We're back with yet another betting prediction and pick as we continue coverage of today's College Basketball slate. This next tilt will feature the San Diego State Aztecs (3-2) taking on the No. 6-ranked Houston Cougars (4-2) as both teams try to build some momentum. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a San Diego State-Houston prediction and pick.

San Diego State dropped their most recent game 68-78 against the Oregon Ducks. They've already had to face two other ranked opponents in Gonzaga and Creighton to start this season, but they've managed an upset before and will hope to keep this one close against a top-10 opponent.

The Houston Cougars most recently beat Notre Dame 65-54 in a solid defensive effort at home. Their only two losses this season are against ranked opponents in Alabama and Auburn, so they're looking to get back on track with a win as they continue their increasingly difficult schedule.

Here are the San Diego State-Houston College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel 

College Basketball Odds: San Diego State-Houston Odds

San Diego State: +12.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +660

Houston: -12.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -1050

Over: 128.5 (-115)

Under: 128.5 (-105)

How to Watch San Diego State vs. Houston

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT

TV: TNT, truTV, Regional Coverage

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why San Diego State Will Cover The Spread/Win

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San Diego State comes into this game following a loss where they shot a higher percentage from the field and had fewer turnovers than their opponents. However, they massively struggled in the rebounding department and gave up far too many second-chance points to the Oregon Ducks. They'll have to greatly improve their efforts this time around as Houston is known to be a sound team when it comes to rebounding as a unit. Look for guards Miles Byrd and BJ Davis to continue leading this team with their pace and energy from the backcourt.


Freshman forward Pharaoh Compton has also been seeing some valuable minutes off the bench in his first campaign and added eight points against Oregon. The Aztecs have very capable scorers throughout the interior and they do a good job of finding the open man through the low blocks. However, their defensive efficiency will need to take a massive step forward if they want to become competitive against solid teams like Houston that flourish in the paint.

Why Houston Will Cover The Spread/Win

Houston led Notre Dame wire-to-wire during their Players Era Festival meeting and it was a complete effort from their starting unit. Terrance Arceneaux was extremely efficient shooting 6-7 from the field while Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp combined for 5-14 from three-point range. They've certainly had betting shooting days in other games this season, but its promising to see their lineup find other ways to win such as through their defense or causing turnovers. Look for them to have a noticeable advantage with their size on defense during this one.


Senior guard LJ Cryer is leading this team in scoring with 13.5 PPG and he's also getting things done as a dangerous perimeter defender with 1.5 steals a game. His assist numbers could certainly use some work, but the Cougars pride themselves on winning their individual matchups and feel confident against most teams in matching up against them. Still, they'll have to play a cohesive team game in order to prevent the Aztecs from hanging around too long and keeping this game close.

Final San Diego State-Houston Prediction & Pick

Despite Houston's spot in the rankings, this betting spread is a bit tighter than one would assume and the San Diego State Aztecs stand to keep this a close contest. They started the Festival with a big win over Creighton and the talent on the roster is there, they'll just need to mesh their defense along with their scoring in order to put together more balanced efforts.

Still, this Houston team is full of veterans and they're constantly finding new ways to win and adapt to their opponents. I expect the Cougars to play a very aggressive game in the paint and force their way to the charity stripe throughout this one. Their defense is what sparks the energy in their home building and if they're able to come up with stops consistently, I can't see SDSU keeping up with them late in the game. For our final prediction, we'll roll with the Houston Cougars to cover this spread at home.

Final San Diego State-Houston Prediction & Pick: Houston Cougars -12.5 (-110)