Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Cougars and Horned Frogs. The game is starting at 6:00 ET on ESPN, and it’s hosted by the Horned Frogs at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, TX. Get ready to place your bets! The Cougars are favored in this Big 12 conference showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 136.5 points.

HOUSTON COUGARS VS TCU HORNED FROGS BETTING PICK

The Pick: TCU Horned Frogs +4

This game will be played at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena at 6:00 ET on Saturday, January 13th.

WHY BET THE TCU HORNED FROGS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-69 in favor of the Horned Frogs.
  • Not only will TCU pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 136.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 143 points.

Pressure Builds for Houston as Away Favorites

After losing their first game of the season, Houston has won 14 straight games and is 13-1 as the favorite. The Cougars are 10-0 at home this season, and they have won their last 10 games at home by an average of 34.3 points per game.

On the road, Houston is 3-1 this season, and they have gone 9-1 in their last 10 games away from home. Their average scoring margin on the road this season is +4.0 points per game.

As the favorite this season, Houston has an ATS record of 8-6. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Cougars have gone 6-4 vs. the spread. On the road this year, Houston is just 1-3 ATS and their last 3 road games have resulted in an ATS mark of 0-3.

Today’s over/under line of 136.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Houston’s games this season (133.9). So far, 10 of their games have finished with fewer points than 136.5. In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total is 125 points.

Compared to their season average of 75.3 points per game, Houston struggled in their previous game. Against Iowa State, the Cougars scored 53 points while finishing with a field goal percentage of 38%. Leading the team in scoring is LJ Cryer, who is averaging 16.3 heading into today’s matchup. Additionally, Emanuel Sharp also maintains a PPG average of 13.8 heading into game.

So far this season, the Houston defense has been performing well, ranking 1st in the country at 50.3 points allowed per contest. So far, the Houston defense is giving up an average of 8.0 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 9 times per game (361st).

Does TCU Stand a Chance at Home?

TCU comes into this game as the underdog, and they are 12-2 this season when they are favored. They are 8-2 at home this season, and they have won their last two games at home.

So far this season, TCU has gone 12-3 overall, and they are 1-1 in Big 12 play. They have a scoring margin of +20.1 at home, and they have gone 11-2 in non-conference games.

TCU has an ATS record of 9-6 this season and they are 5-5 vs. the spread at home. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Horned Frogs have gone 4-6 vs. the spread.

TCU’s over/under record for the season is 8-7 and the average scoring total in their games is 152.9. Today’s over/under line of 136.5 is lower than the average OU line in their games this year (151). So far, 13 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 with an average scoring total of 144 points.

The TCU offense is coming off a game in which they scored 80 points vs. Oklahoma. Overall their field goal percentage was 43.8% while connecting on 7 threes. The team’s top scorer is Emanuel Miller, who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 17, while Jameer Nelson Jr. also maintains a PPG average of 11.3 leading up to the game.

So far, the Horned Frogs’ defense is ranked 92nd in the country at 67.9 points per contest. TCU’s three-point defense is currently 73rd in the country at 6.1 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 42.4% of their shots vs. TCU.