Memphis vs Houston Prediction, Preview, Stream, Odds, & Picks
Cougars Fighting for 7th Straight Win
The No. 2 Houston Cougars have a challenging game to close out the weekend with the Memphis Tigers in town for a Sunday tip-off. This is the first of two games between these rivals in the season’s final three weeks and will go a long way to determine who finishes first in the AAC. Despite the gap in rankings, Memphis is two games behind Houston for the AAC lead, tied with the Tulane Green Wave. A win for Memphis would be huge, but as +14-point underdogs, the bookmakers aren’t giving the Tigers much chance.
Let’s check the latest college basketball news, stats, injury reports and college basketball lines for Memphis vs Houston. We’ve got plenty of NCAA basketball picks for you to consider.
Memphis Needs This Win
While anything can happen in the final five games for Houston, if Memphis hopes to catch the Cougar in the AAC, they need to win at least one game of this series. The second game will be the season’s final game, which adds more drama to this matchup.
The Tigers are heating up with three straight wins and have some momentum heading into Houston. Memphis can also lean on the fact that it went 2-1 against Houston last season.
Aside from the talent discrepancy, one primary concern is Memphis’ lukewarm 5-4 straight-up record and 4-4-1 ATS in road games this season. They are 2-0 against ranked opponents, but Houston is better than any team Memphis has played.
Injuries are becoming a significant issue for this team, with Malcolm Dandridge and Alex Lomax already ruled out. Kendric Davis is questionable with an ankle issue, and Jahmar Young Jr. remains out indefinitely.
Houston is Hot Heading into Tournament
The Houston Cougars have a head of steam and are honing in on a No. 1 ranking and a No. 1 seed in the tournament. Their schedule hasn’t been as grueling as other top-ranked teams, and this game against Memphis will be a bigger test than the spread suggests.
Houston has a superior roster, but they will be short-handed on Sunday with four injured players. None of these guys are stars, but Houston will not have the desired depth for a game of this importance.
Despite being light on the bench, Houston is one of the better ATS teams in the AAC (16-10) and is adept at covering large spreads.
Memphis vs Houston Injuries
Memphis vs Houston Head-to-Head
The Tigers and Cougars met three times last season, with Memphis winning twice as underdogs. The Over/Under was 0-3 in that span and 1-7 in the previous eight times these teams met.
Memphis vs Houston Game Information
- Game: Memphis (20-6, 10-3 AAC) vs Houston (22-2, 11-4)
- Location: Fertitta Center Houston, TX
- Day/Time: Sunday, Feb. 19, 3 p.m. ET
- Memphis vs Houston Live Stream: TBS
Memphis vs Houston Betting Lines
Memphis vs Houston Picks and Prediction
Memphis has a lot to play for, but they lack the talent to upset Houston outright on the road. Furthermore, Memphis has just one ATS win in their previous 11 games against a team with a winning record. The spread is big, but Houston has the skill to blow this game open.
The Houston Cougars are listed at -1150 in our Vegas NCAAB lines. If you wager $100 on the Cougars, you can win $9. The Memphis Tigers are +725, offering a chance to win $725 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Cougars a 92% chance to win, with the Tigers at 12.12%.
