BYU Cougars vs Houston Cougars Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our BYU vs Houston NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Houston.

BYU vs Houston Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Cougars and Cougars. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Cougars at Fertitta Center in Houston, TX. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 132.5 points, and Houston is favored by -9.5 to win at home against BYU.

BYU vs. Houston Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: BYU Cougars at Houston Cougars
Where: Houston at Fertitta Center
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds HOU -9.5, BYU +365 | HOU -493 O/U 132.5

Cougars Preview: Do the Cougars Stand a Chance in Houston?

BYU improved to 10-2 on the season with a 76-56 win over Arizona State on Tuesday. The Cougars, playing at home, were favored by 9.5 points and covered the spread with the victory.

BYU led 31-26 at halftime and pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Sun Devils 45-30. The combined points of 132 fell short of the 149.5 O/U line.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

Richie Saunders led the way for BYU with 30 points, hitting 6 of 11 from beyond the arc and shooting 61.1% overall in their latest game. As a team, the Cougars shot 48.3% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 56.9%.

BYU connected on 69.2% of their two-point attempts, while shooting 31.2% from three-point range, making 10 of 32 attempts. They also hit 10 of 14 free throws (71.4%) and grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, finishing with 17 assists in the game.

Cougars Team Defense

Despite giving up 56 points, BYU's defense struggled to contain their opponent's shooting, allowing them to hit 48% from the field on 28/58 shooting. Inside the arc, BYU allowed their opponent to shoot 69%, with 18 made two-point shots.

From three-point range, BYU's defense held their opponent to 31% shooting, with 10 made threes on 32 attempts. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 14 times, where they made 10 free throws, shooting 71%.

Cougars Preview: Do the Cougars Have What it Takes at Home?

Houston improved to 9-3 on the season with a 60-47 win over Oklahoma State on Monday. The Cougars, who were -11.5 point favorites, covered the spread in the victory.

Houston led 28-18 at halftime and scored 32 points in the 2nd half while allowing 29. The game’s total points of 107 fell well under the O/U line of 137.5.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

In their last game, the Cougars managed just 60 points, shooting 42.1% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.4%, with a 30% success rate from beyond the arc, hitting 6 of 20 attempts. They were perfect from the line, going 6 for 6.

J'Wan Roberts led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 69.2% from the floor. L.J. Cryer added 18 points, hitting 4 of 8 from three-point range.

Cougars Team Defense

Houston's defense was dominant, holding their opponent to just 47 points on 25% shooting from the field. They limited two-point opportunities, with the other team making only 10 of 35 attempts for 28%.

From beyond the arc, Houston's defense was equally effective, allowing just 4 threes on 19 attempts, a 21% success rate. The opponent did manage to hit 15 of 18 free throws, but Houston gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Cougars vs Cougars Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five games away from home, the Cougars have a straight up record of 1-4 while going 2-3 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 71 points per game in these contests.
Although Houston has a straight up record of 2-1 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 69 points per game in these games.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Cougars have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-3.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Cougars have a strong straight up record of 5-0. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.