Liberty vs. North Alabama odds, line: 2021 college basketball picks, Feb. 23 predictions from proven model

The Liberty Flames will look for the series sweep in the second of back-to-back games when they take on the North Alabama Lions in Atlantic Sun Conference action on Tuesday. The Flames (18-5), who are second in the conference at 9-2, one-half game behind Bellarmine, beat the Lions (10-9) 74-54 on Monday after racing out to a 17-point halftime advantage. North Alabama, which is sixth in the ASUN at 6-7, is 3-5 on the road. Liberty has won 35 straight home games and is on a seven-game winning streak, while the Lions have dropped six in a row.

Tip-off from the Vines Center in Lynchburg, Va., is set for noon ET. Liberty leads the all-time series 5-0, including a 3-0 edge in games played at Lynchburg. The Flames are 17.5-point favorites in the latest Liberty vs. North Alabama odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 133. Before locking in any North Alabama vs. Liberty picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model. 

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Liberty vs. North Alabama. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for North Alabama vs. Liberty:

• North Alabama vs. Liberty spread: Liberty -17.5
• North Alabama vs. Liberty over-under: 133 points
• NA: The Lions outrebounded the Flames 35-32 on Monday
• LIB: Has made 233 3-pointers this season, 9th-best in Division I

Why Liberty can cover 

The Flames took charge early on Monday and were led by junior guard Darius McGhee, who scored a season-high 29 points. He is averaging a team-high 14.3 points per game. He entered the two-game series connecting on 43.7 percent of his field goals, including 37.3 percent from 3-point range, and 82.8 percent of his free throws. He hit seven of 12 3-pointers on Monday and was 11 of 19 from the floor. He has scored in double figures in 16 games, including eight with 20 points or more. He scored 22 points on Feb. 13 in a win over North Florida.

Senior guard Elijah Cuffee has also been on a tear of late, reaching double figures in three of his last four games, including a 13-point performance on Monday. The Flames give up just 58.3 points per game and they’ve held their last six opponents to 61 or fewer points. 

Why North Alabama can cover

The Lions also have some pop in their lineup, led by sophomore forward Mervin James, who is averaging 13.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.9 steals per game. He scored nine points in Monday’s loss, but is hitting 46 percent of his field goals on the season. He has reached double figures 13 times this year, including a season-high 25 points against Carver College in the season opener on Dec. 6. 

Junior forward Emanuel Littles has also been a force, recording seven double-doubles. He has reached double digits seven times, including a 10-point, 10-rebound effort against Bellarmine on Feb. 13. He also had a 20-point, 19-rebound performance against Crowley’s Ridge College on Dec. 17. For the season, Littles is averaging 9.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.4 steals per game.

How to make North Alabama vs. Liberty picks

The model is leaning over on the total, projecting both teams combine for 140 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that is hitting in over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins North Alabama vs. Liberty? And which side of the spread hits in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.