Published Mar 3, 11:12pm ET by
Gabriel Kozlow - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 3, 11:12pm ET
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Updated Mar 3, 11:12pm ET
The Houston Cougars look to close out the season strong when they host the Baylor Bears at Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas. This Big 12 clash features two teams in very different situations: one is fine-tuning its game for the tourney, while the other is simply trying to salvage a lost season.
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| HOUSTON COUGARS | -14.5 (-105) |
| BAYLOR BEARS | +14.5 (-105) |
Baylor heads to Houston labeled as big underdogs but will still try their hardest to keep their March Madness hopes alive. They are 15–14 overall with a rough 5–11 record in the Big 12. Despite playing in a tough conference, their season is largely considered a bust, and they’ll probably be looking to next year for real improvement.
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Baylor’s knight in shining armor is Cameron Carr, their primary scorer at 19.2 PPG who also averages 1.4 BPG. Their leading rebounder is Caden Powell at 6.4 RPG, and Obi Agbim leads the team in assists with 3.1 APG.
Houston is having a successful season and is looking to close out the regular season strong, further boosting their March Madness odds. They are 24–5 overall and 12–4 in the Big 12. They started the season hot; however, they’ve lost three of their last four games to ranked teams (Iowa State, Kansas, Arizona).
Their offense is considered a balanced attack, but they really stand out on defense, allowing just 62.3 PPG from opponents. Kingston Flemming will continue to lead the Cougars offensively, while Joseph Tugler anchors them on the defensive end.
The Houston Cougars are coming off a 40-point win against Colorado, which is great news after they snapped a 3-game losing streak this past week. The Cougars are favorites at -14.5 with an over/under of 141.5. The moneyline is a whopping -2100 for Houston and +1100 for Baylor.
Our recommended pick is Houston -14.5, as we expect them to blow out Baylor at home. This should be an easy pick to make and should also help shape your March Madness predictions in a few weeks.
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Pick
Houston Cougars -14.5
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