The Houston Cougars (27-4) travel to face off against the Baylor Bears (17-12) on Saturday, March 8th. This game will be played at Foster Pavilion in Waco and televised on ESPN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 10:00 ET.

Houston Cougars vs Baylor Bears

The Cougars Are Coming Off A Win

Houston Cougars Recent Game/Games

Houston improved to 27-4 on the season with a 65-59 win over Kansas on Monday. The Cougars, playing at home, were favored by 9.5 points but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points fell short of the 132.5 O/U line.

Houston led 30-27 at halftime and outscored Kansas 35-32 in the second half to secure the win.

The Bears Are Coming Off A Win

Baylor Bears Recent Game/Games

Baylor improved to 17-12 on the season with a 61-58 road win over TCU on Tuesday. The Bears were favored by 4 points but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points (119) fell short of the 140 O/U line.

After trailing 35-35 at halftime, Baylor’s defense stepped up, allowing just 23 points in the 2nd half while scoring 26 to secure the win.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Houston’s offense struggled, shooting just 35.3% from the field and finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 41.2%. They hit 35% of their threes, going 7-for-20 from beyond the arc, while connecting on 71.4% of their free throws (10-for-14). The Cougars managed 17 offensive rebounds and dished out 9 assists in the contest.

L.J. Cryer led the way with 22 points, hitting 4-of-6 from three-point range and shooting 53.3% overall. David Coit also knocked down 4-of-6 from deep, finishing with 14 points and 4 assists. Hunter Dickinson contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds, while KJ Adams added 15 points in the game.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Baylor’s offense put up 61 points in their last game, shooting 44% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 50%. They hit 30% from beyond the arc, making 6 of 20 attempts, while connecting on 53.3% of their two-point shots. At the free-throw line, they converted 11 of 14 attempts, good for 78.6%.

The Bears dished out 17 assists, with Robert O. Wright III leading the way with 7. Norchad Omier was a standout, shooting 75% from the field and hitting both of his three-point attempts, finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds. VJ Edgecombe added 18 points, knocking down 3 of 7 from deep.

Cougars Team Defense

Houston’s defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 59 points on 35% shooting from the field. They limited two-point attempts, with the other team hitting only 17 of 48 shots, also at 35%.

From beyond the arc, Houston allowed 7 threes on 20 attempts, a 35% success rate. They sent their opponent to the line 14 times, where they converted 10 free throws, shooting 71%.

Bears Team Defense

Houston’s defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 59 points on 35% shooting from the field. They limited two-point attempts to 17/48, also at 35%.

From beyond the arc, Houston allowed 7 threes on 20 attempts, with their opponent shooting 35%. They sent them to the line 14 times, where they hit 10 free throws at a 71% rate.

Cougars vs Bears Trends

• When looking at their past ten road matchups, Houston has an ATS record of 7-3 while averaging 73 per game. The team went 9-1 overall in these games.
• Across the Bears last five home games, the team averaged 65 points per game while allowing 70. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 0-4-1, while going 1-4 straight-up.
• As the betting underdog, the Bears have an ATS mark of just 0-2-1 in their last three games. Baylor posted a straight up mark of 0-3 in these matchups.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Cougars have a straight up record of 5-0, while going 2-3 against the spread.

Cougars vs Bears Prediction

As the underdogs with a spread of +4.5, we recommend going with the Bears on the point spread. We not only see them covering the spread but also have a strong likelihood of winning this one outright, especially if you’re seeking a higher payout on the moneyline.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 131.5, and our model predicts the Cougars and Bears to score a combined 145 points. We recommend betting on the over.

---

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

---

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.