The undefeated 17th-ranked Houston Cougars (15-0, 2-0 AAC) try to stay unbeaten when they challenge the Temple Owls (11-3, 1-1 AAC) at Liacouras Center. The game can be seen on ESPNews at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.
Houston Cougars vs. Temple Owls Betting Odds
Both teams were victorious in their last game. The Owls defeated the La Salle Explorers 75-67, while the Cougars had no trouble getting past the Alabama A&M Bulldogs 101-54.
Houston played a flawless game. They had a free throw rate of 0.197 and an offensive rebounding percentage of 33.3. Alabama A&M was 0.056 and 12.1, respectively, for those same stats. The Owls, meanwhile, had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (39.5 vs. 12.5) and had a much better free throw rate (0.456 vs. 0.242). Nate Pierre-Louis had a good game for Temple, putting up 14 points and 13 rebounds. Houston rallied around Armoni Brooks, who recorded 24 points.
The Cougars dominated this series last year, securing victories in both games. In the last contest, Houston won 80-59. Houston out-rebounded Temple. The Cougars had 17 offensive rebounds and 53 total rebounds, while the Owls had five and 22, respectively. This will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams.
The Cougars’ Corey Davis Jr. has been playing at a high level over his last five games, averaging 0 points per game. Meanwhile, Pierre-Louis has averaged 0 points during that same time frame for the Owls.
The offense of Temple will clash against the stingy defense of Houston. The Owls currently rank 166th in offensive efficiency, while the Cougars are fifth in defensive efficiency. The Cougars figure to have the edge on that end of the court. Furthermore, the Cougars are among the NCAA’s best on the offensive backboards, ranking 36th in offensive rebounding percentage (34.8 percent). The Owls, however, rank 60th in defensive rebounding percentage (75.1 percent).
Houston vs. Temple Free Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Temple, ATS Winner – Temple, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- Houston ranks eighth in rebounds per game (42.9) while Temple ranks 209th (34.4).
- The Owls rank 10th in steals per game (9.6) while the Cougars rank 66th (7.4).
- Houston ranks 25th in assists allowed per game (10.5) while Temple ranks 72nd (11.9).
- The Owls rank 50th in three pointers allowed per game (20.1) while the Cougars rank 189th (24.5).
- Houston ranks 35th in blocks per game (4.7) while Temple ranks 139th (2.6).
Bettings Trends:
- The Cougars’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 20.8, up from 16.3 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Owls have scored an average of 74.2 points per game (0.4 below their season average) and allowed an average of 67.0 points per game (2.4 below their season average).
