For the first time since 1983, the Houston Cougars reached the nation’s number one ranking. The College Basketball odds ranking is a crowning achievement for head coach Kelvin Sampson. It is true that Sampson had past run-ins with the NCAA. But on issues that are not considered irrelevant. Sampson arrived at Houston looking to return the Cougars to the past glory achieved under the late great Guy Lewis. Lewis coached the Phi Slama Jama teams of the early 80s that nearly won the national championship. Sampson is primed for a second final four in three years.
Houston Cougars vs. Memphis Tigers Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Sunday, March 5, 2023, 12 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee |
| TV Coverage: | CBS |
| Betting Online Odds at SBG: | Click Here |
Houston at Memphis SBG Odds Overview
On this occasion, Memphis will have a packed crowd for Senior Day. Additionally, there will be online betting motivation to beat the top-ranked team in the land. Gamblers expect an electric atmosphere and a true home court advantage for the Tigers. Of great concern is the increase in public wagering support that Houston is drawing as the #1 ranked team.
Houston Cougars Team Overview
The Houston Cougars are 27-2 straight up, 17-12 against the spread, and 13-15 over/under the total. Overall, Houston has national metrics of 77th for scoring offense, 44th for field goal percentage, 141st for 3-point field goal percentage, 183rd for free throw percentage, and 11th for offensive rebounding. While on defense, Houston has national rankings of 1st for scoring defense, 1st for field goal percentage permitted, 3rd for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 11th for defensive rebounding.
Late on, the Cougars dropped three of their last four games to the spread. Six of their previous nine outings went over the total. Marcus Sasser leads the Cougars with 17.0 points per game.
Memphis Tigers Team Overview
Overall, the Memphis Tigers are 22-7 straight up, 12-15-2 against the spread, and 17-12 over/under the total. Memphis has national metrics of 24th for scoring offense, 20th for field goal percentage, 209th for 3-point field goal percentage, 105th for free throw percentage, and 164th for offensive rebounding. While on defense, Memphis has national rankings of 275th for scoring defense, 38th for field goal percentage permitted, 56th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 184th for defensive rebounding.
Memphis failed to cover two of its previous five games. Also, the Tigers went under the total in three of its last four outings. Kendric Davis leads Memphis with 21.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest.
At the beginning of the week, the Tigers are given a 95% bracketology shot to make the NCAA Tournament. Memphis is fighting with the Tulane Green Wave for the second-place spot in the American Athletic Conference. While that is good, it is nowhere near the league-leading Houston Cougars.
Local hero and favorite son Penny Hardaway took over at his alma mater in 2018. Hardaway was hired for his local AAU recruiting contacts and has delivered in that area. Next year Houston is leaving the AAC for the Big 12 Conference. Hence the theory that the Tigers can become the new power program in the American.
Houston at Memphis SBG Free Picks
In this situation, Houston is stepping into a live Tiger Den and NCAABB betting trap.
Houston at Memphis SBG Best Bet: Memphis Tigers.