Houston Cougars vs Texas Longhorns Betting Picks & Predictions

Game outlook

On Monday, there is a limited schedule for college basketball games, but an impactful clash is on the horizon in the Big 12 conference. The highly-ranked Houston Cougars, ranked fourth in the nation, will face off against the Texas Longhorns. With a record of 18-2, including a 5-2 conference standing, Houston enters this game as a formidable opponent. On the other hand, the Texas Longhorns stand at 21-15 overall, with a conference record of 3-4. The game is set to begin at 9:00 ET at the Moody Center in Austin, TX. Initially, Houston carries the status of the favored team, as they were assigned an opening line of -5, and there have been no subsequent changes.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Cougars -225 | Longhorns +185

Spread: Cougars -5 (-110) | Longhorns +5 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 130.5 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Houston will win straight-up is 69%.

Houston Cougars

Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars have made a smooth transition to a power-five conference, boasting an impressive 18-2 record at the start of the season. Their success has earned them the fourth spot in the AP Poll, and they are currently +900 in betting odds to win the championship. The team has won four consecutive games in the Big 12, including dominant victories over Texas Tech, UCF, BYU, and Kansas State. The Cougars have a 12-8 record against the spread and 14 of their 20 games have gone under the total. In their recent win against Kansas State, Houston showcased their strengths in turnovers and rebounding, despite being outshot by their opponents. L.J. Cryer leads the team in scoring with an average of 15.2 points per game, while Jamal Shead excels in assists and steals. According to power rankings, Houston is ranked 13th and has the top defense in the league, allowing an average of only 51.89 points per game. Offensively, the team scores an average of 73.95 points per game, hitting 43.90% of their field goals and 67.53% of their free throws. They also make an average of 35.41% of their three-pointers. The Cougars excel in rebounding, averaging 40.42 rebounds per game, but struggle with turnovers, averaging 9.11 per game. Defensively, they hold opponents to 34.78% shooting from the field and 63.59% from the free-throw line. They also limit three-point shooting to 28.00%. On the defensive boards, they average 32.68 rebounds per game. The team records 11.00 defensive assists and 16.63 turnovers per game. Get your Sunday started right with HIGHLIGHTS from Saturday's big win over rv/rv Kansas State in Fertitta Center NEXT – at rv/rv Texas, 8 pm MONDAY, Austin, Texas #ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/RvMUJv6wfi