The Houston Cougars (20-3) travel to face off against the Cincinnati Bearcats (15-7) on Saturday, February 10th. This game will be played at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati and televised on ESPN2. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 4:00 ET.
Houston Cougars vs Cincinnati Bearcats
The Houston Cougars Are Coming Off A Win
As the Houston Cougars get set to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats on the road, they will enter as the favorite. On the season, Houston has gone 19-2 when favored, and they have a scoring margin of +1.6 on the road.
Overall, the Cougars are 20-3, and they have gone 7-3 in Big 12 play. In their last game, Houston defeated Oklahoma State by a score of 79-63. Over their last 10 road games, the Cougars have gone 7-3, and they are 5-3 on the road this season.
As the favorite, Houston has gone just 11-10 vs. the spread this season and is 5-5 over its last 10 games as the favorite. On the road, the Cougars are just 2-6 vs. the spread this year and are 2-7 in their last 10 road games vs. the spread.
This season, the over/under record for Houston games is 9-13 and today’s line of 128 is lower than the average over/under line in their games (133). So far, 11 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 3-0 with an average scoring total of 144 points.
The Cincinnati Bearcats Are Coming Off A Win
After a win over Texas Tech, Cincinnati is 15-7 overall and 4-5 in Big 12 play. The Bearcats are 12-2 at home this season, and they have won eight of their last 10 games at home.
As the underdog, Cincinnati is 2-3 this season. The Bearcats have been the underdog in five of their 22 games.
As the underdog this season, Cincinnati has gone 4-1 vs. the spread. At home, their ATS mark is 7-7. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Bearcats are 6-4 vs. the spread.
Today’s over/under line of 128 is lower than the average OU line in Cincinnati’s games this season (146.3). This year, the over/under record in Bearcats’ games is 11-11. Over their last three outings, their games have had an average scoring total of 135 points compared to their season mark of 143.8 points per game.
Houston Offense Breakdown
In their recent matchup, the Houston offense ended with 79 points against Oklahoma State. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 49.2% and made 6 threes. LJ Cryer is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today’s matchup with an average of 15.1. Meanwhile, Jamal Shead also brings a PPG average of 12.5 into the game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| LJ Cryer (G) | 15.1 | 2.6 | 2.0 |
| Jamal Shead (G) | 12.5 | 3.6 | 5.8 |
| Emanuel Sharp (G) | 12.3 | 3.9 | 1.0 |
Cincinnati Offense Breakdown
In their previous game, the Bearcats’ offense finished with 75 points, which is right in line with their current average of 77 points per contest. Offensively, the Bearcats have a season long field goal percentage of 44%, which is 212nd in the nation. In terms of three-pointers, they are 270th in percentage and 209th in three-pointers made.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Skillings (G) | 12.1 | 6.1 | 1.3 |
| Viktor Lakhin (F) | 11.7 | 7.1 | 2.0 |
| Day Day Thomas (G) | 10.8 | 2.5 | 3.3 |
Houston Team Defense
Coming into today’s game, the Houston defense is giving up an average of 54.4 points per contest. So far, the Houston defense is giving up an average of 7.9 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 8.3 times per game (353rd).
Cincinnati Team Defense
At this time, the Bearcats’ defense is positioned 58th in the country, permitting 66.8 points per game. So far, the Cincinnati defense is giving up an average of 7.1 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 11.1 times per game (498th).
Cougars vs Bearcats Trends
- Across the Cougars last five road games, the team averaged 67 points per game while allowing 68. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-4, while going 2-3 straight-up.
- When looking at their past five home matchups, Cincinnati has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 67 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
- Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Bearcats have a strong record vs the spread going 4-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 2-3.
- In their last three contests as the favorite, Houston has a poor record vs the spread going 1-2. But, they still put together a straight up mark of 3-0.
Cougars vs Bearcats Prediction
The Bearcats come in as the underdog at +5, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 128 and our model has the Cougars and Bearcats finishing with a combined 142 points. Our pick is to take 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.
Last updated:February 10, 2024 Cincinnati Bearcats, Houston Cougars