The Houston Cougars (19-4) travel to face off against the Colorado Buffaloes (9-13) on Saturday, February 8th. This game will be played at CU Events Center in Boulder and televised on ESPN+. Houston is coming off a win in their previous game, while Colorado is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Utah. Tip-off is set for 4:00 ET.

Houston Cougars vs Colorado Buffaloes

The Cougars Are Coming Off A Win

Houston Cougars Recent Game

Houston improved to 19-4 on the season with a 72-63 win over Oklahoma State on Tuesday. The Cougars, who were at home, were favored by 21.5 points but didn’t cover the spread.

Houston led 39-33 at halftime and outscored the Cowboys 33-30 in the second half. The game’s total points of 135 went over the O/U line of 130.

The Buffaloes Are Coming Off A Win

Colorado Buffaloes Recent Game/Games

Colorado’s season record fell to 9-13 after a 72-59 loss to Utah on Wednesday. The Buffaloes, who were +7 point underdogs, didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 131 fell short of the O/U line of 142.5.

Colorado struggled early, trailing 32-20 at halftime. While they scored 39 points in the 2nd half, they allowed 40, preventing a comeback.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

Houston’s offense put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 41.9% from the field and 38.1% from three-point range. They connected on 8 of 21 attempts from deep and hit 12 of 14 free throws, good for 85.7% at the line. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.4%, and they grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, with 16 assists as a team.

L.J. Cryer led the Cougars with 18 points, though he shot just 40.0% overall and 36.4% from three. Milos Uzan added 17 points, hitting 75.0% of his threes, while Abou Ousmane shot 70.0% from the field, finishing with 16 points and a perfect 1 for 1 from beyond the arc.

Buffaloes Offense Breakdown

Colorado struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 59 points on 38.2% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 43.6%, with a 25.9% mark from three-point range, hitting 7 of 27 attempts. They shot 50% on two-pointers, going 14 for 28, and connected on 76.9% of their free throws, making 10 of 13.

Gabe Madsen led the way with 17 points, hitting 4 of 7 threes. Javon Ruffin added 13 points, shooting 50% from deep, while Lawson Lovering contributed 12 points and 6 rebounds. Bangot Dak and Assane Diop each chipped in 11 points, with Dak shooting 62.5% from the field.

Cougars Team Defense

Houston’s defense gave up 63 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 41% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 18 two-point baskets on 41 attempts, a 43% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Houston’s opponents hit 8 of 21 shots, shooting 38%. They also went 12/14 from the free-throw line, an 85% success rate. Houston gave up 18 offensive rebounds.

Buffaloes Team Defense

Houston’s defense gave up 63 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 41% from the field on 26 of 62 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 18 baskets on 41 attempts, a 43% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Houston’s opponents hit 8 of 21 shots, good for 38%. The Cougars also sent them to the free-throw line 14 times, where they converted 12 attempts, an 85% success rate. Houston allowed 18 offensive rebounds.

Cougars vs Buffaloes Trends

• The Cougars are 2-1 ATS in their three last road games and 3-0 straight-up.
• In their last ten games at home, the Buffaloes have a straight up record of 1-9 while going 3-7 vs. the spread. The team averaged 69 points per game in this stretch.
• Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Colorado has an ATS mark of 0-3 while going 0-3 straight up.
• 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 2-1.

Cougars vs Buffaloes Prediction

The Buffaloes come in as the underdog at +14.5, 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 128.5 and our model has the Cougars and Buffaloes finishing with a combined 145 points. Our pick is to take the over.

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

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* 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.