Houston vs. Cincinnati Prediction
Number two Houston heads to Cincinnati to face the unranked Bearcats at 3:00 PM ET Sunday afternoon on ESPN. Can the Cougars cover the 9.5-point spread as road favorites?
Houston is 15-1 on the year with their best wins coming over Oregon and Virginia. Their only loss came against Alabama on December 10th. The Cougars are 11-5 against the spread this season.
Cincinnati is 11-5 this season with their best wins coming over Louisville and Wichita State. Their worst losses came against Northern Kentucky and Temple. The Bearcats are 11-4 against the spread this year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
865 Houston Cougars (-9.5) vs. 866 Cincinnati Bearcats (+9.5); O/U 135
3:00 PM ET, Sunday, January 8, 2023
Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, OH
Houston vs. Cincinnati 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 54% of public bets are on Cincinnati +9.5. 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.
Houston Game Notes
Houston is led by senior guard Marcus Sasser. The 6’2” Dallas native leads the Cougars in scoring with 15.8 points per game. He’s second on the club in assists per game (3.0) and steals per game (1.8). A volume scorer, Marcus Sasser leads Houston in shot attempts, free throw attempts, and three-point attempts. He will be key to how the Cougars fare this weekend.
Houston’s leading rebounder is junior forward J’Wan Roberts. Roberts is pulling down 7.2 boards per game and pouring in 9.6 points per game while shooting an efficient 65.7% from the field. Houston will need Roberts and forward Jarace Walker to rebound and defend to win and cover against Cincinnati on Sunday.
Cincinnati Game Notes
Cincinnati’s leading scorer is senior guard David DeJulius. DeJulius has posted 15.5 points per game while shooting 39.5% from three-point range on 5.1 attempts per game. DeJulius is second on the team in assists with 3.4 per game and leads the club in steals with 1.4 per game.
The Bearcats’ best big man is 6’11” sophomore Viktor Lakhin. Lakhin hails from Anapa, Russia, and is averaging 7.8 rebounds per game. He’s also been solid on the offensive end (12.9 points per game) and the defensive end (1.1 steals per game, 1.1 blocks per game) in addition to his stellar rebounding rate this year. David DeJulius and Viktor Lakhin will be crucial to the outcome of this game for Cincinnati.
Houston vs. Cincinnati CBB Betting Trends
Cincinnati is 8-0 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Cincinnati is 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
Cincinnati is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following an ATS win.
The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between Houston and Cincinnati.
Houston vs. Cincinnati CBB Prediction:
Houston might be one of the best teams in the country, but they’ve only played 3 true road games this season. The Cougars beat Oregon by 10 in Eugene, toppled Virginia by 8 in Charlottesville, and crushed Tulsa on the road by 39. This will be a unique test for Houston as Cincinnati looks to challenge them for the American Athletic Conference crown and bolster their NCAA Tournament resume in the process. I think you have to be careful laying big numbers on the road in conference play, and that’s why I’ll side with the Bearcats at home while taking the points. I think Cincinnati manages to keep it close on Sunday.
CBB BETTING PREDICTION: CINCINNATI BEARCATS +9.5
