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The Tulane Green Wave (17-7) visit the No. 1 Houston Cougars (25-2) on Wednesday night! Action tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a Tulane-Houston prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Tulane has won five straight games to improve to 10-3 and sits in second place in the AAC. The Green Wave covered 50% of their games while 61% went over the projected point total. Houston has won seven straight and sits at 13-1 and in first place in the AAC. The Cougars covered 59% of their games while 52% went under. This will be the second meeting of the season between the conference foes. Houston secured an easy 80-60 victory on the road back in January.
Here are the Tulane-Houston college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Tulane-Houston Odds
Tulane: +14.5 (-102)
Houston: -14.5 (-120)
Over: 146.5 (-110)
Under: 146.5 (-110)
How To Watch Tulane vs. Houston
TV: ESPNU
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Tulane Could Cover The Spread
Tulane had a slow start to begin the season as they went just 7-4 in non-conference play despite a light schedule. They lack a single quality non-con win but did drop games to Fordham, George Mason, and Western Kentucky. They've turned things around in AAC play, however, and are riding a five-game winning streak into Houston tonight. The advanced rankings are still weary, however, as Tulane sits at No. 81 in KenPom and No. 86 in NET. With just a single Quad 1 win and four losses outside the top two quadrants, Tulane does not project to make the NCAA Tournament.
Tulane's high-powered offense is led by two of the best scorers in the AAC in Jalen Cook and Jaylen Forbes. Cook ranks second in the conference with 20.1 PPG while ranking third with 2.2 steals per game. Additionally, the sophomore guard is a talented playmaker who ranks third with 5.2 APG. He's been particularly hot over their last three games when he averaged 27.3 PPG and 7.6 APG.
Forbes is right behind him, slotting in at third in the AAC with 18.8 PPG. Like his teammate, Forbes is a pesky defender who ranks fifth with 1.9 steals per game.
The X-factors for Tulane tonight are forward Kevin Cross and guard Sion James. Cross averages 15.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 4.2 APG as he serves as their jack-of-all-trades kind of player. As for James, he is a solid contributor up and down the box score with averages of 10.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 3.5 APG. His biggest impact comes on the defensive end, however, as he leads the conference with 2.3 steals per game.
Why Houston Could Cover The Spread
Houston has been one of the best teams in College Basketball all season long. The Cougars ran through their non-conference slate with a 12-1 record. Their lone loss came at the hands of the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide. It's been more of the same since AAC play started as the Cougars are perfect aside from a singular blemish against Temple. Houston slides in at No. 1 in both KenPom and NET. While they do hold a Quad 3 loss, their 12-1 record against Quad 1 and 2 opponents is hard to match. As a result, Houston projects as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Houston has a deep and talented roster as five players average over nine points per game. Senior guard Marcus Sasser serves as their go-to guy as he leads the team with 16.7 PPG. Sasser is a lethal outside shooter who averages 2.6 made threes per game while shooting 37% from deep. With three consecutive 20-point games under his belt, look for him to dominate again against a Tulane defense he scored 23 against earlier this year.
The Cougars possess a talented front line consisting of J'wan Roberts and Jarace Walker. Roberts averages 10.1 PPG and a team-leading 7.3 RPG. Walker, on the other hand, is one of the most talented freshmen in the country. The 6'8″ forward ranks second on the team with 11.3 PPG and 6.4 RPG. Additionally, both forwards are strong rim protectors with a combined 1.9 blocks per game.
The X-factor for Houston tonight is point guard Jamal Shead. The 6'1″ junior doesn't fill up the box scoring as far as scoring is concerned but he is one of the best floor generals in the country. Shead's 5.6 APG ranks second in the conference. Additionally, Shead is a pesky defender who averages 1.7 steals per game.
Final Tulane-Houston Prediction & Pick
Houston is clearly the better team here by nearly every metric. That being said, the Cougars have looked bored at times and are somehow more vulnerable at home than on the road. This is a stay-away for me but if you're so inclined I do like Tulane to keep things (relatively) close tonight.
Final Tulane-Houston Prediction & Pick: Tulane +14.5 (-102)
