The Colorado Buffaloes (14-19) and Houston Cougars (27-4) meet Thursday in a Big 12 Conference Tournament quarterfinal in Kansas City. The opening tip at T-Mobile Center will be at 3 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the Colorado vs. Houston odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
The Buffaloes have won 3 straight games after 67-60 upset over the 7-seed West Virginia Mountaineers on Wednesday. C Elijah Malone led the way with 14 points off the bench. The 16-seed Buffs are looking for a massive upset, but covered as 14-point dogs in a 69-59 Houston victory in Boulder Feb. 8. G Julian Hammond had 22 points in that one.
The Cougars, No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll and the top seed in the league tourney, pushed as 4-point favorites in a 65-61 victory at the Baylor Bears Saturday. G L.J. Cryer had 23 points and went 6-for-9 from downtown in the win. The Cougars closed out the season with 10 straight wins.
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Colorado vs. Houston odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 11:41 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Colorado +1000 (bet $100 to win $1,000) | Houston -2000 (bet $2,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Colorado +17.5 (-110) | Houston -17.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 127.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Colorado vs. Houston picks and predictions
Prediction
Houston 65, Colorado 50
Moneyline
There’s no play here. The Cougars are rightfully massive favorites and should end Colorado’s season.
PASS.
Against the spread
This is a massive spread here, and I get it. It’s the No. 2 team in the country against an inferior team on a back-to-back. But it’s March, and Colorado already covered a 14-point spread against Houston. The Cougars aren’t prolific offensively, scoring just 74.2 points per game (PPG), which is tied for 163rd in the nation.
Take COLORADO +17.5 (-110).
Over/Under
Colorado is 4-6 O/U in their last 10, and Houston is 5-5. I really like the UNDER 127.5 (-110) here. Houston led the nation in defense allowing 58.1 PPG. Its offense touched 70 points just once in their last 5 games, and I don’t see an offensive outburst to put this one Over.
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