Arizona vs Houston Prediction & Picks - NCAA Men
USA - NCAA Men
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by Travis Pulver | in Basketball Picks
The No. 6 Houston Cougars (20-4, 12-1) will try to remain in control of the Big 12 with a win over the No. 13 Arizona Wildcats (17-7, 11-2) at the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, AZ. Tipoff for this face-off between two ranked Big 12 titans is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET. Fans can find coverage on ESPN.
Houston enters the contest on a three-game win streak, beating Baylor their last time out on Monday, 76-65. The secret to their success this season is pretty simple—they have the best defense in the country (57.3 points per game allowed). So far this season, 15 of 24 opponents were held to under 57.3 points (all wins). The Cougars defense will be tested against Arizona’s No. 23 ranked offense (82.3 points per game). Only three teams have scored 80+ on Houston this season; two of them won. Arizona comes into the game fresh off their second conference loss of the season, 73-70 vs. Kansas State on the road. Normally a solid shooting team (47.3%), but they struggled from the floor against the Wildcats (41.3%), especially from three-point range (2-22, 9.1%). However, they often play faster than Houston likes to. If they can get the Cougars running, they might pull off the upset.
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Arizona vs Houston Form
Table
| Teams | % | P | W | L | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8
|
0.871 | 31 | 27 | 4 | 10 |
|
102
|
0.645 | 31 | 20 | 11 |
Arizona and Houston Latest Matches
1/2 (50%)
1/2 (50%)
Mar 28, 2024 - NCAA Basketball
Mar 23, 2024 - NCAA Basketball
1/2 (50%)
1/2 (50%)
Mar 28, 2024 - NCAA Basketball
Mar 23, 2024 - NCAA Basketball
0/1 (0%)
1/1 (100%)
Mar 29, 2024 - NCAA Basketball
0/1 (0%)
1/1 (100%)
Mar 29, 2024 - NCAA Basketball
Arizona - Houston Key Points
- Houston and Arizona have played 12 times; both have won six.
- Houston won the last time these two teams played, 72-60 (Mar. 24, 2022).
- Arizona has won five of the last seven meetings.
- Arizona is 11-1 at home this season; Houston is undefeated on the road.
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Our Arizona vs Houston Prediction
Arizona has the personnel to play with Houston and will do what it can to push the Cougars up and down the court. The Wildcats like to play an up-tempo game; Houston does not. If they can, the Cougars could be in trouble. However, Houston has the No. 1 defense in the country. So, knowing they want to play fast and doing so are two different things. Many analysts think the Wildcats have an edge because they are playing at home and coming off a loss. I’m not sure that’s enough to give them an edge over a really good Houston team. However, I don’t think Houston will shut Arizona’s offense down. Both teams will score in the low 70’s.
Our Houston vs. Arizona Pick: OVER 137.5
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
