BYU Looking for Marquee Win over Big 12 Favorite Houston
Houston vs BYU Betting Odds: Houston Holding Steady at -2.5
Houston and BYU have emerged as contenders in the Big 12 Conference after spending last college basketball season in separate leagues. Houston (formerly in the AAC) and BYU (WCC) are two of the Big 12’s top five NCAAB teams from a betting perspective, and odds are that’ll continue through March.
Houston heads into Tuesday’s showdown (9 p.m. ET) between the Big 12 newcomers as a 2.5-point favorite and -148 on the moneyline. Meanwhile, BYU is +124 to win outright. The projected total is 136, a relatively low number compared to the rest of the night’s slate.
What should bettors expect? Read on as we break down the college basketball odds and analyze the Houston vs BYU betting odds.
Houston Cougars at BYU Cougars 
Day/Time:
Location: Marriott Center; Provo, Utah
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
Houston vs BYU Betting Trends
The Houston Cougars are 10-8 against the spread, including 0-3 away from home. The total has gone Under in 13 of Houston’s 18 NCAAB games, including five straight on the road. Meanwhile, the BYU Cougars are 12-6 ATS, including 9-2 at home. The Cougars are also 7-11 against the Over/Under, having gone Over the total in two straight games.
Be sure to keep these trends in mind when assessing the Houstonvs BYU betting odds.
Houston Holding Strong
Houston is back on track after an inauspicious start to Big 12 Conference play. On the heels of back-to-back losses, the Cougars responded last week by beating then-No. 25 Texas Tech and UCF. As such, the Cougars improved to 16-2, including 3-2 in league play, and climbed one spot to No. 4 in the AP Top 25 poll. They’re also ranked No. 1 in the Kenpom ratings.
Oddsmakers remain bullish on the Cougars, pricing them +1000 to win the NCAA title. Only one team currently has better odds, that being Purdue (+900). The Cougars are one of six schools with at least 15/1 odds to win March Madness.
Additionally, after opening at +350 to win the Big 12, the Cougars have leapfrogged perennial powerhouse Kansas as a +160 favorite in the league. With two games remaining against Kansas, the Cougars will have an opportunity to create even more separation on the board over the next month. ‘
If bettors are looking for a reason to buy in, they should start with Houston’s defense. Simply put, the Cougars are the best defensive team in the country. They rank No. 1 in both opponent’s scoring and 2-point defense and 10th in turnover percentage. Only three opponents have topped 60 points. The Cougars also lead the country in points differential at plus-22.8.
It may come as no surprise that Houston continues to hit the Under at an above-average rate. In fact, the Cougars have gone Under the total in 13 of their 18 games (72.2%). That’s important to remember when analyzing the Houston vs BYU betting odds.
BYU Climbing the Charts
After rolling through most of its non-conference schedule, BYU has hit a few bumps in Big 12 play. The Cougars are just 2-3 in conference following Saturday’s 85-78 loss to then-No. 25 Texas Tech.
Despite that, BYU (14-4) fell only one spot to No. 21 in the AP poll and remains No. 10 in the Kenpom ratings. The Cougars are also +900 to make the Final Four and have NCAA title odds of +4000.
Although BYU hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2021 as a member of the WCC, that’s on track to change. The Cougars already own a few signature wins, having beaten then-No. 17 San Diego State and NC State in non-conference play. And there’ll be an opportunity for more down the stretch, with games still remaining against Oklahoma, Baylor and Kansas.
After opening as a +1600 longshot to win the Big 12, BYU has seen its odds soar to +800. Only three teams — Kansas at +475 and Texas Tech and Iowa State at +700 — separate BYU from Houston.
BYU has been proficient offensively, ranking second in the college basketball standings in assist rate and 11th in scoring. The Cougars also own the country’s second-best point differential (plus-20.4), trailing only Houston.
Senior guard Jaxson Robinson is BYU’s top scorer, averaging 13.9 points on 43.7% shooting.
Handicapping the Game
Is BYU for real? The Cougars own 12 wins ATS, tied for third-most in the country, but have failed to cover in four of their last five NCAAB games. As such, its NCAA title odds have dropped from +2800 to +4000 over the last two weeks.
While that may scare off some bettors, the Cougars have an opportunity to make a statement. They’ve been dominant at home, going 9-2 ATS and 10-1 OU. Houston, meanwhile, still owns just one true road win.
Regardless of what happens, Houston will be determined to slow this game down and play it in the 50s.
For NCAAB betting news, odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
