The Houston Cougars take on the BYU Cougars in Provo, Utah. Tip-off is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Houston is favored by 2 points on the spread with a moneyline of -135. The total is set at 150.5 points.
Here’s my Houston vs. BYU predictions and college basketball picks for February 7, 2026.
Houston vs BYU Prediction
My Pick: Houston 1H ML -130
My Houston vs BYU best bet is on the Cougars to cover the first-half spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Houston vs. BYU Odds
| Houston Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2 -110 | 150.5 -110o / -110u | -135 |
| BYU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2 -110 | 150.5 -110o / -110u | +115 |
- Houston vs BYU spread: Houston -2
- Houston vs BYU over/under: 150.5 points
- Houston vs BYU moneyline: Houston -135, BYU +115
Houston vs BYU College Basketball Betting Preview
Houston Basketball
It’s been full steam ahead for the Cougars in conference action.
It’s February, which means Kelvin Sampson has Houston performing as one of the best teams in the country. The Cougars' only loss in Big 12 play came by four to Texas Tech in Lubbock.
The Cougars' defensive consistency is remarkable; even for a “down” defensive season, the Coogs rank ninth nationally in KenPom’s defensive ratings. They hold teams to 45% shooting from inside the arc, with their pressure and post-doubles wrecking offenses.
Plus, Houston ranks top-five in turnovers forced. That adds another dimension to one of the toughest defenses in the country.
Based on offensive upside, this Houston team is one of Sampson’s best. Since the calendar flipped to 2026, the Cougars rank second nationally in offensive efficiency, per Bart Torvik.
They’ve made a point to score inside the arc more effectively, shooting 55% on 2s, compared 53% for the season. Pair that with the Cougars 36% offensive rebound rate (39th), 10% turnover rate (3rd) and 32% 3-point shooting, and the finished product is an elite offense.
Houston has arguably the best backcourt in the country.
Kingston Flemings, a star-studded freshman, looks the part of an All-American level player, averaging 17 points per game while shooting 52% from the field. Meanwhile, Milos Uzan has scored 10-plus points in five of his past six games. And Emanuel Sharp is always good at drilling some long-range triples to keep defenses honest.
BYU Basketball
On the opposite side of the court, BYU is playing Houston at the absolute worst time.
The Cougars from Provo dropped four of their past five games, with their defense allowing 80-plus points and 1.14 or more in each loss.
BYU couldn’t stop any of those four opponents from scoring inside — each of them shot better than 53% from inside the arc, and three of them shot 58% or better. That will be another losing formula if BYU doesn’t correct it quickly.
I’m even more worried about the interior defense against Houston’s bigs, Chris Cenac Jr. and JoJo Tugler.
Make no mistakes, this BYU offense is still elite, even during a rough patch.
Kevin Young leads the Cougars to a sturdy 11th nationally in KenPom’s offensive efficiency. They’ll often look to get into transition and use their athleticism to their advantage, playing at the 45th-fastest tempo nationally. Most of their pace comes on the offensive end, where they rank 23rd in average offensive possession length.
The trio of AJ Dybantsa, Richie Saunders and Rob Wright III do most of the offensive heavy lifting.
Dybantsa leads the country with 23 points per game on 53% shooting. He struggled against Arizona’s physicality and length, so we’ll see how he fares against Houston.
Wright and Saunders combine for 36 points per game and shoot near 40% from downtown.
The issue becomes, who helps that pair out? The other two starters — Kennard Davis Jr. and Keba Keita — average around seven points per game.
On nights when one of the big three is off, another option has to step up.
Houston vs. BYU Betting Analysis
You’re probably thinking, "Well, he’s obviously rolling with Houston."
And you’re not wrong.
But I’ll take the Cougars to win the first half.
BYU is about as uninspiring a first-half team as I’ve seen from a top-25 squad. The Cougars have trailed at the half in four of their past five games, and trailed by double-digits at varying points in the last three first halves.
If the Cougars don’t come out energized against Houston, it’ll take a haymaker to the mouth from an always hungry Houston team.
My Pick: Houston 1H ML -130
