Houston vs Texas A&M betting odds, predictions, pick and promos
Competing to represent the South region of the NCAA Tournament, 1st-seeded Houston will be facing off against 9th-seeded Texas A&M.
The Cougars have been widely regarded as one of the biggest threats to win the entire tournament and proved why this is the case by producing a 40-point victory in the opening round.
Texas A&M also impressed by producing a 15-point victory over Nebraska. As the tournament field cuts down to 16, these teams will be fighting at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee to decide who will advance.
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Houston vs Texas A&M betting preview
Houston was one of four teams in the country to reach 30 wins this season, going 30-4 overall and 15-3 in Big 12 play in the regular season.
They have held opponents to the fewest points this season at 56.7 per game and also produced the best defensive rating.
The Cougars also have forced the 11th-most turnovers per game, the 28th-most steals, and held opponents to the worst shooting percentage of any team in the country at just 37.8% from the field.
This success does not come against weak opponents as Houston ranks 16th in the country in strength of schedule.
They were the number one team in the NET Rankings, going 16-4 against Quad 1 opponents and 15-0 in all other matchups. Some of their most impressive victories were over Iowa State, Texas, Texas Tech, and Kansas.
While they are a defensive-minded team, Houston has three players averaging in double-figures. LJ Cryer, Jamal Shead, and Emanuel Sharp combine for 55.4% of the team’s scoring production.
Cryer headlines this by averaging 15.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 39.1% from beyond the three-point arc. They also are the 10th-best offensive rebounding team in the country producing 13.6 rebounds on this end per game.
Houston is big, athletic, and can bully opponents if they are not up for the challenge.
Texas A&M will be riding the momentum of one of the more impressive first-round victories over Nebraska. They held control of the game nearly from wire to wire and kept them at arm's length throughout the matchup.
Led by Buzz Williams, the Aggies have been a difficult team to build expectations for. They are battle-tested, holding the 31st-best strength of schedule of all Division 1 teams.
They rank 45th in the NET Rankings and went toe-to-toe with some of the top teams in the country. Their most impressive victories were over Kentucky, Tennessee, and Iowa State.
Last year, the Aggies lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the hands of a sharp-shooting Penn State team. 76.2% of the minutes played and 81.2% of the scoring production returned from last season.
They cleared the first-round hurdle by defeating Nebraska 98-83. Wade Taylor IV is at the epicenter of everything the Aggies do offensively and has averaged 19.0 points, 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. He tallied 25 points and five assists in the opening round and shot 7-10 on three-point attempts.
Tyrece Radford is the only other player to average double-figures and has produced 16.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game this season. He had 20 points and 10 rounds in the victory over Nebraska.
If you checked in on Texas A&M midseason, you would be surprised to see them in the position they are in.
They had a tough 5-7 stretch across December and January before closing the season on a hot streak. The Aggies also had a five-game losing streak at the end of February although these came against respectable opponents including Tennessee, South Carolina, and Alabama.
This should still be a concern as Houston is on another level compared to these teams. Texas A&M also does not have a player over 6-foot-7 in their regular rotation which could be a problem against a team as physically imposing as Houston.
Houston vs Texas A&M odds
Below are the odds for this matchup, courtesy of BetRivers Sportsbook.
- Spread: Houston -10 at -109 odds, Texas A&M +10 at -112 odds
- Moneyline: Houston -560, Texas A&M +400
- Total: Over/Under 133.5 Points
Houston vs Texas A&M analysis
Texas A&M is a sneaky talented team that is difficult to get a full read on. Houston will be their most difficult matchup of the season and are a team that has had a mixed bag of results overall.
They have been double-digit undergoes just once this season and did not win or cover this matchup. They also are 17-18 against the spread as a whole this season.
Ultimately, expect Houston’s athleticism and physicality to make the difference in this matchup.
The Cougars forced 14 turnovers in the first half alone in their opening-round matchup and outrebounded Longwood by double digits.
While Texas A&M has a better chance than Longwood, the difference in physicality is still worth noting here.
Typically the counter to this is to be capable of punishing a team from the perimeter but the Aggies have not proven capable. Texas A&M has shot just 29.2% on three-pointers this season which ranks 348th out of the 362 qualifying teams.
Houston vs Texas A&M pick
It will take an outlier shooting performance from the Aggies to have a chance in this matchup. They have struggled greatly from the perimeter the season and this will likely make-or-break if they have a chance in this matchup.
Expect the Houston defense to impose themselves and make life difficult from all areas of the floor. Their length, athleticism, and physicality will be too much for Texas A&M to overcome and there needs to be more sources of reliable offense for them to overcome this.
While the 10-point spread is a lot, Houston has covered this number in 10 of 15 games when they have been double-digit favorites.
They possess the killer instinct you hope for in a top-seed and expect them to put Texas A&M away as soon as they get the chance. Expect Houston’s defense to impose themselves early and for this to gradually build until it is out of reach for the Aggies.
🏀 Bet on Houston to cover the spread at -109 with BetRivers 🏀
Houston vs Texas A&M
- Who: Houston (1) vs Texas A&M (9)
- Date: March 24th
- Time: 8:40 PM EST
- Venue: FedEx Forum (Memphis, Tennessee)
- Where to watch: TNT
About the author
Sean Barnard
Sean Barnard has worked in sports media for the past five years. He has spent time as the 76ers Lead Writer for Philly Sports Network, Associate Editor at CluchPoints, Eagles Beat Reporter for YardBarker, and more. He also owns and operates his own Podcast Network called Pick Swap Media and is a radio host on Fox 102.5 The Gambler presented by iHeartMedia. Sean has written over 1500 articles and recorded over 500 podcasts and is just getting started. Based out of the Philadelphia region in the United States, Sean is a lifelong passionate sports fan who can be where he rattles off basketball breakdowns and other news.
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