West Virginia hosts Houston for a major Big 12 contest on Wednesday night. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Houston-West Virginia prediction and pick.

The Houston Cougars are the No. 6 team in the country. They have racked up 12 straight wins after losing to San Diego State in the third-place game of the Players Era Festival in November. At 16-3, Houston is coming off a win against Kansas in stunning fashion and is undefeated in the Big 12. Down six at the end of the second half and overtime, the Cougars found a way to come back both times and eventually won 92-86 in double-overtime. Houston has 5-point losses to current No. 1 Auburn and current No. 4 Alabama and a three-point loss to SDSU. This squad has been in every single game this season.

West Virginia has impressed this season. They were recently ranked 23rd in the nation but lost to both Arizona State and Kansas State on the road to fall to 13-6. They are 4-4 in the conference and have a chance to make a run in the competitive Big 12. As of now, they are only slated to play one more ranked team against No. 22 Texas Tech at the end of February. They still play Utah, BYU, TCU, and Cincinnati two times each.

Here are the Houston-West Virginia College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel 

College Basketball Odds: Houston-West Virginia Odds

Houston: -7.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -335

West Virginia: +7.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +265

Over: 122.5 (-115)

Under: 122.5 (-105)

How to Watch Houston vs. West Virginia

Time: 7:00 ET/4:00 PT

TV: ESPN+

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Why Houston Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Cougars hosted the Mountaineers a few weeks back and won by 16. The game was a little closer than it seemed but Houston found a way to maintain their lead for the win. The main reason for that was their success in keeping possession. They turned the ball over only seven times and shot 49% from the floor. Houston is one of the top rebounding teams in the country and led that category 30-23. The Cougars only average 38.2 rebounds per game which is 71st in the country, but their 13.2 offensive rebounds is 33rd in the country.

Because Houston protects the ball, they lead the nation with a +21 point difference. Furthermore, they turn the ball over the fewest in the nation at only 8.7 per game. Opponents also score at a rate of just 55.6 points per game which also leads the nation. Houston is No. 1 in turnovers, opponent's scoring, and point difference. Kelvin Sampson is a mastermind.

The Cougars contain three players who average double digits in scoring with L.J. Cryer leading the way at 13.5 per game. Emanuel Sharp is right behind him at 13.4 and J'wan Roberts is at 11.3 and adds 6.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals.

Why West Virginia Will Cover The Spread/Win

As tough as Houston is, the Mountaineers played a competitive game on the road in their last matchup. They covered the +16.5 spread by that half-point, and have a chance to cover again at home. Three-point shooting will be the key. They converted on nine of 22 attempts which is above a respectable 40%. Javon Small hit 3-5 and Amani Hansberry also went 3-5 from beyond the arc. A similar performance is needed for the Mountaineers to have a chance.

The senior, Small, leads the team in scoring at 19.6 points which is 24th in the country. He is a well-rounded player as he adds 4.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Against Houston last time out, he scored 13 points, added eight assists, and made some plays on the defensive end. If West Virginia wants a shot to win this game, he must score 20+, which he has done nine times. Small deserves more recognition and he has a chance to earn it on Wednesday night.

Final Houston-West Virginia Prediction & Pick

Houston is 11-8 ATS and 8-11 on over/under's. WVU is 11-8 and 6-10-1 on O/U's. The Under at 122.5 is the best bet on the board. It will be low-scoring. Small will have a big game but Houston should cover -7.5. I would stay away.

Final Houston-West Virginia Prediction & Pick: Houston -7.5 (-110), Under 122.5 (-105)