Cincinnati vs. Houston Prediction & Odds
Unranked Cincinnati heads to Houston to play the #3 Cougars on CBS at 2:15 PM ET Saturday afternoon. Can the Bearcats cover the 14-point spread as road underdogs?
Cincinnati is 14-7 on the year with their best wins coming over Tulane and Wichita State. Their worst losses came against Northern Kentucky and Temple. The Bearcats are 13-7 against the spread this season.
Houston is 19-2 this season with their best wins coming over Virginia and UCF. Their only losses came against Alabama and Temple. The Cougars are 14-7 against the spread this year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
651 Cincinnati Bearcats (+14) vs. 652 Houston Cougars (-14); O/U 132.5
2:15 PM ET, Saturday, January 28, 2023
Fertitta Center, Houston, TX
Cincinnati vs. Houston Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that the public favors the Bearcats in this contest. Our public betting data illustrates that 56% of public bets are on Cincinnati +14. Do note that these numbers are subject to change and could be different once tipoff rolls around, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Cincinnati Game Notes
Cincinnati’s leading scorer is 6’7” senior guard Landers Nolley II. Nolley played at both Virginia Tech and Memphis before landing in Cincinnati, and he’s averaging 15.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest for the Bearcats this year. Nolley’s best skill is his three-point shooting, as he’s hitting 44.3% of his shots from beyond the arc this season.
The Bearcats’ best big man is sophomore forward Viktor Lakhin. The 6’11” Russian national is averaging 12.6 points per game on 63.4% shooting from the field this season. Lakhin also leads Cincinnati in both rebounds per game (7.5) and blocked shots per game (1.2). The Bearcats will need production from both Nolley and Lakhin to cover this game Saturday.
Houston Game Notes
Houston senior guard Marcus Sasser leads the team in scoring with 16.6 points per game. Sasser is a bit of a volume scorer as he’s shooting 42.5% from the field on 12.8 attempts per game. He does lead the Cougars in made three-pointers per game with 2.7 and steals per game with 1.9.
Cougars forward Jarace Walker has been one of Houston’s best big men this year. Walker is posting 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 35.1% from beyond the arc this season. He’s scored at least 17 points in 3 of Houston’s last 5 games and might need to hit double figures for Houston to cover the sizable spread this weekend.
Cincinnati vs. Houston CBB Betting Trends
Cincinnati is 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss.
Cincinnati is 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games overall.
Houston is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games.
Houston is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 Saturday games.
Cincinnati vs. Houston CBB Prediction:
These two teams played each other on Sunday, January 8th in Cincinnati. Houston won that game by a score of 72-59. Despite losing by double digits, the Bearcats outrebounded the Cougars in that game 39-33. Cincinnati simply shot the ball poorly in that contest (35.1% from the field) and turned the ball over 17 times. For the season, Cincinnati is 23rd in the country in turnovers per possession, and they shoot 44.3% from the field. I think the Bearcats cut down on their turnovers on Saturday and shoot better than they did last time out against Houston. Those two improvements should be enough for them to cover this double-digit spread on the road.
CBB BETTING PREDICTION: CINCINNATI BEARCATS +14
