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Memphis vs Houston Game Preview, Odds, Picks & Predictions
Red-hot Memphis Trying To Upset Houston Again
Houston has looked like a dominant force worthy of the lofty rankings it has received throughout the season while it took Memphis a little bit longer to figure things out. Now they meet for the conference title in a game that won’t lack for star power.
The March Madness predictions have Houston as a No. 5 seed and Memphis as an 11th seed. Perhaps the winner of his game will move up a spot.
Houston is third in the NCAA NET rankings but playing just one team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll is a reason why the Cougars are likely to show up as a No. 4 or 5 seed when the March Madness brackets are released. Memphis is 3-0 against ranked teams and 31st in the NET rankings.
Houston (+4500) isn’t getting much love in the odds to win the national championship while Memphis comes in at +10000.
Memphis Tigers Hoping To Claw Way to Conference Title
This has been quite the season for Memphis.
The Tigers came into the year ranked 12th in The Associated Press Top 25 poll and for the first half of the season looked to be one of the biggest disappointments.
Back-to-back losses dropped the Tigers to 9-8. Memphis has won 11 of its last 12 including a hard-earned win over Southern Methodist in the AAC semifinals as seven players scored between 7-12 points. More important than the scoring was the rebounding as Memphis had a 48-25 advantage with 16 coming on the offensive end. Memphis outrebounded Houston in both games this season so it is hardly surprising to see the Tigers do well in the rebounding department but almost doubling up SMU was rather impressive. In two tournament games, Memphis is +46 in the rebounding department.
“If you’d have asked us three months ago, we would have been saying, we’re going to be there,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said. “Then we went through the struggle. But now it just feels great because we’re playing Memphis basketball.”
It could be a costly win as talented freshman Jalen Duren left the game with a wrist injury and his status for Sunday’s final is up in the air.
Duren opened the tournament with a 21-point, 20-rebound game and is a force inside for the Tigers.
Memphis is 5-1 against the Las Vegas odds in its last six games.
Houston in a Familiar Position
Houston finds itself in the American Athletic Conference championship game for the fourth season in a row.
After spotting Tulane an early seven-point lead, the Cougars started to roll. Houston put up 49 points in the second half and received contributions from both its starters and reserves.
Kyler Edwards flirted with a triple-double before finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
.@kyleredwards_ was 💲 from deep#AmericanHoops | @UHCougarMBK pic.twitter.com/QPiP6sPxwX
— American MBB (@American_MBB) March 13, 2022
Taze Moore and Josh Carlton combined for 33 points while Ramon Walker Jr. and J’wan Roberts had 11 and 10 points off the bench as Houston rolled to a 20-point win despite ailing big man Fabian White being limited to three minutes of action.
Houston did it inside and outside with 11 3-pointers and with almost as many offensive rebounds as Tulane had rebounds.
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said White’s back tightened up and that was why he was pulled from the game. Sampson said it was possible that White could be held out of the title game especially since the Cougars’ March Madness odds won’t be changed by Sunday’s outcome.
“That’s not out of the realm of possibility,” Sampson said. Win or lose, I think our [NCAA tournament] seed is set. We are what we are. I asked Fabian after we just left the locker room, I asked him how it felt and he said it was still locked up. ”
Houston is 6-1 against the college basketball spreads in its last seven games.
Memphis Tigers vs. Houston Cougars Head-to-Head
Memphis has won the last two games against Houston. That includes a 75-61 win on March 6 as a 2½-point underdog at home. The Cougars had won five of the previous six meetings.
Memphis has covered in each of the last seven games as well as in 10 of the last 11.
Something to consider for those who bet online, six of the last seven meetings went under the total.
The teams played in the 2021 American Athletic Conference semifinals with Houston winning 76-74. The last time the teams didn’t have at least one meeting in March was in 2018.
Memphis Tigers vs. Houston Cougars Game Information
Game: Memphis (21-9) vs. Houston (28-5)
Location: Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas
Day/Time: Sunday, March 13, 3:15 p.m. ET
Television: ESPN
Memphis Tigers vs. Houston Cougars Betting Lines
Memphis Tigers vs. Houston Cougars Prediction
The status of Memphis freshman Jalen Duren and Houston senior Fabian White Jr. could have a lot to do with the outcome in the championship game.
Regardless of who takes the court, these are two elite rebounding teams and the battle inside should be something to behold.
There’s much more on the line for Memphis which isn’t guaranteed a spot in the NCAA tournament despite a sizzling second half of the season so expect the Tigers to be even more aggressive than normal. Time will tell if that can overcome Houston’s championship game experience.
