The Rice Owls (3-5) travel to face off against the Houston Cougars (8-0) on Wednesday, December 6th. This game will be played at Fertitta Center in Houston and televised on ESPN+. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.
Rice Owls vs Houston Cougars
The Rice Owls Are Coming Off A Win
Rice is heading into their 9th game of the season with a 3-5 record. In their previous three road games, which includes last year, Rice has yet to win. Heading into their game against Houston, Rice has an ATS record of 3-5. On the road this season, Rice is 1-1 ATS, and in their last ten road games, they hold a 5-5 (ATS) record.
Rice’s games have, on average, featured 156.5 points per game leading to an over/under record of 4-3-1. Their average over/under line is currently 156.4 points so far. The Owls’ last five games have finished with a combined 157 points per game and an over/under record of 2-2-1.
The Houston Cougars Are Coming Off A Win
Heading into their 9th game of the season, Houston is currently undefeated at 8-0. In their first eight games, Houston played two games away and five games at home. At the moment, Houston is surpassing the .500 mark when it comes to their ATS record, sitting at 4-3. In their previous five games, they have a 3-2 record vs. the spread.
Looking at their over/under performance through eight games, Houston has an over/under record of 1-6-0, with their games averaging 127 points per game on average. In the Cougars’ last five games, the combined scoring average stands at 123 points per game, accompanied by an over/under record of 0-5.
Rice Offense Breakdown
The Rice offense, in their latest game, managed to score just 65 points versus Houston Christian. During the game, they attempted 25 three-point shots and had a field goal percentage of 39.3%. Travis Evee was the leading scorer for the Owls, putting up 18 points. In addition, Mekhi Mason contributed 17 points.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Evee (G) | 17.0 | 3.5 | 2.2 |
| Mekhi Mason (G) | 13.6 | 4.0 | 2.4 |
| Max Fiedler (F) | 9.1 | 9.4 | 5.5 |
Houston Offense Breakdown
In their latest game, Houston offense put up 66 points against Xavier. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 34.4% and made 7 threes. Currently leading the team in scoring is LJ Cryer who comes into today’s matchup averaging 17.8. Emanuel Sharp also heads into the game with a PPG average of 11.5.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| LJ Cryer (G) | 17.8 | 2.8 | 2 |
| Emanuel Sharp (G) | 11.5 | 3.2 | 1 |
| Jamal Shead (G) | 9.6 | 4.2 | 6 |
Rice Team Defense
So far, the Owls’ defense is ranked 225th in the country at 79.5 points per contest. Against Houston Christian in their most recent game, the Rice defense gave up a total of 56 points while allowing Houston Christian to hit 39% of their shots.
Houston Team Defense
Coming into today’s game, the Houston defense is giving up an average of 50.4 points per contest. In today’s game vs. Rice, the Houston defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, Houston made 20 free-throws vs. the Cougars.
Owls vs Cougars Trends
- Across their last three road contests, Rice has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 0-3, while averaging 70 points per game.
- Although Houston has a straight up record of 3-0 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 1-1. The team averaged 69 points per game in these games.
- Looking back on the team’s last three games as the underdog, the Owls have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 0-3.
- As the betting favorite, the Cougars have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 3-0.
Owls vs Cougars Prediction
For a point-spread bet in this Cougars vs. Cougars matchup, we’re leaning towards the Cougars at -26. Although our projections show the Cougars winning 76-67, we suggest placing your bet on the Owls for the point-spread.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 140.5 and our model has the Owls and Cougars finishing with a combined 143 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:December 6, 2023 Houston Cougars, Rice Owls, Teams