The No. 13 Houston Cougars (8-1) and No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1) clash in a ranked showdown Saturday with a 10 p.m. ET tip-off at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Below, we look at the Houston vs. Alabama odds and lines and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Houston lost a close neutral-site game against No. 17 Wisconsin Nov. 23. The nation’s second-best defensive team in points allowed has gone 4-0 since and held opponents to a 33.5% shooting mark along the way. The Cougars have allowed just 53.4 points per game (PPG).
Alabama has had a similar road, though one paved by its offense. The Crimson Tide lost to Iona Nov. 27; they’ve won four games since in high-scoring fashion. Alabama is sixth in the nation with 86.4 PPG.
Houston at Alabama odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:15 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Houston +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Alabama -170 (bet $170 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Houston +2.5 (-108) | Alabama -2.5 (-112)
- Over/Under (O/U): 146.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!
Houston at Alabama odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Alabama 72, Houston 70
Money line
This is an interesting matchup with a slow-paced, defense-first Houston squad taking on an up-tempo, high-octane Alabama bunch. Look for a veteran Cougars five to hold their own in a game destined for a close finish.
The better leverage to be had in betting this one falls in the ATS and O/U plays. PASS.
Against the spread
The Cougars are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games as an underdog.
Houston has played a decent schedule, but it hasn’t really faced any quality, fast-paced teams yet. However, recent offense and defense efficiency efforts make UH the play.
Look for the Cougars to take care of the basketball and hold their own on the glass and perhaps Alabama’s latest win — a week ago in Seattle — makes for a bit of a come-down and some rust.
BACK HOUSTON +2.5 (-108).
Over/Under
With a healthy respect for the visiting five and some doubt as to whether Alabama can pull off a hot shooting game from distance, there is plenty of feeling that this one gets into the final minute with a score close to 70-70. Its worth shading the UNDER 146.5 (-110).
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]