The NCAA tournament will resume Thursday night with the Sweet 16 and one of the better games on the college basketball schedule is the Houston-Arizona matchup.
Houston will look to make it back-to-back Elite Eight appearances while Arizona is seeking their first Elite Eight appearance since 2015.
As of Wednesday, the college basketball betting lines have Arizona as a 1.5-point favorite.
To prepare you for the matchup, we’ll take a look at the odds, college basketball betting trends, and look for where there may be value on Thursday night.
Houston vs. Arizona: When, Where & How to Watch
#5 Houston: 31-5 (15-3) | #1 Arizona: 33-3 (18-2)
Date: 03/24/2022 | Time: 9:59 PM ET | TV: TBS
Location: San Antonio, TX | Venue: AT&T Center
Houston vs. Arizona Odds, Over/Under & Moneyline
Moneyline: Houston +105 | Arizona -125
Spread: Houston +1.5 (-110) | Arizona -1.5 (-110)
Total: 145.5 Over -110 | Under -110
Houston vs. Arizona Analysis
What a close call for Arizona in the Round of 32. The Wildcats survived an overtime scare with No. 9 TCU but their youth certainly showed in that game.
This is the youngest team in the entire field but there is talent all over the floor. Star sophomore guard Bennedict Mathurin proved he can be counted on when it matters most after scoring 10 of the team’s final 16 points to send them to the Sweet 16.
BENNEDICT MATHURIN WITH THE DUNK OF THE TOURNAMENT 😱
(via @MarchMadnessMBB)pic.twitter.com/Wt96Y2v1PH
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 21, 2022
But a few red flags remain from the performance that Houston may be able to expose.
The Cougars share a similar trait with TCU that should give them a serious advantage in this matchup.
The Horned Frogs rank No. 1 in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage and it was something that gave Arizona some serious problems in their overtime win.
TCU’s 20 offensive rebounds kept them in the game despite 35% shooting from the field compared to 46% for the Wildcats. Houston ranks third nationally in offensive rebounding percentage and if they can capitalize on that along with their top ten offense and defense per KenPom, it could spell trouble for Arizona.
Houston vs. Arizona Prediction
The Pick: Houston +1.5 (-110)
