Troy (5-3) vs. Houston (5-2)
December 10, 2024 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: Houston -25; Over/Under: +134.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Troy Trojans and the Houston Cougars meet Tuesday in college basketball action from Hofheinz Pavilion. Here’s a Houston vs Troy prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Houston vs Troy pick.
Troy Trojans Betting Preview
The Trojans got off to a 4-2 start over their first six games, beating Toledo, New Orleans, West Georgia, and UTSA alongside losses to Arkansas and Oregon. After another loss to Merrimack, Troy bagged a win over Eastern Kentucky.
In the EKU matchup on December 1, the Trojans went into halftime with a five-point lead. Troy hit a 43-38 run the rest of the way and cruised to the win 84-74. Leading team scorer Myles Rigsby finished with 20 points and three assists.
Houston Cougars Betting Preview
Over on the Houston side, they went 3-2 over their first five with wins over Jackson State, Louisiana, and Hofstra. Since then it’s been a 2-1 run for the Cougars with a loss to San Diego State between wins over Notre Dame and Butler.
Back on Saturday versus Butler, the Cougars were up 28-18 in the locker room. Houston kept it up from there with 51 more points in the second half in a 79-51 victory. Leading the team in scoring was LJ Cryer with 20 points with three assists.
Why the Houston Cougars will win
- Houston has won each of its last 50 night games at Fertitta Center.
- Troy has lost six of its last seven road night games against non-conference opponents.
- Houston has won the first half in each of its last 36 night games at Fertitta Center.
Why the Troy Trojans will win
- Troy has won four of its last five night games against non-conference opponents.
- Troy has won the first half in each of its last six night games.
Houston vs Troy Prediction
I’ll lean toward Houston, but the line’s probably too thick to mess with. The Cougars demolished a pretty solid Butler team over the weekend, shooting 53.3 percent from the field with a 41-22 rebounding edge. The 11 turnovers were just about the only thing to complain about statistically. Houston is 4-2 in their last six games, with both losses coming in overtime. Their other loss was to an excellent Auburn squad by just five points. The Cougars have been quite competitive so far.
As for Troy, they shot a nice 58 percent from the field with a 34-23 rebounding advantage in their latest win over Eastern Kentucky. The Trojans posted a sloppy 19 turnovers in that one, however, and that kind of lax ball control will get them into trouble on Tuesday. Houston should have a good shot here, even with the hefty line.
