The No. 2 Houston Cougars (14-1, 1-1 Big 12) head to the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena for a conference clash with the TCU Horned Frogs (12-3, 1-1) Saturday at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let's analyze FanDuel Sportsbook's lines around the'Houston vs. TCU odds'as we make our expert'college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Houston, which is No. 2 in the , suffered its 1st loss of the season on Tuesday to the Iowa State Cyclones, 57-53. It failed to cover as a 1.5-point favorite, and the Under (129.5) hit. Houston’s leading scorer G L.J. Cryer was held to just 5 points, but it did get 20 points from sophomore G Emanuel Sharp. The Cougars remain the country’s best defensive team, allowing 50.3 points per game (PPG).
After losing a heartbreaker to the No. 3-ranked Kansas Jayhawks last Saturday, TCU bounced back in a big way on Wednesday with a win over No. 9 Oklahoma, 80-71. It covered as a 5.5-point favorite, and the Over (148) hit. Senior F Emanuel Miller had a game-high 27 points and narrowly missed a double-double with 9 rebounds. The Horned Frogs forced 14 turnovers in the game. This matchup against Houston will be their 3rd straight game against a top-10 opponent.
Houston leads the all-time series 48-25. In the most recent meeting Dec. 4, 2012, the Cougars covered as 3.5-point road underdogs in a 54-48 win.