Gambling watchdog flags UAB-Temple basketball game

Field Level Media|published: Fri 8th March, 11:15 2024

Feb 5, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Temple Owls forward Jamille Reynolds (4) reacts against the Houston Cougars in the second half at The Liacouras Center. credits: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

The gambling watchdog company U.S. Integrity alerted casinos about unusual wagering activity ahead of Thursday night's men's basketball game between UAB and host Temple in Philadelphia.

The betting line changed significantly on Thursday, with the visiting Blazers moving from a 1.5-point favorite at the start of the day to an 8-point favorite by midafternoon.

The line settled at about 7 points by tip-off and UAB (19-11, 11-6 American Athletic Conference) cruised to a 100-72 win over the Owls (11-19, 4-13).

AAC communications director Tom Fenstermaker confirmed the developing situation with Sports Illustrated.

"We are aware they flagged it," he said.

Temple issued a statement Friday. "We are aware of the social media posts regarding last night's men's basketball game. We will review the reports thoroughly in accordance with university and NCAA policies. While we can't comment any further at this time, we take this matter very seriously."

According to Sports Illustrated, U.S. Integrity has been monitoring Temple games "for a while."

The AAC is one of several NCAA conferences that employs U.S. Integrity to monitor gambling activity surrounding its athletic programs.

—Field Level Media