The top-seeded Houston Cougars look to continue their run to another Final Four when they face the fifth-seeded Miami Hurricanes in a Sweet 16 contest in the Midwest Region on Friday in Kansas City, Mo.
Houston has been a dominant team all season long, finishing atop the American Athletic Conference college basketball standings and earning the top seed in the region, then advancing to the Sweet 16 with wins over Drake and Indiana.
Miami has been one of the better NCAA basketball teams all season long as well, tying for the top spot in the ACC and advancing to this point with wins over Northern Kentucky and Auburn.
This should be one of the more intense NCAA basketball games today, so let’s take a closer look at this contest and determine our best Miami vs Houston prediction for betting.
Miami Hurricanes vs. Houston Cougars Odds
Miami vs. Houston Information
Miami Hurricanes vs Houston Cougars
Location of the game: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO.
Date and Time: Friday, March 24, 2023, 7:15 PM ET.
How to Watch: CBS
Updates for Miami vs. Houston
Miami has advanced by using its solid defense to lead to offense, limiting its two NCAA Tournament opponents to 62.5 points per game. The Hurricanes upset fourth-seeded Indiana in the second round, pulling away with a big second half to easily cruise to the win.
Guard Isaiah Wong has been the offensive catalyst for the Hurricanes throughout their NCAAB schedule, averaging 16.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He struggled in the opening-round win over Drake, finishing with just five points, but he bounced back with 27 points and eight rebounds in the win over the Hoosiers.
Guard Jordan Miller is another offensive weapon for the Hurricanes, averaging 15.1 points and 6.2 rebounds, but he also records 1.3 steals per game on the defensive end. He also had a rough first game of the tournament, scoring just seven points against Drake, before coming back with 19 points in the second-round win.
Key Injuries
The Miami college basketball injury report has sophomore guard Wooga Poplar (8.4 points, 3.2 rebounds) listed as questionable for this game due to a back injury. Poplar played just 18 minutes in the win over Indiana, finishing with six points, four rebounds and two assists.
Cougars Clawing Their Way to March Madness Success
Houston has been among the most popular college basketball picks when a bracket March Madness is put together across the country. The top-seeded Cougars are trying to advance to their second Final Four in three seasons, having reached the Sweet 16 in each NCAA Tournament since 2019.
Guard Marcus Sasser is one of the top college basketball players in the country, and he’s been playing well despite a lingering groin injury that caused him to miss the Conference USA tournament championship game. He averages 16.9 points per game and had 22 points in the second-round win over Auburn, making a Miami vs Houston prediction a little easier to make by his presence on the floor.
Junior guard Tramon Mark led the way with 26 points and nine rebounds in the second-round victory. Mark averages 10.0 points per game, but his big outing shows the depth of the Cougars’ lineup and why they’re one of the top March Madness bets to win it all.
Miami vs. Houston Betting Preview
The Cougars have been near the top of the March Madness odds all tournament long, so it’s not a surprise they’re favored to get the win in this one.
Spread: Houston is giving seven points on a point-spread bet, which will get you -110 odds on whichever team you go with.
Moneyline: If you prefer to go with the NCAAB odds on a moneyline bet, you can get Houston at -330, while Miami is listed at +270.
Over/Under: The over/under for this contest is set at 138 points, with -110 odds available on either side of that wager.
Miami vs. Houston Betting Prediction
As we make our Miami vs Houston prediction, it’s hard to go against the top seed in the region.
Houston has the experience and the talent edge over Miami, and it should be able to get some points in transition in what could be a very entertaining open-court game.
Look for the Cougars to pull away late and move on to the Elite Eight.
Betting on this event:
- Pick 1: Bet on Houston to deliver at -330.
- Pick 2: As for the correct score, go with Houston Cougars 75 – 66 Miami Hurricanes.
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