The BYU Cougars play the Houston Cougars in the Big 12 Tournament. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Houston is favored by -8.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -380. Meanwhile, BYU is the underdog at +8.5 with a moneyline of +300. The total is set at 147.5 points.
Here’s my BYU vs. Houston predictions and college basketball picks for March 12, 2026.
BYU vs Houston Prediction
My Pick: Houston -8.5
My BYU vs Houston best bet is on the Cougars to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
BYU vs Houston Odds
| BYU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -105 | 147.5 -115o / -105u | +300 |
| Houston Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -115 | 147.5 -115o / -105u | -380 |
- BYU vs Houston spread: Houston -8.5
- BYU vs Houston over/under: 147.5 points
- BYU vs Houston moneyline: BYU +300, Houston -380
BYU vs Houston College Basketball Betting Preview
Houston is still a tough team to figure out. The Cougars are 26-5 overall and 14-4 in Big 12 play, but it isn't the dominance that Kelvin Sampson spoiled us with.
The Cougars boast an elite defense, ranking seventh in defensive efficiency. However, Houston ranks just 22nd in 2-point defense, with opponents shooting 46% from inside the arc. That's the highest 2-point percentage Houston has given up since 2016.
To me, it's more about the freshmen that aren't quite Houston-level defenders. Kingston Flemings is a total stud, averaging 16.5 points and 5.4 assists per game. He's not a great defender, though. His point-of-attack defense is a clear step behind former program staples like Jamal Shead.
The other freshman — Chris Cenac Jr. — has also endured some struggles. There's no question about Cenac's ability. He's 6-foot-11, can shoot it, and he flashes defensive upside.
I'd keep an eye on Cenac's minutes. He played fewer minutes than Chase McCarty — a smaller, bruising power forward — in Houston's win over Oklahoma State. We'll see if McCarty plays well enough to earn himself a bigger role.
Sampson took a swing at prized freshmen, and it's helped, but it's tough to instill the Houston culture onto one-year players.
On the flip side, Houston is a bit more trustworthy offensively in the backcourt. Flemings adds a different element with his game-breaking scoring. Emanuel Sharp is a streaky scorer who can be an inferno, averaging 15.8 points per game while shooting 37% from deep. Milos Uzan also scored 11+ points in his final three games of the season.
How about the defensive ace, JoJo Tugler? He found some offense, scoring 12, 14 and 14 points in his final three regular-season games. Adding a true interior scoring presence would bring quite the boost for Houston.
Meanwhile, how unfair is it for a team with BYU's talent to be a 10-seed in the Big 12 Tournament? Just ask Kansas State, which lost by 14, and West Virginia, which lost by 20.
The Cougars won three straight games, but lost their prior three games in ugly fashion to UCF, Cincy and West Virginia.
Here's my thing with the undermanned Cougars: If Kennard Davis Jr. continues to play well, I trust BYU more. Davis scored 15+ points in his last three games after a season marred by struggles.
To beat or cover against Houston, BYU will need AJ Dybantsa to go off. He scored 40 in the opening game of the Big 12 tourney against Kansas State and has the talent to drop 30+ in any game. The potential No. 1 overall draft pick scored 28 points on 9-for-14 shooting in BYU's one loss to Houston, an 11-point loss in Provo.
I just don't think BYU can hang with Houston on the boards. Dybantsa plays the four, and Keba Keita plays the five. It'll be tough for that pair to hold Cenac and Tugler off the glass. Houston can create a bunch of second chances.
BYU is 10th in offensive efficiency and just 99th in defensive efficiency. The defensive issues could be what sends BYU home from this event.
Can we trust BYU to be competitive after three solid games? I don't think so. West Virginia and Kansas State are bad teams and Texas Tech really struggled defensively against BYU. Houston won't have the same issues.
My Pick: Houston -8.5
