The Hofstra Pride (4-1) hit the road to take on the No. 7 ranked Houston Cougars (2-1). It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Hofstra-Houston prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Here are the Hofstra-Houston College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Hofstra-Houston Odds
Hofstra: +25.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +3500
Houston: -25.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -20000
Over: 131.5 (-115)
Under: 131.5 (-105)
How to Watch Hofstra vs. Houston
Time: 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT
TV: ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Hofstra Will Cover The Spread/Win
Hofstra winning this game is a long shot. They do have a chance to cover the spread, though. They are 4-1 on the season with their one loss coming on the road against Florida State. Hofstra has to match the defensive intensity of Houston. The Pride have allowed less than 80 points in all of their games this season, which is actually a good sign for this game. Houston can score, so if Hofstra finds a way to hold them under 80, there is a chance for them to cover the spread.
Hofstra has to close out on the shooters. Houston can hit their shots from deep, and they make it look easy. Hofstra, however, holds opponents to 35.8 percent from beyond the arc, and just 8.8 threes per game. Houston wants to beat teams with their defense, but their ability to shoot has made them a top team in the country this season. If Hofstra can close out on shooters and contest shots, they are going to have some success Friday night.
Why Houston Will Cover The Spread/Win
Houston has been very good this season. It should come as no surprise that Houston has been dominant on the defensive end of the court. They are allowing just 53.0 points per game, which is the fifth-fewest in the nation. In their three games, Houston has allowed 45 and 40 points in two of them. Hofstra is another team Houston should not have any trouble shutting down. If their defense remains solid, the Cougars are going to cover the spread.
Hofstra is not a team that can score very easily. Against the two power five teams they have faced, the Pride have scored just 61 and 48 points. Along with that, Hofstra turns the ball over 14.6 times per game. That number is the most in their conference. With Hofstra’s struggles, Houston is going to be able to hold them to a lower score with ease.
The Cougars struggled a bit against Auburn, but that is a top five team. In their other two games, Houston was able to put up 97 and 91 points. I would expect this game to be a lot like those two games. On the season, Houston is shooting almost 50 percent from three. Their ability to shoot is going to help them out a lot in this game. Houston has a chance to put up another 90-point game, which would help them cover the spread.
Final Hofstra-Houston Prediction & Pick
Houston is far and away the better team. They are able to play sound defense and shut teams down. They can also shoot the ball as well as any team in the nation. For that reason, I think Houston is going to handle Hofstra pretty easily on Friday night. For that reason, I will take Houston to cover the large spread.
Final Hofstra-Houston Prediction & Pick: Houston -25.5 (-110)
The post Hofstra vs. Houston predictions, odds, pick for College Basketball appeared first on ClutchPoints.
