Houston vs Arizona Picks, Predictions & Odds (Feb 15)

• The #6 Houston Cougars are slight 1.5-point favorites Saturday when they visit the #13 Arizona Wildcats
• Houston sits first in the Big 12, with Arizona in second
• See the Houston vs Arizona odds, predictions and player props, below

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It’s a biggie in the Big 12 Saturday, when the sixth-ranked Houston Cougars (20-4, 12-1 Big 12) visits the 13th-ranked Arizona Wildcats (17-7, 11-2 Big 12), in a matchup of the top two teams in the conference. It’s the first meeting for these two schools that are now in the Big 12, since the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The visitors are slight favorites in the college basketball odds, when this one tips off at2pm ET from the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, AZ. ESPN is providing the broadcast coverage.

Houston vs Arizona Odds

Arizona is currently a 1.5-point underdog in a contest with a total of 138. It’s tight on the moneyline as well, with the Cougars set at -125 favorites, and Arizona at +105. Arizona has won and covered four straight at home, while Houston is 4-2-0 against the spread on the road this year.

Odds as of Feb. 14 at Caesars. Check out SBD’s Caesars Sportsbook review to see the available sign-up bonuses.

Houston vs Arizona Predictions

• OVer 138 points (-110) at Caesars

You’ll be hard pressed to find a team as complete as the Houston Cougars, a team that ranks third overall in KenPom. Along with Duke, they are one of only two schools that ranks inside the Top 6 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They currently hold a Top 4 spit in the March Madness odds.

The Cougars are coming off a 76-65 win against Baylor, giving them wins in 16 of their last 17 outings.

AND ONE 💪

📺 ESPNU | @lossyuzan pic.twitter.com/NTtyWbbb2Y

— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) February 11, 2025

Defense is the name of their game, as they rank first in the Big 12 in defensive scoring, allowing just 57.3 per contest. Houston ranks sixth in the nation in field goal defense, limiting teams to just 38.2% shooting.

During this dominant run, the Cougars have allowed just five teams to break the 60-point plateau, and only two have crossed the 80-point threshold. One of those included a win over Kansas that went to double OT.

If there is a concern, it’s that each of those scoring outbursts have come in the last eight games, all in conference play.

If there’s a team that can puncture the Houston defense, it’s the Wildcats, who lead the Big 12 in scoring, pouring in 82.3 points per game.

this connection🤝 pic.twitter.com/8zX5V1eoJV

— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) February 12, 2025

The Wildcats did hit a snag last time out, however, dropping a 73-70 decision to the Kansas State Wildcats, a game in which Arizona shot a dismal 2-for-22 from 3-point range, a 9.1% clip. They also turned it over 17 times, leading to 23 KState points.

Could that be the outlier, though? Prior to that loss, Arizona was on a run where it won 13 of 14, and the offense was humming, breaking the 80-point barrier nine times, and cracking 90 points four others.

Houston isn’t a slouch offensively, as they average 75.8 points per game. If the defense can’t lock down the Wildcats, the Cougars’ 3-point shooting should allow them to run alongside them. They rank first in the Big 12, raining triples at a 39.4% average. Arizona, meanwhile, is second-last in the conference, at 31.8%.

And that plays right into betting the total. The Cougars have cashed the Over in five of their last six, while the Wildcats have hit the Over in four of the last five.

Houston vs Arizona Player Props

College basketball player props from FanDuel Sportsbook on Feb 14.

• Caleb Love Over 15.5 Points (+102) at FanDuel

Switching over to the player props market, and it Wildcats guard Caleb Love should be on the bouneback after a brutal performance against Kansas State. The senior guard shot 3-for-15 from the field, including 0-for-7 from 3-point range, finishing with just six points, tying his season low.

That halted a streak where Love had topped his 15.5 line in five of his previous six games. He’s also shown up in the last couple of games against ranked opponents, dropping 16 against then-13th ranked Texas Tech, and 22 against Iowa State who were ranked third at the time.