Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons prediction: Alabama A&M's turnover machine gets its first real test at DePaul
The Bulldogs have forced turnovers at will against opponents without a Division I rating, and tonight a rebuilt, three-happy DePaul shows whether that pressure travels.
DePaul Blue Demons covered the closing spread (Alabama A&M Bulldogs +24.5). The game went under the closing total of 139.5.
| Spread | DePaul -24.5 |
|---|---|
| Total (over/under) | 139.75 |
- DePaul's size and three-point volume should wear down Alabama A&M, but the Bulldogs' pressure can keep the margin from getting away early.
- Alabama A&M's ball pressure against Noah Meeusen, who is averaging 7.5 assists and running DePaul's offense.
- DePaul is favored by 24.5 with a 140.25 total; the line has moved from 22.5 to 24.5 since first posted, and the total from 138.5 to 140.25. The Blue Demons are 0-2 against the spread.
Pressure without a real test
Alabama A&M's defensive numbers look ferocious. The Bulldogs force turnovers on 28.7% of opponent possessions, which ranks 11th nationally. On Friday they turned 29 turnovers into a 103-47 rout of Mississippi University for Women.
The catch is the competition. Both wins came at home against opponents with no Division I rating in our data, and neither game carried a betting line. Last season's Alabama A&M team ranked 208th in forced turnover rate, so this is either a new identity under second-year coach Donte' Jackson or a product of the schedule.
DePaul is a sturdy first test. The Blue Demons give the ball away on 15.3% of possessions, 108th nationally, against a schedule that included South Florida. Meeusen, an Arizona State transfer, has handled the creation. If he keeps the ball safe against the press, Alabama A&M loses the one edge that has carried it so far. Tonight is also the Bulldogs' first road game of the season, with a 9 p.m. ET tip at Wintrust Arena on truTV.
DePaul lives behind the arc
Chris Holtmann rebuilt this roster through the portal, and only 34.7% of last season's minutes are back. The new group shoots threes at a rate few teams match: 55.2% of DePaul's field goal attempts come from deep, 10th most in the country.
Ade Popoola is the trigger man. He is 8 of 18 from three this season after hitting 40.9% at Tulsa last season. Koree Cotton made 40.3% at UT Rio Grande Valley last season and comes off the bench. Kruz McClure has been the cold spot, making just 3 of 14 threes while carrying a 25.2% usage rate.
DePaul's depth has holes. Guard Amsal Delalić is out recovering from a torn ACL. Forward Théo Pierre-Justin, a 39.7% three-point shooter last season, had missed both exhibitions and the opener with a leg injury as of about Nov. 5, when he was described as close to a return; his status for tonight is unconfirmed. Guard Mason Lockett IV was expected to miss the South Florida game with a foot injury, and nothing newer has surfaced.
Alabama A&M's bench and the foul line
The Bulldogs' best players don't start. Devin Brown averages 15 points and 10.5 rebounds in under 20 minutes a night, and Jalen Carruth uses 31.5% of possessions when he is on the floor. The bench scored 61 points on Friday.
Alabama A&M's most reliable weapon last season was the free-throw line: its free throw rate (free-throw attempts per field goal attempt) ranked 4th nationally. That runs into a DePaul defense allowing a 20.5% opponent free throw rate, 24th. Even when the Bulldogs get there, they are shooting 62.7% from the stripe this season.
DePaul won't punish them on the glass either. The Blue Demons grab just 25.4% of their own misses, 305th nationally, so second chances are rare.
A big number DePaul hasn't covered
DePaul is favored by 24.5 with a total of 140.25. The spread has moved from 22.5 to 24.5 since our feed first saw the game this morning, and the total has moved from 138.5 to 140.25. Those numbers lean on last season's adjusted ratings, which had DePaul 101st in adjusted net efficiency (points per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents) and Alabama A&M 315th. Both rosters have changed so much that those ratings are a rough guide.
DePaul has missed the spread in both games. It closed as a 24.75-point favorite against West Georgia, trailed 31-29 at halftime and won 75-58. Against South Florida it led 50-35 at the break, then held on 82-80 as a 6.5-point favorite.
Tempo matters for the total. DePaul plays at 68 possessions per 40 minutes, 271st nationally, and will try to slow a Bulldogs team that has run against weaker opponents. The only previous meeting, in 2017, went to DePaul 83-59.
Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons line movement and odds
| Book | Bulldogs ML | Demons ML | Bulldogs spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | +2800 | -10000 | — | o139.5 (-110) |
| BetRivers | — | — | +24.5 (-114) | o139.5 (-113) |
| DraftKings | +2500 | -9000 | +24.5 (-112) | o139.5 (-110) |
| ESPN BET | +3500 | -50000 | +24.5 (-110) | o139.5 (-110) |
| Fanatics | +2800 | -9000 | +24.5 (-120) | o140 (-110) |
| FanDuel | +3000 | -10000 | +23.5 (-102) | o139.5 (-115) |
| Hard Rock Bet | — | — | +24.5 (-110) | o139.5 (-110) |
Key players
- Noah Meeusen (DePaul): The Arizona State transfer is averaging 7.5 assists in 32 minutes and will draw Alabama A&M's pressure.
- Ade Popoola (DePaul): He is 8 of 18 from three after shooting 40.9% at Tulsa last season.
- Koree Cotton (DePaul): He averages 12.5 points with a team-high 27.3% usage rate off the bench.
- Sami Pissis (Alabama A&M): The top returner averages 15.5 points and 5 assists and is 5 of 10 from three.
- Devin Brown (Alabama A&M): He averages 15 points and 10.5 rebounds in 19.5 minutes off the bench.
- Jalen Carruth (Alabama A&M): He leads the team at 16 points per game but is shooting 27.8% from three on 18 attempts.
Numbers that matter
| A&M forced turnover rate | 28.7% | It ranks 11th nationally, though both games came against opponents without a Division I rating. |
|---|---|---|
| DePaul 3-point attempt rate | 55.2% | It is 10th most in the country, so DePaul's margin depends on how its shooters perform. |
| DePaul opponent free throw rate | 20.5% | Ranked 24th, it blunts an Alabama A&M team whose free throw rate ranked 4th last season. |
| DePaul ATS record | 0-2 | DePaul failed to cover as a 24.75-point favorite against West Georgia and as a 6.5-point favorite against South Florida. |
| Spread | -22.5 | It hasn't moved since our feed first saw the game this morning. |
Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons: quick answers
What was the final score of Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons?
Alabama A&M Bulldogs 47, DePaul Blue Demons 84 (final). DePaul Blue Demons covered the closing spread (Alabama A&M Bulldogs +24.5). The game went under the closing total of 139.5.
Who is favored in Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons?
DePaul is favored by 24.5 points (DePaul -24.5).
What is the over/under for Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons?
The total is 139.75 points.
When is Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons?
Monday, November 9, 2026 at 9:00 PM ET.
Has the line moved for Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons?
Yes: Alabama A&M Bulldogs opened +21.5 and is now +24.5, and the total moved from 142.5 to 139.5 (consensus of the regulated US sportsbooks since we first saw the game).