The USF Bulls (7-9) visit the #1 Houston Cougars (16-1) on Wednesday night. Action tips off at 8:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a USF-Houston prediction and pick.

USF has lost three straight games and is now 0-3 and in last place in the AAC. The Bulls covered 56% of their games while 69% went over the projected point total. Houston has won nine consecutive games and is 4-0 and in first place in the AAC. The Cougars covered 71% of their games while 59% went under. Their lone common opponent is St. Josephs. Houston crushed St. Joseph's by 31, while USF beat them by 13.

Here are the USF-Houston college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: USF-Houston Odds

USF: +23.5 (-115)

Houston: +23.5 (-105)

Over: 130.5 (-114)

Under: 130.5 (-106)

How To Watch USF vs. Houston

TV: ESPN+

Stream: ESPN+

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why USF Could Cover The Spread

South Florida faces an uphill battle tonight as they visit the No. 1 team in the country. USF has lost 12 of their last 13 games against Houston, with their last win coming in 2016. The Bulls are No. 174 in KenPom despite playing the 309th-ranked strength of schedule. They rank 199th in NET rating and have gone 0-3 against Quad 1 and Quad 2 teams. While they aren't likely to win outright tonight, USF could cover the spread thanks to their prowess down low.

USF is a solid rebounding team, ranking 68th in the country with 37.4 RPG. They are especially strong on the offensive glass where they rank 32nd with 10.8 ORPG. That could provide to be a critical part of tonight's game due to Houston's tendency to give up second-chance points. Houston allows 8.1 ORPG – 143rd in the country. USF averages 70.4 PPG (No. 170) and allows 68.3 PPG (No. 134).

Down low, the Bulls are led by 7'0″, 280 lbs. center Russel Tchewa. Tchewa averages 11.1 PPG and 7.9 RPG while shooting 62% from the floor. The junior has been on a tear of late as he's pulled down double-digit rebounds in each of his last four games. He's steadily improved as a scorer as the season has gone on and is coming off his best two-game stretch of the season. Tchewa scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in their loss to Wichita State. The game before that, he dropped 20 points and snagged 12 rebounds against Temple. Houston is a whole different animal than his prior two opponents, but his recent play should give USF backers confidence in their ability to compete down low.

Why Houston Could Cover The Spread

Houston sits firmly atop the AP Poll as the No.1 ranked Cougars have lost just one game this season. They've started 4-0 in AAC play and already have three double-digit conference wins. The Cougars rank No. 1 in KenPom but have played just the 137th-most difficult strength of schedule. They rank first in NET as well and have gone 7-1 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games while maintaining a perfect 9-0 record against Quad 3 and Quad 4. With a 71% cover rate, the Cougars have been of the most profitable teams in college basketball this season. They have a great chance to cover the spread once again thanks to their stifling defense.

Houston has the best defense in the country, at least on paper. The Cougars rank first in points allowed (51.5 Opp. PPG) and have held opponents to the lowest FG% in the country (38.7%). Houston is an elite rebounding team that ranks eighth in rebounding (40.4 RPG). They do a good job forcing turnovers as well, ranking 43rd (15.4 Opp. TOPG). On the other side, USF is a poor offensive team that ranks 170th in scoring (70.3 PPG) and 164th in turnovers (12.8 TOPG).

Offensively, the Cougars are an experienced, veteran team who have no trouble scoring when needed. Houston ranks 58th in scoring (75.5 PPG) and 42nd in FG% (47%). They are led by senior point guard Marcus Sasser. A four-year starter, Sasser is a reliable scorer from all levels of the court. For the season, he leads the team with 15.9 PPG. Although his outside shot hasn't fallen as much as in the past (career-low 33% from three), he still averages over two three-pointers per game. He's scored double-digit points in seven consecutive games and should make that eight tonight.

Sasser is the clear top option for the Cougars, but they have a number of other capable weapons on offense. Freshman Jerace Walker (10.4 PPG and 6.1 RPG) and junior J'wan Roberts (9.9 PPG and 7.4 RPG) do the heavy lifting down low. Walker in particular has been red-hot, having scored 44 points in his last two games.

Final USF-Houston Prediction & Pick

Houston has been lights-out against the spread this season and I don't see that changing here against a middling USF team.

Final USF-Houston Prediction & Pick: Houston Cougars -23.5 (-105)