Point spread, betting odds: Houston at Arizona Big 12 men's basketball showdown
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The biggest game of the 2024-25 college basketball season has arrived for Tommy Lloyd's Arizona Wildcats (17-7, 11-2).
There will surely be bigger games ahead, but the outcome of Saturday's showdown with the Houston Cougars (20-4, 12-1) at McKale Memorial Center in Tucson will determine what Arizona is playing for the rest of the season.
If the Wildcats beat Houston, the sky is the limit. It will be their eighth Quad 1 win of the season and put them in a great position for a Big 12 championship and a top-2 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
If Arizona loses to Kelvin Sampson's Cougars then they're likely playing for second place in the conference and a No. 5 seed in March Madness.
Houston and Arizona have been the two best teams in the Big 12 through the first 13 conference games. But this is their only meeting of the season, which means a two-game deficit will be difficult for the Wildcats to make up.
Saturday's game will be strength on strength as Houston's trio of long, athletic bigs — J'Wan Roberts, JoJo Tugler and Ja'Vier Francis — faces off with Arizona's frontcourt of Tobe Awaka, Trey Townsend and Henri Veesaar. Townsend has missed the last two games with a concussion but is expected to play vs. Houston.
The Cougars lead the nation in scoring defense (57.3 ppg) and are in the top 35 in blocked shots per game (4.8). But they struggle at times to defend without fouling — depending in large part on how the game is officiated. Houston is averaging 16.7 fouls per game and Tugler has fouled out three times in conference play.
The whistle will have a big impact on Saturday's game. Both teams are physical and both teams are relentless in their pursuit of rebounds. Arizona is one of the best rebounding teams in the nation at 40.9 rebounds per game, with Houston not far behind at 37.4.
Will the officials let them play? We'll find out soon enough. Here are the latest betting odds for the Houston at Arizona Big 12 showdown:
Houston at Arizona Betting Odds, Point Spread
Spread: Houston -1.5 (-105)
Over/Under: 136.5
Moneyline: Arizona (-104), Houston (-114)
Records Against The Spread: Arizona (14-10), Houston (14-10)
ESPN FPI Prediction: Houston has a 58.3% chance to win
Our Prediction: Arizona 73, Houston 71
Game Time: Saturday, Feb. 15 at 12 p.m. MST/1 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: Stream the game live online on the ESPN app, Sling, DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu, YouTube TV.
Radio Station: Listen on SiriusXM channel 84 (Arizona broadcast) and channel 198 (Houston broadcast).
Live Audio Stream: Listen online on Arizona Sports Enterprises (AM 1290 live audio stream).
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
More Arizona & Big 12 Analysis
-029877d49238355bd3388a94f90e3c72.jpg "Ben Sherman")
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.