Houston Cougars vs TCU Horned Frogs Matchup

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

TCU vs Houston Prediction

Planning on watching today's Horned Frogs and Cougars game? Catch the action at Fertitta Center in Houston, TX, as the Cougars hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on ESPN2. The odds for this Big 12 conference game currently have Houston as the -18.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 128.5 points.

TCU vs. Houston Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: TCU Horned Frogs at Houston Cougars
Where: Houston at Fertitta Center
Date: Monday, January 6th
Betting Odds HOU -18.5, TCU +1516 | HOU -4000 O/U 128.5

Horned Frogs Preview: Do the Horned Frogs Stand a Chance in Houston?

TCU improved to 8-5 on the season with a narrow 63-62 win over Kansas State on Saturday. The Horned Frogs were favored by 3 points but didn't cover the spread. The total points for the game were 125, well under the O/U line of 140.5.

TCU led 27-24 at halftime and scored 36 points in the 2nd half while allowing 38. Though they didn't cover the spread, the Horned Frogs managed to hold on for the win.

Horned Frogs Offense Breakdown

TCU's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 39.3% from the field and 39.1% on two-point attempts. They hit 40% from beyond the arc, connecting on 6 of 15 attempts.

At the free-throw line, TCU shot 56.2%, making 9 of 16 attempts. Noah Reynolds led the team with 18 points, while Dug McDaniel contributed 12 points and 5 assists.

Horned Frogs Team Defense

TCU's defense held their opponent to 62 points on 39% shooting from the field, with 24 made baskets on 61 attempts. They limited two-point shooting to 39%, with the other team hitting 18 of 46 shots.

From beyond the arc, TCU allowed 6 threes on 15 attempts, a 40% shooting rate. Their opponent also went 9/16 from the free-throw line, shooting 56%. TCU gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Cougars Preview: Can Houston Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?

Houston improved to 10-3 on the season with a dominant 86-55 win over BYU on Saturday. Playing at home, the Cougars entered the game as -9.5 point favorites and covered the spread with ease.

Houston led 39-22 at halftime and continued to pour it on in the 2nd half, outscoring BYU 47-33. The game’s total points of 141 went over the pre-game O/U line of 133.5.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

Houston's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 86 points and shooting 49.2% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 62.7%, thanks in large part to their 16 made threes on 47.1% shooting from beyond the arc.

The Cougars also connected on 75% of their free throws and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds. Emanuel Sharp led the way with 18 points, while Terrance Arceneaux added 15, hitting 4 of 5 threes. Trevin Knell and Mylik Wilson each chipped in 12 points, with Wilson going a perfect 5 for 5 from the field.

Cougars Team Defense

Despite giving up 55 points, Houston's defense struggled to contain the opposition, allowing them to shoot 49% from the field. The Cougars gave up 29 field goals on 59 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Houston's defense allowed 16 threes on 34 attempts, a 47% shooting percentage. They also sent the opposition to the free-throw line 16 times, where they made 12 free throws, shooting 75%.

Horned Frogs vs Cougars Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their five previous road games, TCU has an ATS mark of 1-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 0-5 while averaging 66 points per game.
Through their last ten home games, Houston has an ATS record of just 3-6-1. However, their overall record was 7-3 while averaging 72 points per game.
The last three games that TCU was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 0-3 straight up.
As the betting favorite, the Cougars have an ATS mark of just 5-5 in their last ten games. Houston posted a straight up mark of 8-2 in these matchups.