The No. 1 seed Baylor Bears and 2d-seeded Houston Cougars every attach an conclude to lengthy droughts to come to their 2021 NCAA Match Closing Four matchup on Saturday in Indianapolis. The Bears (26-2) reached their third Closing Four by a success the South Feature, but it be their first look since 1950, when the occasion used to be puny to an eight-group field. The Cougars (28-3) enjoy no longer been in the nationwide semifinals for the reason that Phi Slama Jama glory days of 1974, but their victory in the Midwest Feature space up the first all-Texas Closing Four in NCAA Match history.
Tip-off at Lucas Oil Stadium is determined for five: 14 p.m. ET on CBS. The winner advances to the nationwide championship game on Monday to play both Gonzaga or UCLA. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Bears as five-level favorites, whereas the over-below for total facets scored is 134.5 in the latest Baylor vs. Houston odds. Sooner than making any Houston vs. Baylor picks, test out the March Insanity college basketball predictions and making a wager advice from the SportsLine Projection Mannequin.
The SportsLine Projection Mannequin simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 occasions. Over the previous four-plus years, the proprietary pc model has generated an spectacular earnings of $2,200 for $100 players on its high-rated college basketball picks in opposition to the spread. Any individual who has adopted it has seen broad returns.
Now, the model has space its sights on Baylor vs. Houston in the Closing Four of the NCAA Match 2021. You may perhaps also head to SportsLine to undercover agent its picks. Listed below are a complete lot of college basketball odds and trends for Houston vs. Baylor:
- Baylor vs. Houston spread: Baylor -5
- Baylor vs. Houston over-below: 134.5 facets
- Baylor vs. Houston money line: Baylor -220; Houston +180
- BAY: The Bears are 4-0 in opposition to AP high-10 groups this season
- HOU: The Cougars enjoy received 11 straight neutral-online page games
Why Baylor can shroud
The Bears atrocious sixth nationally at 83.0 facets per game and are No. 3 in offensive effectivity, averaging 123 facets per 100 possessions per kenpom.com. They’ve been led in scoring all season by the three-guard backcourt of Jared Butler, MaCio Teague and Davion Mitchell, who are averaging between 16.5 and 14.0 facets. Baylor has received a prefer off the bench from sophomore guard Adam Flager, who is averaging 11.0 facets in the NCAAs.
Flagler also is 8 of 12 from long fluctuate in the match for the Bears, the nation’s high 3-level shooting group. Whereas Butler and Mitchell are two of the nation’s better defenders, averaging 2.0 steals in the NCAA Match, Flagler has matched them with eight steals over the previous four games. Baylor has forced 69 turnovers and committed handiest 29 for a plus-40 margin, the most productive four-game sign in the NCAAs since Kentucky (+42) in 1996.
Why Houston can shroud
Unparalleled care for Baylor, the Cougars rely on their backcourt to present the huge majority of their offense, led by main scorer Quentin Grimes. Named the Participant of the twelve months in the American Athletic Conference, the junior guard is averaging 18.0 facets in the NCAA Match whereas hitting no longer less than four 3-pointers in every game. Grimes and 2d-main scorer Marcus Sasser (13.5 facets per game) enjoy played stellar defense, combining for 16 steals in the match.
One key for the Cougars of their final two victories used to be the flexibility to conclude down the opposition’s main scorer, preserving Syracuse’s Buddy Boeheim and Oregon Remark’s Ethan Thompson to a mixed 23 facets on 6-of-25 shooting. Houston also dominated the glass in every of these matchups, a success the strive in opposition to of the boards by a mixed 81-60. That is rarely any longer gruesome for a bunch that used to be third nationally in offensive rebounds at 14.3 per game.
How to invent Houston vs. Baylor picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the groups to mix for 148 facets. It also says one facet of the spread hits practically 60 percent of the time. You may perhaps also handiest peep the spend at SportsLine.
So who wins Baylor vs. Houston? And which facet of the spread hits nearly 60 percent of the time? Consult with SportsLine appropriate now to undercover agent which facet of the spread it be foremost to jump on, all from the pc model that has beaten its college basketball picks.
