by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Jan 27, 2023
Time: 2:15 p.m. ET
Venue: Fertitta Center, Houston, TX
Where to watch: CBS
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Check back later
FanDuel: Check back later
BetMGM: Check back later
Caesars: Check back later
Season record
Cincinnati: 14-7 (5-3 AAC)
No. 3 Houston: 19-2 (7-1 AAC)
We’re nearing the halfway mark of the college basketball season and it’s been quite the ride so far. Will Rogers is going hard in the last 30 days with a 16-10-1 run, while Kyle Hunter has also had a strong run of form as of late at 28-24-0 (+$1,700). If they’ve been killing it as much as they were in the first half, what does the second half have in store? The only way you’re going to find out is by staying locked on bigal.com and following what our champion handicappers are up to heading into the second half. Trust us, you want to know.
Cincinnati - Houston preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Cincinnati: lost 75-68 vs. Memphis
Houston: won 82-71 at UCF
The Houston Cougars will try to continue their redemption arc after falling out of the No. 1 spot in the nation when they host the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday at Fertitta Center.
The Houston Cougars will try to continue their redemption arc after falling out of the No. 1 spot in the nation when they host the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday at Fertitta Center.
Houston is coming off an 82-71 win over Central Florida on Wednesday, three days after losing 56-55 to the Temple Owls in their first week as the No. 1 team in the country. That loss only dropped Houston down to No. 3, so all is not bad in Texas.
Emmanuel Sharp scored 18 points off the bench as one of five players to score in double figures, with Jarace Walker adding 17 points and Jamal Shead finishing with a double-double of 14 points and 10 assists. Marcus Sasser also had 14 points.
“We challenged our guys (after the loss),” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “They’ve been challenged since that game was over. Everything in basketball is a competition. Tonight we competed and when you compete you have a much better chance of success.”
Houston is still atop the American Athletic Conference with the suddenly-surging Owls – now winners of three straight – a half-game back of the Cougars, with the Memphis Tigers not that far back on a four-game winning streak to be a game back of Houston.
“We had the best player on the floor, Jamal Shead,” Sampson said. “Jamal Shead was the best player. His leadership, his toughness, gave our kids something to follow. And the fact that he’s at the point guard position makes it even more important.”
The Cougars have covered in four of their last six and are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10.
Cincinnati had its three-game winning streak end on Sunday with a 75-68 loss to the Memphis Tigers at home, where the Bearcats were favored by 2.5. Viktor Lakhin led the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds in a valiant effort by the Bearcats, and Landers Nolley II had 18 points and six rebounds to go with four assists.
The Bearcats lost the first meeting at home back on Jan. 8, 72-59, when Houston was favored by 9.5. That loss, however, kickstarted a 3-game winning streak, but Cincy has alternated covers in the last eight games.
A Cincinnati win would make the top of the AAC standings very interesting. They’re two games behind Houston for the top spot and while they’d still be trailing the Tigers and Temple, as well, but one thing could change the whole complexion of the conference.
Prediction
Definitely a lull as of late for Houston, but they’re ranked high for a reason. They’re that good to overcome such deficiencies, but they need a convincing performance to get back on track. I think being at home will help with that. Houston 81, Cincinnati 66
Betting trends
Check back later for trends.
Projected starting lineup
Cincinnati:
PG: David DeJulius
SG: Mika Adams-Woods
SF: Landers Nolley II
PF: Ody Oguama
C: Viktor Lakhin
Houston:
PG: Jamal Shead
SG: Marcus Sasser
SF: Tramon Mark
PF: J'Wan Roberts
C: Jarace Walker
Statistical leaders
Cincinnati:
Points: Landers Nolley II -- 15.5
Rebounds: Viktor Lakhin -- 7.5
Assists: David DeJulius -- 4.2
Houston:
Points: Marcus Sasser -- 16.6
Rebounds: J'Wan Roberts -- 7.0
Assists: Jamal Shead -- 5.2
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Cincinnati Bearcats - Houston Cougars prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily college basketball projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
