Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Houston Cougars Betting Picks, Lines Odds & Predictions
With Sweet 16 appearance on the college basketball betting line, No. 2 seed Houston will face No. 10 seed Rutgers on Sunday night. The Cougars entered the tournament priced at +1800 to win the championship. After the First Round, many are left wondering if those odds were too short. Houston made a mockery of the -20 spread, destroying Cleveland on Friday at 87-56. They’ve been one of the most reliable teams all season posting a 25-3 SU and 20-8 ATS record.
On Friday, Rutgers made their first March Madness appearance since 1991. The Scarlet Knights also notched their first tournament win in 38 years after beating No. 7 seed Clemson. It was one of the most exciting games of the First Round. Rutgers squandered a double-digit lead but still came through with some big plays at the end to win the game.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Houston Cougars Betting Line Movement
Opening college basketball betting odds favored the Cougars by -8.5. The line briefly jumped to -9 before dropping back to -8.5. At the moment, you can even find -8 at some bookies. The total covered around 132.5 going up and down by half a point. Right now, it’s settled at 132 with most sportsbooks.
Notes On The Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Rutgers had an up-and-down season with several streaks going both ways. They opened the campaign with a 7-1 record before going on a 5-game losing streak. Then they recovered to win four straight only to lose 4 of the last 6 games in the regular season. The Scarlet Knights often struggle on offense and rank at only No. 171 in the nation in the effective field goal percentage. Things weren’t much different on Friday as they shot a dismal 39% from the field. It’s going to be even harder to score on Sunday as they face the top-rated Houston’s defense. Rutgers does have a size advantage and will look to dominate boards and look for more second-chance opportunities to score.
A player to watch on Rutgers’ roster is junior guard Ron Harper Jr. The son of a five-time NBA champion leads the team in scoring with 15.2 ppg and has the second-most rebounds per game with 5.9. He had a below-par performance in the First Round and will look to make up for it on Sunday.
Notes On The Houston Cougars
Houston was seen by many as a potential No. 1 seed but a weak schedule was the main reason they are seeded as No. 2. They stormed through the AAC and had a few solid wins outside the conference. The Cougars notched wins against Texas Tech, Boise State, and South Carolina. Head coach Kelvin Sampson has managed to build a balanced college basketball betting team, elite on both ends of the court. Per KenPom, Houston ranks 6th in rank sixth in adjusted offensive efficiency and 13th in defensive efficiency. On Friday, they dropped 87 on poor Cleveland State while keeping the Vikings at 38.6% from the field.
Quentin Grimes has been the best player for the Cougars this season. The junior guard averaged 18.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. A potential issue for coach Sampson on Sunday may be the absence of starting guard DeJon Jarreau. While Grimes posted the best stats, Jarreau is undeniably the heart and soul of this team.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Houston Cougars Betting Pick: Houston -8
Rutgers had a fun college basketball betting season and did good knocking out Clemson in the first round. However, they regularly fail to perform against stronger teams. The Scarlet Knights went 0-6 straight up and 2-4 against the spread when facing ranked opponents. The Cougars are on a great run of form and they should be in for another convincing win.
