The second-seeded Houston Cougars (27-3) take on the 12th-seeded Oregon State Beavers (20-12) Monday in the Midwest Regional Final at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Below, we analyze the Houston-Oregon State odds and lines, with March Madness NCAA Tournament picks and predictions.
The Cougars are in the Elite Eight for the first time since 1984 when Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon were wrapping up the Phi Slama Jamma era in Houston.
This Houston team is the first team to face a double-digit seed in each of its first four NCAA Tournament games, a historically favorable path to the Final Four if it wins Monday.
The Cougars are 2-1 against the spread (ATS) in the tourney. Houston topped Cleveland State by 29 and Syracuse by 16. Their only non-cover came in the second round against Rutgers, winning by just three.
Oregon State, which was a .500 team after 22 regular-season games, beat Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Loyola Chicago to crash into the Elite Eight.
The Beavers have covered six straight postseason games and 13 of their past 14 games overall. They’re 18-3-1 ATS across the past 22 games dating back to Jan. 16.
Houston vs. Oregon State: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:05 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Houston -375 (bet $375 to win $100) | Oregon State +290 (bet $100 to win $290)
- Against the spread/ATS: Houston -8 (-110) | Oregon State +8 (-110)
- Over/Under: 129.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Houston vs. Oregon State: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Houston 66, Oregon State 62
Money line (ML)
Houston (-375) will cost you nearly four times your potential return on investment. That’s just not a good long-term betting strategy, especially against a red-hot team that has proven capable of beating anybody.
PASS.
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Against the spread (ATS)
OREGON STATE +8 (-110) is on fire against the number. The Beavers are not going to win this one outright, but they will be able to keep it inside four buckets.
In the second round, the Cougars were fortunate to get by Rutgers, a team with a similar style to Oregon State. Senior G Ethan Thompson, sophomore G Jarod Lucas and junior F Warith Alatishe are a Big Three that will give Houston fits right to the final buzzer.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 129.5 (-110) is the play. The lockdown defense of Houston was on full display in its Sweet 16 game against Syracuse, as the Cougars allowed just 46 points.
Oregon State knows a little bit about defense, too, turning the tables on Loyola Chicago in a 65-58 win and Under (125.5) result Saturday. The Under is 2-1 in the NCAA Tournament for the Beavers, who have yielded just 61.3 points per game in the Big Dance.
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