The No. 5 seed Houston Cougars (32-5) meet the second-seeded Villanova Wildcats (29-7) Saturday in an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. ET at AT&T Center in San Antonio (on TBS). Below, we look at the Houston vs. Villanova odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Houston downed South Region No. 1 seed Arizona 72-60 Thursday. The Cougars — which swept the regular-season and tournament titles in the American Athletic Conference — won their three NCAA games by an average of 13.7 points. Houston beat Arizona in wire-to-wire fashion, and held the second-ranked Wildcats to a 33.3% mark from the floor.
Villanova clocked a 63-55, lunch-pail Sweet 16 win over Michigan Thursday. The Wildcats, who enter on an 8-game win streak, benefited from the Wolverines going just 7-for-14 from the free-throw line — Ohio State was 6-for-11 from the FT line vs. ‘Nova in the previous game.
Villanova, No. 5 in the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports, has held opponents to a 38.9% mark from the floor across its last seven games. (Houston is No. 15 in the Coaches Poll).
Houston vs. Villanova odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 8:25 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Houston -140 (bet $140 to win $100) | Villanova +115 (bet $100 to win $115)
- Against the spread (ATS): Houston -1.5 (-120) | Villanova +1.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 127.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Houston vs. Villanova odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Houston 66, Villanova 63
Money line
The Cougars can struggle against faster squads that convert on quick turnover-transition buckets. That is not the game the Wildcats play. Both of these teams play slow-tempo ball, and that tortoise-versus-tortoise style plays into a Houston strength.
‘Nova likes to leverage its style against looser teams where it sports the best defense on the floor. That’s not to say the Wildcats can’t succeed through stretches and in numerous facets of the game. But peg the Cougars as having the rebounding game and the defense to cover 2- and 3-point looks.
Liking the Cougars as an over-60% probability, there is VALUE IN HOUSTON (-140).
Against the spread
The Cougars are 5-0 ATS in the last five games against over-.500 teams.
Respecting the Wildcats’ 3-ball and the potential for a back-door cover, consider HOUSTON -1.5 (-120) as a partial-unit undercard play only.
Over/Under
A slow-on-slow 126-to-130 total seems all too likely: PASS.
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