The No. 3 Houston Cougars (20-2, 8-1 AAC) will face the Wichita State Shockers (11-10, 4-5) on Thursday at Charles Koch Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Houston vs. Wichita State odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
The Cougars defeated Cincinnati 75-69 last Saturday while failing to cover as 14.5-point favorites at home. Houston is on a 2-game winning streak and has won 9 of its last 10 contests.
The Shockers beat East Carolina 85-72 on Sunday to cover the 4.5-point spread on the road. Wichita State has gone 5-5 in its last 10 games.
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Houston at Wichita State odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:28 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Houston -800 (bet $800 to win $155) | Mavericks +500 (bet $500 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Houston -11.5 (-115) | Wichita State +11.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 130.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Houston at Wichita State picks and predictions
Prediction
Houston 74, Wichita State 59
Moneyline
AVOID.
It isn’t worth taking considering the minimal profit you’ll receive if the Cougars win.
Against the spread
HOUSTON -11.5 (-115) is how I’m playing the spread in this American Athletic Conference matchup. The Shockers are known to start games slow and they’re taking on 1 of the best defensive teams in the nation.
The Cougars are 46-12-1 in their last 59 games following an ATS loss and 7-0 ATS in their last 7 road games. The Shockers are also 4-13 ATS in their last 17 games following an ATS win.
Over/Under
Even with Houston owning the No. 2 scoring defense (54,9 PPG) in the nation, OVER 130.5 (-110) is the lean here. The Cougars score a healthy 75.4 points per game (93rd in the nation), while the Shockers will score enough late to help hit the Over.
Houston has gone 9-3 to the Over in its last 12 road games against a team with a losing home record. Meanwhile, Wichita State is 6-0 to the Over in its last 6 games overall.
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