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  1. Home
  2. NCAAB Picks
  3. Houston Cougars vs Baylor Bears
Sat 12:00 PM ET
Houston Cougars logo
Houston
Cougars82
30-7
versus
Baylor Bears logo
Baylor
Bears76
17-16
Final/OT
Team123T
Houston Cougars41281382
Baylor Bears2544776
NCAAB · Houston Cougars at Baylor Bears

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Houston Cougars vs Baylor Bears Betting Picks & Predictions

Game time: February 24, 2024 at 12:00 PM ET

Venue: Foster Pavilion — Waco, TX

Article updated Feb 23, 11:15 PM EST

Published by SportsJaw Editorial Team

In a highly anticipated matchup, No. 2 Houston will face off against No. 11 Baylor on Saturday afternoon in Waco. This will mark the first meeting between the two teams since

Game outlook

In a highly anticipated matchup, No. 2 Houston will face off against No. 11 Baylor on Saturday afternoon in Waco. This will mark the first meeting between the two teams since Houston's transition from the AAC to the Big 12 this season. Houston is considered the favorite with an opening line of -2.5, which has remained unchanged leading up to the game.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Cougars -148 | Bears +124

Spread: Cougars -2.5 (-110) | Bears +2.5 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 136.5 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Houston will win straight-up is 60%.

Houston Cougars

Houston currently holds the first seed in the NCAA Tournament, according to Jerry Palm's latest Bracketology. They have been ranked number one in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency by KenPom for most of the season. Despite three losses in the Big 12, all on the road, Houston remains at the top of the conference with a 30-7 record. Their most recent victory against Iowa State showcased Jamal Shead's performance, scoring 26 points and leading the team to a win. L.J. Cryer leads the team offensively with 15.0 points per game, while Houston's defense is their priority, allowing only 55.3 points per game on 37.4% shooting. On offense, the team struggles with shooting percentages, particularly in free throws. Houston's power ranking is at 13, with strong defensive stats, ranking #1 in defense and allowing an average of 55.35 points against them per game. Their offensive stats rank lower, but the team's overall performance has placed them in a favorable position for the upcoming tournament. Big Mood #ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/y53E2J0joS

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. Past results do not predict future outcomes.

Baylor Bears Analysis

Baylor recently suffered a loss at BYU, contributing to a series of road game losses. Despite their struggles away from home, the team has had success in their home games. Coach Scott Drew acknowledges areas for improvement following the loss, such as ball sharing and rebounding. The team remains in contention for the tournament and has a strong offensive lineup with multiple players averaging double figures. On defense, Baylor has faced challenges, particularly in field goal percentage and three-point defense. In terms of statistics, Baylor's offense excels in field goal percentage and three-point shooting, while their defense struggles in those areas. They have a power ranking of 87 and are ranked 22nd for offense. Overall, the team is 19-7 with positive offensive performance but room for improvement defensively.

Houston shows resilience in competitive Big 12 conference, but struggles on the road

The Big 12 conference is widely recognized as one of the most competitive in the nation. Houston deserves acknowledgment for their impressive performance in the conference following their transition from the American Athletic Conference. However, it is notable that all three of the Cougars' losses have occurred on away games, while Baylor holds an impressive 13-1 record at home. Despite facing challenges on the road, Houston has shown resilience by bouncing back from such losses. It is worth mentioning that Houston's shooting efficiency is not particularly strong overall, with a 38.9% field goal percentage and a 30.4% three-point shooting percentage. In contrast, Baylor's defense at home has limited opponents to a 30.4% three-point shooting success rate.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

Unavailable for this preview

Projected winnerUnavailableConfidencelow
Pick on the Spread

Published pick: Unavailable

Pick on the Total

Published pick: Unavailable

#HoustonCougars#BaylorBears

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Written by

SportsJaw Editorial Team

SportsJaw published this archived preview from its original game-day article. Its prediction and quoted lines are preserved as written.

About our editorial process

SportsJaw Cougars vs Bears archived game preview contains historical odds and availability that may no longer be current. View history of past Cougars vs Bears matchups or learn how our predictions work.

Current matchup data

Lines, trends and availability

Line movement since open

  • Moneyline · Houston Cougars-148 → -146Moved
  • Moneyline · Baylor Bears+124 → +125Moved
  • Spread · Houston Cougars-2.5 (-110) → -2.5 (-110)Unchanged
  • Spread · Baylor Bears+2.5 (-110) → +2.5 (-110)Unchanged
  • Total · Over136.5 (-110) → 135 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Under136.5 (-110) → 135 (-110)Moved

ATS and O/U trends

Houston Cougars
30-7 matchup record · 4-4-2 ATS · 7-3-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file
Baylor Bears
17-16 matchup record · 5-4-1 ATS · 5-5-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file

Injuries and availability

From the published research (2024-02-24T04:15:28.951Z). Availability may have changed; review the cited sources.

No verified injury or availability note was included in the published matchup research.

Recent head-to-head

No completed head-to-head result is available in the current history window.

Final result

Matchup pick recap

Houston Cougars defeated Baylor Bears 82-76

Houston Cougars defeated Baylor Bears 82-76 on February 24, 2024, a 6-point decision in the series. Houston Cougars' strongest period was the 1st half, when it outscored its opponent 41-25. Against SportsJaw's recorded Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110) spread, Houston Cougars covered, while the 158 combined points finished over the recorded total of 135.

SportsJaw editorial picks

  • Projected winnerNo published selectionUnavailable

Tipster picks

  • DpxsportsSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • Sammy52Spread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • BookieslayerSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • MaddogSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • Novacek84Spread · Houston Cougars +2.5 (-110)Win
  • MrpinkSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • WarbuczSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • WarbuczTotal · Under 136.5 (-110)Loss
  • Tbone91Spread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • JeffjacksonSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • JtgarciaSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • 72dolphinsSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • Drew_WestcottSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • RcollinsTotal · Over 136.5 (-110)Win
  • JohnnywalkerSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • JohnnywalkerTotal · Under 136.5 (-110)Loss
  • Kentc_Spread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • JohnmiznerSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • Leadpipe_LocksSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • UncledavidSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • GsimmsSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • JackCohenTotal · Under 136.5 (-110)Loss
  • JtphamSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • MrmisterSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • SfdanTotal · Under 136.5 (-110)Loss
  • SfdanSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • KingjamesSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • NutinbutlocksSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • Josh720Spread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • RoycejacobsTotal · Under 136.5 (-110)Loss
  • IrishblueTotal · Under 136.5 (-110)Loss
  • IrishblueSpread · Houston Cougars -2.5 (-110)Win
  • Hustle$Total · Under 136.5 (-110)Loss
  • DoclocksSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • ThinkmakegrowSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss
  • PremierPicksSpread · Baylor Bears +2.5 (-110)Loss