For the first time in 35 years, the No. 3 Houston Cougars will make an appearance in the Sweet 16 when they take on the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats in Kansas City, Missouri on Friday. Sportsbooks opened the Cougars as 2.5-point underdogs with a total of 134.5.
Houston vs Kentucky Game Center
Standout Stats
- Houston cruised past Ohio State in a 74-59 victory to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1984. The Cougars easily covered the -6.5 spread; the total went OVER by only a half-point.
- Kentucky will be looking to get to the Elite Eight for the seventh time since 2010. The Wildcats came out on top for their spread bettors against the Wofford Terriers in the Round of 32, covering the -5.5 number in a 62-56 triumph. The game went well UNDER the closing total of 139 points.
- Expect the Wildcats to lean heavily on Reid Travis, who’s been stuffing the stat sheet in the NCAA Tournament so far. Travis is averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds in his first two tournament games and has shot 50 percent or better from the field in four straight tilts.
- The Cougars’ upperclassmen are getting the job done, as senior guard Corey Davis Jr. is averaging 17.1 points and 3.4 boards per game this season. Davis is coming off back-to-back performances of 20-plus points in the tournament and has knocked down at least four three-pointers in 12 games this season.
- Houston has been a lights-out underdog bet of late. In the Cougars’ past nine games when tabbed as underdogs, they’re 8-1 ATS.
My best bet for Kentucky-Houston
UNDER 134.5 points
I’m on the UNDER in this game for a number of reasons, but the biggest one is Kentucky’s penchant for participating in low-scoring affairs. In the Wildcats’ previous 15 contests, the UNDER is 12-3 with an average combined score of 133.6 points. Sportsbooks always expect offensive fireworks when the Wildcats hit the floor, but it’s led to some inflated numbers and cashed UNDER bets for totals bettors.
Houston is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games as an underdog.away The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Kentucky’s last 15 games (avg. combined score: 133.6).home Houston is 0-3 ATS in its last three games after consecutive ATS wins.away
