The Cincinnati Bearcats are back in the AAC Tournament Finals a year after winning it. While they are just a win away from defending that championship, they will have to do it against a very tough Houston Cougars side, which just won the regular season title in the conference. Going into the game, NCAA Futures price Houston at +3,000 to win the National Championship while Cincinnati is listed at +10,000 to do the same.
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Betting Preview for the Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Houston Cougars College Basketball Game on March 17, 2019
Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis
When: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 3:15 PM ET
Line: Cincinnati Bearcats (odds) vs. Houston Cougars (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Cincinnati Bearcats (27-6 Overall / 14-4 Conference)
The Bearcats are playing for a title this Sunday, thanks to a close 66-63 win over the Wichita State Shockers in the semis of the AAC Tournament on Saturday. Rebounding was a big key for Cincinnati in the Shockers game, as they had nine more rebounds (42-33) than Wichita State. Although the Bearcats shot just 39.1 percent from the field, they had 18 offensive rebounds to just nine by Wichita State, which led them to have more possessions and more stabs at the basket. Cincinnati lost the battle on the glass in the two losses it suffered at the hands of Houston in the regular season, so how Bearcats fare beneath the board will be big factor in their fate in the conference title game. The Bearcats also can’t afford to waste their freebies, especially against Houston. Cincinnati went just 10-for-21 from the line in the Wichita State game.
The over is 2-0 in the last two games of Cincinnati, which ended the regular season 12th nationally with 62.3 points allowed per game,.
Betting on the Houston Cougars (31-2 Overall / 16-2 Conference)
The Cougars are the favorite to win the AAC Title from the start, but they nearly lost their ticket to Sunday’s game, as they had a hard time staving off Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers in a 61-58 win. Houston had a 10-point lead at the half, but the Tigers battled back in the final 20 minutes of the game. It was a good thing for Houston that it’s vaunted defense was able to hold on, as the Cougars let Memphis finish with a horrific 23.5 percent shooting from the field. They also forced the Tigers to commit nine turnovers, but Houston did not do a solid job of protecting its possessions, as it turned the ball over 14 times. That’s one area that the Cougars will have to get better heading into another meeting with Cincinnati. The Cougars had 26 total turnovers to just 16 by the Bearcats in the two teams’ last two meetings. Houston beat the Bearcats at home on Feb. 10, 65-58, and on the road on Mar. 10, 85-69.
The Cougars are 3-1 straight up (SU) and 4-0 SU in their last four meetings with Cincinnati.
Writer’s Prediction
Houston wins, 66-62.
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