The No. 4 Houston Cougars will try to secure their second straight outright Big 12 regular-season title when they face the Cincinnati Bearcats on CBS and Paramount+ on Saturday. Houston (24-4, 16-1 Big 12) has won 20 of its last 21 games and is on pace for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati (17-11, 7-10) was ranked as high as No. 14 in early December, but it has struggled during conference play. The Bearcats have won five of their last seven games though, re-entering the NCAA Tournament conversation.
Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET at the Fertitta Center in Houston. The Houston vs. Cincinnati odds via SportsLine consensus list the Cougars as 13.5-point favorites, while the over/under is 125.5. You can watch this matchup on CBS and Paramount+, where you can get a seven-day free trial right here.
SportsLine’s proven model has simulated Houston vs. Cincinnati 10,000 times and revealed the three best bets for this game. See all the college basketball picks from SportsLine right here.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 17 of the 2024-25 season on a 220-160 betting roll (+2005) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Here are three college basketball best bets for Cincinnati vs. Houston (on CBS and Paramount+) on Saturday:
Over 125.5 (-111)
Games involving Houston routinely have some of the lowest totals in college basketball due to the Cougars’ defense. However, they have only gone Under in three of their last eight games, and they have scored at least 68 points in seven of their last eight outings. Cincinnati has gone over 80 points three times in its last seven games, cashing the Over five times during that stretch. See all of the model’s Saturday college basketball picks here.
The Pick: Over 125.5 — The Over hits in 79% of the model’s simulations
Projected final score: Houston 74, Cincinnati 62
Bonus Saturday CBB pick: SportsLine expert Jeff Hochman, who is 3-0 ATS in his last three games involving Kentucky, has locked in his best bet for the Kentucky vs. Auburn showdown right here.
Cincinnati +13.5 (-102)
Cincinnati was able to get back on track in February, winning five of its final seven games to close the month. The Bearcats are coming off a successful two-game homestand, beating TCU and Baylor to move into a three-way tie for 10th place in the Big 12 standings. They have only lost two games by more than 14 points this season, and those losses came in January. Don’t forget to stream the game on Paramount+, where you can get a free seven-day trial.
The Pick: Cincinnati +14.5 — The Bearcats cover in 60% of simulations
Projected final score: Houston 74, Cincinnati 62
Bonus Saturday pick: SportsLine’s model is on a 220-160 roll on college basketball picks dating back to 2023 and it has simulated every game on Saturday 10,000 times. See the model’s best bets for every Saturday college basketball game right here.
Cincinnati Over 56.5 team total points (+105)
Cincinnati is scoring more than 70 points per game this season, so oddsmakers are expecting the Bearcats to finish well below their average against Houston’s defense. However, the model has them finishing with more than 60 points in this matchup, creating value on the Over for this team total prop. Don’t forget to stream the game on Paramount+, where you can get a free seven-day trial.
The Pick: Cincinnati +13.5 — The Bearcats cover in 58% of simulations
Projected final score: Houston 74, Cincinnati 62
Bonus Saturday CBB pick: SportsLine’s Larry Hartstein is 35-15 (+1828) over his last 50 college basketball ATS picks and just locked in his top plays for Saturday’s slate right here.
Want more college basketball picks for Saturday?
You’ve seen the model’s college basketball best bets for Houston vs. Cincinnati. Now, get picks for every game from SportsLine’s model that’s on a 220-160 roll on college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Visit SportsLine to get all of its college basketball picks for Saturday right here.
And don’t forget to watch Houston vs. Cincinnati and other select college basketball games on CBS and Paramount+. Get a free seven-day trial right here.
Read the full article here