is also important to the team’s ability to score on the perimeter. So far, he leads the team in 3-point shots made. Also key to the Eagles’ offensive game plan is the play of Zach Anderson who has hit 49.2% of his field goal attempts on his way to averaging 12.5 points per game.

Florida Gulf Coast comes into today’s matchup vs North Alabama, looking to continue their strong offensive play, as they are averaging 77.4 points per game. Through 24 games, they have hit 45.1% of their field goal attempts. In terms of pace, the Eagles have preferred to slow the game down, ranking 317th in possessions per game.

Free Spread Prediction: Florida Gulf Coast Eagles -8

Our analysis of the North Alabama Lions vs Florida Gulf Coast Eagles game indicates that North Alabama will cover the spread as +8 point underdogs. We think the line for this matchup is too high, giving North Alabama an opportunity to cover. Even if they are behind throughout the game, the Lions have a strong chance of keeping the final score closer than oddsmakers are anticipating. In these cases, the better team’s pace of play can play a significant role in covering such a large spread. However, since both teams have possession rates that are close to the NCAA average, North Alabama won’t have to play an unfamiliar style of basketball. Our model recommends betting on the North Alabama Lions at +8.