The Tulane Green Wave (6-2 overall, 1-2 AAC) visit the Houston Cougars (9-1, 4-1) in a Saturday evening contest at Fertitta Center. Tip-off is at 4 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Tulane-Houston college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Houston is No. 11 in the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Tulane at Houston: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:40 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Tulane +1800 (bet $100 to win $1,800) | Houston -10000 (bet $10,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Tulane +19.5 (-120) | Houston -19.5 (+100)
- Over/Under: 128.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Tulane at Houston: Three things to know
- Tulane has scored more than 70 points in just two of eight games this season. The Green Wave’s 66.0 points per game rank 295th in NCAA-I hoops. Some of the team’s suppressed offensive numbers are slow-pace related, but Tulane has struggled in shooting, taking care of the ball and with offensive rebounding.
- The struggling Green Wave offense will be up against a Houston defense ranked third in the nation, allowing just 57.0 PPG. Over their last six games, the Cougars are plus-3.6 in average turnover margin (forcing 15.0 per game) while holding opponents to a 36.5% field-goal mark. At home, UH is 6-0 and hasn’t allowed more than 67 points in any game.
- Wednesday, Houston edged Wichita State 70-63 in a game too close for comfort from a UH perspective. Despite being an 11-point favorite, the Cougars trailed over the middle third of the game and were embroiled in a two-possession back-and-forth until the final seven minutes of action.
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Tulane at Houston: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Houston 72, Tulane 51
Money line (ML)
STEER CLEAR of a juice-filled price here.
Against the spread (ATS)
The Cougars are 7-2 over their last nine home games when they are lined as 16-to-30-point favorites. Houston’s Dec. 22 home game against Temple — a 76-50 Cougars victory — fits as a decent comp for this game. UH has had multiple other double-digit wins against much better foes, and in some of those games (Dec. 5 vs. South Carolina, Dec. 26 at UCF, Jan. 3 at SMU) the Cougars had off shooting nights or weren’t at their best overall.
The line has turned many a bettor toward Tulane in this one but the UH defense is just that stifling. TAKE HOUSTON -19.5 (+100).
Over/Under (O/U)
Houston’s last game — it’s worst from a created turnover perspective (percent of possessions) — gives head coach Kelvin Sampson and staff much ammunition for getting a superior effort in this one. Against an offense that has plenty of struggles on its own, a low-50s total for Tulane would not be a surprise.
TAKE THE UNDER 128.5 (-110).
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