Tennessee vs. Houston Prediction, Odds, Key Players to Watch for NCAA Tournament Elite 8

Iain MacMillan | Mar 29, 2025

Tennessee is an underdog against Houston in the Elite 8. / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The top two seeds in the Midwest Region are set to face off in the Elite Eight when the Houston Cougars meet the Tennessee Volunteers.

The Cougars have been battle-tested the past couple of rounds, squeaking by both Gonzaga and Purdue, but are now just one win away from returning to the Final Four for the first time since 2021. Meanwhile, a Final Four berth for the Volunteers would be their first in school history.

Let's dive into the odds for this much-anticipated showdown.

Tennessee vs. Houston Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

Spread

• Tennessee +3.5 (-115)
• Houston -3.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Tennessee +135
• Houston -160

Total

• OVER 123.5 (-110)
• UNDER 123.5 (-110)

Tennessee vs. Houston How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, March 30
• Game Time: 2:20 PM EST
• Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): CBS
• Tennessee Record: 30-7
• Houston Record: 33-4

Tennessee vs. Houston Key Players to Watch

Tennessee

Chaz Lanier: Tennessee has been red-hot so far in the NCAA tournament. He's shot not worse than 42.9% from the field in each game while also racking up rebounds and assists. Arguably even more important, he has only committed four combined turnovers. If he keeps playing at this level, the Vols are going to have a great chance to upset the Cougars.

Houston

L.J. Cryer: Houston needs L.J. Cryer to rebound after an abysmal game against Purdue. The Cougars managed to escape with a two-point win, but Cryer shot just 15.4% from the field. If he has another performance like that, Houston will fail to reach the Final Four. Let's see if Cryer can step up in a big way.

Tennessee vs. Houston Prediction and Pick

These two teams play an extremely similar style of basically. Both teams are significantly better defensively than offensively, and both have the habit of running on a cold streak with their shooting. That's why, instead of betting on a side, I think the way to handle this game is to bet the UNDER.

One of my favorite stats to look at when handicapping a total on a game is to look at Floor%, which measures a percentage of a team's possessions that result in at least one point being scored. Houston leads college basketball in opponent Floor% at 41.5%, but Tennessee is not far behind, ranking ninth at 43.2%.

If both defenses lock in, neither offense is strong enough to overcome it in a significant way. Strap in, I think we're in for a defensive battle and a low-scoring affair.

Pick: UNDER 123.5 (-108) via DraftKings

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