Houston at Baylor odds, picks and predictions
The No. 11 Baylor Bears (19-7, 8-5 Big 12) welcome the No. 2 Houston Cougars (23-3, 10-3) to Foster Pavilion Saturday. Tip is set for noon ET (CBS). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook's lines around the Houston vs. Baylor odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Baylor is No. 11 in the Paste BN Sports Coaches Poll, with Houston sitting 2nd, only topped by No. 1 UConn.
The Bears lost to the No. 21 BYU Cougars 78-71 Tuesday, failing to cover as 3.5-point road underdogs. Baylor is 4-2 straight up (SU) and 3-2-1 against the spread (ATS) over its last 6 games. The Bears are 15-8-2 ATS on the season and 7-5-1 ATS in conference play. They are led by G Ja'Kobe Walter, who is averaging 14.4 points per game (PPG).
The Cougars beat the No. 6 Iowa State Cyclones 73-65 at home Monday, pushing as 8-point favorites. They are 5-1 SU over their last 6 games yet 1-4-1 ATS. Houston is 12-12-2 ATS on the season. It is spearheaded by its defense, which is 1 of the best in the nation. G L.J. Cryer is the team's leading scorer, averaging 15 PPG.
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Houston at Baylor odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access Paste BN Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 9:35 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Houston -148 (bet $148 to win $100) | Baylor +120 (bet $100 to win $120)
- Against the spread (ATS): Houston -2.5 (-110) | Baylor +2.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 135.5 (O: -111 | U: -115)
Houston at Baylor picks and predictions
Prediction
Baylor 70, Houston 68
Moneyline
PASS.
The Bears (+120), at home, are a strong play, but given the spread, taking the points is the preferred option for bettors here.
Against the spread
BET BAYLOR +2.5 (-110).
Houston has won lately, but it hasn't covered well. It has failed to cover in 3 straight road games and won 2 of those by 5 points or fewer. The Cougars are 1-5 ATS in conference road games.
Baylor has a strong home resume as well: beating Iowa State by 2, Texas Tech by 6, and Oklahoma by 17. The Bears have a few NBA-caliber athletes and have the shotmaking to score on Houston's defense. Baylor is 3-1 ATS over its last 4 games.
Back the home side, and take BAYLOR +2.5 (-110).
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Over/Under
LEAN OVER 135.5 (-111).
Over the last several weeks, both teams have consistently hit the Over. The Bears are 5-4 O/U in their last 9 games and 13-12 O/U on the season. They have scored at least 79 points in 2 of their last 3 games and in 3 of their last 5.
Houston may be known for its defense, but it has gone Over in 5 of its last 6, given it often has a low total due to that stout defensive play. The Cougars have scored at least 79 in 2 of their last 4 games.
Take OVER 135.5 (-111).
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