Number one ranked Arizona narrowly escaped the TCU Horned Frogs with a win. On Thursday, they have the opportunity to stamp their tickets to the Elite Eight. BetMGM is slightly expecting this outcome, with Arizona vs. Houston odds placing the Wildcats as two-point favorites.
This game should be extremely competitive from start to finish.
March Madness 2020 Sweet 16: No. 1 Arizona vs. No 5 Houston
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No. 1 Arizona vs. No 5 Houston odds
Spread: Arizona -1.5 vs. Houston +1.5
Moneyline: Arizona -125 vs. Houston +100
Total: Over 141.5 | Under 141.5
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March Madness 2022: Arizona vs. Houston prediction
The Cougars match up well with the Pac-12 champs. Their top-10, steal-heavy defense will easily force turnovers against an opponent which has committed 35 in its first two tournament games. They will pound the offensive glass, as TCU did in its near-upset of Arizona in the second round. They carry the motivation of the overlooked, believed in by analytics, but not by analysts. Their head coach (Kelvin Sampson) has two Final Four appearances and decades of experience, while Tommy Lloyd is finishing up his first season in charge.
But Arizona’s advantage in talent, size, and speed won’t allow Houston to turn the game into a crawl. Fast-paced teams have been a problem for the Cougars — producing losses to Alabama and Memphis (twice) — and the Wildcats run the floor as well as any team in the nation. With point guard Kerr Kriisa’s ankle improving and Ben Mathurin using the tournament to boost his draft stock, Arizona will move one win from its first Final Four in 21 years.
Arizona vs. Houston best bet: Arizona -1.5
