West Virginia vs Houston Odds, Pick for Saturday

The undefeated Houston Cougars are set for their first assignment in Big 12 play as they host the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday. Houston has made light work of its non-conference schedule, but this matchup will be the beginning of a tough road ahead.

As for West Virginia, the Mountaineers enter this matchup three games below .500. However, they have faced plenty of quality teams thus far, and while they did not pass many tests, their experience could give them an upper hand in conference play.

So, what angle should we take for this Big 12 matchup?

If you look at the Mountaineers on paper, the one thing that jumps off the page is their shooting struggles. They come in 288th in effective field goal percentage.

However, they have gotten a massive boost on the offensive end with the returns of RaeQuan Battle, Noah Farrakhan and Kerr Kriisa. Battle has exploded in his three games, averaging 27.3 points, while the others are also in double figures.

Despite the small sample size, the Mountaineers have five players averaging double figures in scoring, so it appears they are trending in the right direction on the offensive end.

Unfortunately, they'll face the toughest assignment you can get in the Cougars. Kelvin Sampson's club has been the epitome of defense during his tenure, and this season is no different.

Houston ranks first in adjusted defensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage allowed and defensive turnover rate. In short, they have been a nightmare to contend with — but don't be surprised if the Mountaineers find some success.

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While the Cougars are noted for their excellent work on the defensive end of the floor, they are not far behind when it comes to putting the ball in the basket.

Houston ranks 18th in adjusted offensive efficiency, which is mainly due to its collective effort on the offensive glass. The Cougars are much smaller than in years past but still rank fourth in offensive rebounding rate.

Their talented backcourt trio of L.J. Cryer, Emanuel Sharp and Jamal Shead are the team's leading scorers, but each has also hustled on the glass. They may have plenty of opportunities to clean up misses as they will likely be taking most of their shots from the perimeter.

West Virginia has been punished from downtown, as nearly 37 percent of the points it has allowed have come from distance, so the Cougars could put up points in bunches.

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This game projects as a defensive slugfest, much like most Houston games. However, the Mountaineers have plenty of talent and can put the ball in the bucket far more than their numbers may show.

On the other end of the floor, Houston profiles for success as well. Its backcourt has the shooting prowess to drain shots from deep and keep the pressure on the Mountaineers by working hard on the offensive glass.

Take the over.

Pick: Over 131 (Play to 133.5)