Virginia vs Houston Odds, Lines and Spread (Nov. 16)
- No. 15 Houston (2-0) rides its 27-game home win streak into a matchup against Virginia (1-1) on Tuesday, November 16th, at 8:00 pm ET in Houston
- The Cougars are coming off a 79-46 blowout victory against Rice, while the Cavaliers rebounded from an embarrassing season-opening loss with a 73-52 win over Radford
- See the moneyline, point spread, and game total, plus predictions
The No. 15 Houston Cougars (2-0) continue their march to get back to the Final Four — while hoping to demonstrate their identity of competitiveness, maximum effort and intense physicality — against the Virginia Cavaliers (1-1) on Tuesday, November 15th, at 8:00 pm ET at the Hofheinz Pavilion.
Head coach Kelvin Sampson’s club got a scare of their own in the season opener, getting past Hofstra 83-75 in overtime at home. But following a 33-point win over crosstown program Rice, UH hopes to keep the momentum going against the Wahoos. As for Tony Bennett’s crew, UVa lost 66-58 to Navy in the 2021-22 lid-lifter — but rebounded with a 21-point victory against the Big South Highlanders.
Now, the Cougs are 7.5-point home favorites.
Virginia vs Houston Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread at DraftKings | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | +260 | +7.5 (-105) | O 123.0 (-110) |
| Houston | -335 | -7.5 (-115) | U 123.0 (-110) |
Odds as of November 15th, 2021.
Settling In
When Houston reached its first Final Four since 1984 last season, it was a validation of the miraculous turnaround Sampson has achieved both on and off the court. Now, the goal for the talented head coach — who moved past Hall of Famer Gary Williams into 37th place in NCAA history with 668 victories after that win over the Owls — is to maintain that spot among the game’s elite. Picking up a victory over a recent NCAA champion would go a long way in doing just that.
Marcus Sasser has been amazing to begin the season.
25/4/3
8-17
3-9
6-1026/4/5
8-16
5-9
5-5 https://t.co/x27gnlWnYE pic.twitter.com/b3ZC2BjmJn— Simon Rath (@HawksDraftNerd) November 15, 2021
It starts with Marcus Sasser. The junior guard blossomed into a complementary star last year, hoisting 233 triples while rarely turning the ball over. The Dallas native flourished on pick-and-rolls, ranking in the 96th percentile on such possessions per Synergy. He was most deadly when simply pulling up and burying a jumper, but he also showed an excellent floater game that should continue to serve him well this year. So far, so good in that regard. Sasser is averaging a scintillating 25.5 points per game so far.
Don’t sleep on Texas Tech transfer Kyler Edwards. The senior guard can hit tough shots while playing within a disciplined defensive system. He’s also familiar with Virginia, putting up 12 points in the 2019 national championship game as a freshman. He put up 18 points and grabbed six rebounds against Rice last Friday.
Guard Kyler Edwards on the @UHCougarMBK culture: “The culture is very strong here. You have no choice but to buy into the culture cause if not, you’re not going to fit on this team or this family. That’s what it is, is family.”
He transferred from Texas Tech in the offseason. pic.twitter.com/MskemMOj22
— Andy Yanez (@AYanez_5) November 13, 2021
A group including sophomore Tramon Mark, Taze Moore and Jamal Shead round out what should be the primary contributors to a team that can flat-out stifle opponents. To wit, the Owls struggled from the field mightily in the first half in the last outing, shooting only 5-of-25, including 3-of-17 on three-pointers. Rice shot 28% for the game and made 8-of-31 three-pointers overall.
X-Factor
Another key player Tuesday for the home team will be Fabian White. The fifth-year senior saw limited minutes down the stretch last year after returning from a torn ACL suffered the previous offseason. But with Houston’s offense being so guard-heavy, White is a legitimate scoring threat in the mid-post.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZI3_gex8Vs
He also showed glimpses of adding a three-pointer to his arsenal upon returning late last year. If he becomes a true threat in the frontcourt, the offensive ceiling rises considerably for a team that typically likes to utilize its perimeter game.
Hart started 18 games last season and can score in bunches — as seen in his 32-point display against Saint Peter’s in early December. Without Wiggins and 2021 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Morsell around, the junior will be looked upon to provide more offense.
Even without Quentin Grimes and DeJon Jarreau, expect more of the same from Houston this year — and against Virginia. Look for the Cougars to try to put the clamps down on a vulnerable Virginia team.
That’s Sick!
Armaan Franklin scored 21 and Jayden Gardner chipped in 18 as Virginia rediscovered its offense against Radford following the loss to Navy in Charlottesville. Bennett said Franklin — who transferred from Indiana — was ill during the Navy game. He went 5-for-8 from distance against the Highlanders after going 1-of-7 beyond the arc against the Midshipmen. Maybe he just needed to get healthy.
"That's why shooters shoot, you keep shooting and you don't pass up good shots."
After a rough debut for UVA, Armaan Franklin responded against Radford hitting five three-pointers and scoring 21 points, his third career 20+ point game, in Virginia's 73-52 win. pic.twitter.com/FOwmflQ3hT
— Preston Willett (@PrestonWillett) November 13, 2021
East Carolina transfer Gardner is expected to be Bennett’s primary weapon, though. The 6-foot-6 senior has the physical tools to be a great wing and hybrid defender and his length and bulk portend to being able to play a lot of minutes.
With so many new faces, UVa will be hard-pressed to win in Texas. But can the Hoos beat the spread? I don’t think so. I’m fading the underdogs in this spot and going with Houston.
Pick: Houston -7.5 (-115)
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
