The No.1-seed Houston Cougars were granted a bye to the quarterfinals and will have to take on No.8-seed TCU after their victory over Oklahoma on Wednesday. Houston faced TCU once this season, and the Horned Frogs handed them one of their three losses by a score of 68-67. It is time to continue our men's college basketball odds series with a TCU-Houston prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
TCU was overachieving this year until a 2-4 end to the regular season sent them down to eighth in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs struggled, losing two games to Baylor and UCF as favorites. They also lost a close one to Texas Tech and were blown out by BYU on the road. One of TCU's strengths this season was winning on the road, finishing with a record above .500. This trait should serve them well during the conference tournament, and they've already shown it against Oklahoma in the opening round.
Houston proved they are the runaway favorite to win the Big 12 tournament by winning 14 of their final 15 games. The Cougars lost two consecutive games to TCU and Iowa State on the road during the January lull. However, they bounced back with their run to end the season. Their only loss since then was on the road to Kansas. Houston played the Jayhawks in their final game, dominating with a 76-46 victory. Houston is -150 to win the Big 12, with Iowa State (+400) and Baylor (+600) falling behind them. The Cougars are 1-1 against Iowa State this season, and Baylor took them to overtime.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: TCU-Houston Odds
TCU: +9.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +400
Houston: -9.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -550
Over: 137.5 (-110)
Under: 137.5 (-110)
How to Watch TCU vs. Houston
Time: 3 PM ET/noon PT
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why TCU Will Cover The Spread/Win
Houston hasn't been in the best form coming into this tournament, as their lack of offense lends the team to not covering. They had a 30-point victory over Kansas to end the season but failed to cover in three straight prior. The Cougars are 3-7-1 against the spread over their last ten games. There's a decent chance that Houston will advance to the semifinals, but TCU can cover.
TCU was one of the best teams in the Big 12 against the spread, finishing with an 18-13 record overall. The same can't be said for Houston, who finished with a 14-15-2 mark.
TCU's offense will be a test against the vaunted Houston defense. The Horned Frogs finished 39th in college basketball, averaging 80.4 points per game.
Why Houston Will Cover The Spread/Win
Defense wins championships in sports tournaments, and the Cougars are the nation's best. They ranked No.1 this season, allowing 56.9 points per game. They are an all-around good defense, holding opponents to 38.3% from the floor, which ranks second. Houston is also the 17th-best three-point defending team, holding opponents to 30.2%. A lot will be made of Houston's defense throughout the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament, but the Cougars' offense will need to improve their play.
Houston's offense is happy that TCU will take the court on Thursday. TCU's defense finished in the middle of the pack in college basketball, allowing 71.6 points per game.
Final TCU-Houston Prediction & Pick
TCU showed they will be a difficult out during their first-round win over Oklahoma. They've been staying in games all season long, as evidenced by their above-average against-the-spread record. The same can't be said for Houston, who haven't been able to run away with many games. TCU matched up well against the Cougars back in January when the Horned Frogs stole a win, and you can expect the same here.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final TCU-Houston Prediction & Pick: TCU +9.5 (-102)
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