Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Rice vs Houston Christian NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Houston.
Rice vs Houston Christian Prediction
Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Owls and Huskies. The game is starting at 8:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Huskies at Sharp Gymnasium in Houston, TX. Get ready to place your bets! Rice is the -9.5 point favorites in this non-conference matchup against Houston Christian. The over/under for the game is set at 141.5 points.
Rice vs. Houston Christian Matchup At A Glance
- Sport: NCAAB
- Teams: Rice Owls at Houston Christian Huskies
- Where: Houston at Sharp Gymnasium
- Date: Friday, November 22nd
- Betting Odds RICE -9.5, RICE -625 | HOUBAP +430 O/U 141.5
Owls Preview: Does Rice Have What it Takes on the Road?
Rice improved to 3-1 on the season with an 83-61 win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Tuesday. The Owls, who were +3.5 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.
Rice led 41-40 at halftime before dominating the 2nd half, outscoring the Ragin' Cajuns 42-21. The game’s total points of 144 narrowly went over the pre-game line of 143.5.
Owls Offense Breakdown
Rice put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 55.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 61.2%. They hit 64.5% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 38.9% from beyond the arc, going 7-for-18 from three-point range.
The Owls also made 22 free throws on 34 attempts, shooting 64.7% from the line, and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds. Denver Anglin led the way with 20 points, hitting 5-of-8 from three, while Caden Powell and Michael Thomas each added 17 points, with Powell shooting 7-of-8 from the field.
Owls Team Defense
Rice's defense held their opponent to just 61 points, allowing them to shoot 35% from the field. They limited two-point attempts to 37% shooting, with the opposing team making 17 of 45 shots.
From beyond the arc, Rice gave up 8 threes on 25 attempts, a 32% shooting rate. The opponent also struggled from the free-throw line, hitting only 3 of 8 attempts, or 37%.
Huskies Preview: Do the Huskies Have a Shot at a Home Win?
Houston Christian Huskies Recent Game/Games
In their latest outing, the Huskies fell 78-43 to Creighton on Wednesday, November 13th. Houston Christian was a +35 underdog going into the game, and while they lost by 35, they managed to push against the spread.
After a tough first half where they trailed 39-12, the Huskies showed some fight in the second half, scoring 31 points while allowing 39. The game’s total points of 121 fell well short of the O/U line of 153.
Huskies Offense Breakdown
In their last game, the Huskies struggled offensively, scoring just 43 points and shooting 25.4% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 28.2%, and they connected on only 14.3% of their three-point attempts, going 5-for-35 from beyond the arc.
Inside the arc, they shot 36.1%, hitting 13 of 36 two-point attempts. They managed just 6 assists and 15 offensive rebounds, while only attempting 3 free throws, making 2 of them.
Huskies Team Defense
Houston Christian's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 78 points on 55% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 71% of their two-point attempts, with 22 made baskets inside the arc.
From three-point range, the Huskies' defense gave up 7 threes on 21 attempts, a 33% shooting clip. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 13 of those attempts.
Owls vs Huskies Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis
- When looking at their past three road matchups, Rice has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 76 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
- In their last three home games, Houston Christian has averaged 56 points per game while allowing 82. The team's record in this stretch was 0-3 while going 2-0-1.
- Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Huskies have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-0-1.
- The last ten games that Rice was favored, they have an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 6-4 straight up.
Rice vs Houston Christian Prediction & Free Pick
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Prediction: Houston Christian +9.5 Be sure to check out our other NCAA Basketball betting previews for this week. KnupSports.com also updates their sports betting picks page daily with plays across all sports.