Cleveland State vs Houston Odds, Lines, and Spread
- Houston is a 20-point favorite against Cleveland State on Friday night in an NCAA Tournament Midwest Region first round game at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, IN
- Houston is on a seven-game winning streak and has won nine of its last 10
- The odds, line and spread along with a best bet for Cleveland State-Houston can be found below
#2 seed Houston will be on upset alert when it plays #15 Cleveland State at 7:15 p.m. ET Friday in an NCAA Tournament Midwest Region first round game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, IN.
Houston (24-3) is rolling, with seven wins in a row and nine victories in its last 10 games and is a big favorite yet again. Though in the NCAAs for the first time since 2009, Cleveland State (19-7) has a history of upsets in the event.
The Vikings, on a four-game winning streak, knocked off #4 seed Wake Forest in the first round in 2009. In 1986, they advanced to the regional semifinals despite being a #14 seed.
Cleveland State vs Houston Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland State | +1300 | +20 (-110) | Over 134.5 (-110) |
| Houston | -3000 | -20 (-110) | Under 134.5 (-110) |
Odds taken March 19 from FanDuel
Momentum on Houston’s Side
Houston is coming off a 91-54 drubbing of Cincinnati on Sunday in the American Athletic Conference Tournament championship game as a 13.5-point favorite. The Cougars led the entire way while making 56.1% (37 of 66) of their field goal attempts.
Junior guard Quentin Grimes scored a game-high 21 points, and made five three-pointers for Houston. He was named the tourney MVP. Grimes has scored at least 20 points in five of his last seven games and 11 times this season.
Grimes is averaging 18 points and six rebounds a game.
Sophomore guard Marcus Sasser added 16 points, including 14 in the first half when Houston took a 41-27 lead into the break. He lifted his season scoring average to 13.0.
Senior guard DeJon Jarreau finished with 10 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Two days earlier, Jarreau had a triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 77-52 victory over Tulane in a quarterfinal game.
Jarreau stuffs the stat sheet with averages of 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists. He has also scored in double figures in nine of the last 10 games after doing so just four times in the first 16 game.
This story of Kelvin Sampson and the maturation of DeJon Jarreau is what college basketball is all about. pic.twitter.com/ahN0y7DJUa
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 7, 2021
Houston is also getting 8.6 points and nine rebounds a game from senior forward Justin Gorham.
According to KenPom.com, the Cougars are eighth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.0 points per 100 possessions) and 15th in adjusted defensive efficiency (90.1).
Vikings Double the Fun
Two players had double-doubles and a third just missed when Cleveland State beat Oakland 80-69 on March 9 in the Horizon League Tournament championship game as a 2.5-point pick. The title came after five straight 20-loss seasons.
https://twitter.com/CSU_MBasketball/status/1369504664081883141
Senior wing Torrey Patton finished 23 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth straight double-double. He has seven on the season while averaging14.9 points and 8.0 rebounds.
Junior guard Tre Gomillion posted 16 points and 13 rebounds for his second double-double of the season, both coming in the Horizon League tourney. He has averages of 10.5 points and 5.2 rebounds.
Junior guard D’Moi Hodge fell two rebounds shy of his own double-double as he scored 15 points – his third-highest total of the season – and blocked three shots. Hodge’s 10.5 scoring average is bolstered by a 46-point eruption against Purdue-Fort Wayne on Dec. 20th.
#JucoProduct D'moi Hodge scored 46 Points on 10-15 shooting from 3PT, leading CSU to a win over Purdue-FW. The 6'4 Certifed Flamethrower was arguably the most entertaining player in the country last season for @SCF_Basketball.
46 PTS | 7 RBS | 4 STL | 15-23 FG
🏁 @Dmoi_VI pic.twitter.com/wVKV0g5UrO— League Him (@League_Him) December 21, 2020
Senior guard Craig Beaudion added 11 points and five assists.
Cleveland State had an eventful trip through the Horizon League tourney. The Vikings beat Purdue-Fort Wayne 108-104 in triple overtime in the quarterfinals then rallied from 11 points down in the second half to defeat Milwaukee 71-65 in the semifinals.
No Upset This Time
Cleveland State has made a nice turnaround with its program and has the history of upsets on its side.
However, Houston has been playing as well as team in the country lately. Don’t look for the Cougars to take their foot off the gas in this one as they advance to the second round to face either #7 Clemson or #10 Rutgers.
- Pick: Houston -20 (-110)
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
