The Saint Joseph’s Hawks (0-0) welcome the No. 3 Houston Cougars (1-0) to Alumni Hall Friday. Tip is set for 6 p.m. ET (CBSSN). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Houston vs. Saint Joseph’s odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
The Cougars won their first game of the season 83-36 over the Northern Colorado Bears Monday, covering a 23.5-point spread. Behind G Marcus Sasser, the Cougars have championship expectations.
Sasser scored a team-high 21 points in the team’s opener. F J’wan Roberts chipped in 12 points and 6 rebounds as well.
C Ejike Obinna could be a force for Saint Joseph’s as he averaged 12.1 points per game last season and is returning. Otherwise, the team lost G Jordan Hall and F Taylor Funk, players that combined to average 27.3 points per game a season ago.
Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+
Houston at Saint Joseph’s odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Houston -3000 (bet $3,000 to win $100) | H +1100 (bet $1,100 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Houston -21.5 (-115) | Saint Joseph’s +21.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 133.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Claim your risk-free bet up to $350. Catch the excitement and start betting with Tipico Sportsbook! New customer offer in CO and NJ. 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!
Houston at Saint Joseph’s picks and predictions
Prediction
Houston 74, Saint Joseph’s 49
Moneyline
PASS.
A -3000 favorite is never worth the price tag.
Against the spread
LEAN HOUSTON -21.5 (-115).
On both ends of the court, the Cougars are one of the best teams in the country. They finished 32-6 last season and were No. 1 in the AAC. Houston’s defense is what took its play to the next level.
Its’ 58.8 allowed points per game sat 3rd in the nation. The Cougars did lose key pieces like G Kyler Edwards, but having given up just 36 in their opener, the level of defending is still there.
The Hawks lost their 2 top scorers, and it doesn’t seem likely the Cougars will allow many clean looks for Obinna. Until the Cougars let bettors down, their dominance should continue.
Over/Under
BET UNDER 133.5 (-110).
The Hawks are down their most dynamic scoring threats from a season ago, and that will be difficult to overcome.
Houston is 110-137-3 O/U since Kelvin Sampson became its coach in 2014 as well, so the Cougars have been a good Under bet for almost the last decade.
The Cougars held Northern Colorado to just 25.6% shooting, and 23.8% from deep, in the team’s opener. Houston is elite defensively, and it’ll keep this game Under the total.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
Want action on this basketball game or any other sports contest? Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, SportsbookWire’s official sportsbook partner in CO and NJ. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://sportsbookwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
Follow @nathanbeighle_ on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]