Houston Cougars vs Oklahoma State Cowboys NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/30/24
Betting on today’s Cougars and Cowboys game? Catch the action at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, OK, as the Cowboys hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. Houston is favored by -12.5 in this Big 12 conference contest against Oklahoma State. The game’s over/under currently sits at 137.5 points.
HOUSTON COUGARS VS OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Oklahoma State Cowboys +12.5
This game will be played at Gallagher-Iba Arena at 8:00 ET on Monday, December 30th.
WHY BET THE OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-70 in favor of the Cowboys.
- Not only will Oklahoma State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +12.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 137.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.
Are Houston Ready for a Road Win?
Houston improved to 8-3 on the season with an 87-51 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday. The Cougars, who were heavy favorites at -31, covered the spread in this home game. The total points for the game reached 138, surpassing the over/under line of 134.5.
Houston took control early, leading 46-27 at halftime, and continued their strong play in the second half, outscoring the Islanders 41-24.
Houston’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 87 points with a 49.1% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 62.3%, thanks in large part to their 48.3% shooting from beyond the arc, hitting 14 of 29 attempts. At the free-throw line, they were nearly automatic, converting 21 of 25 for 84%.
L.J. Cryer and Garry Clark each contributed 17 points, with Cryer hitting 5 of 7 from three-point range. Emanuel Sharp added 18 points, connecting on 3 of 5 from deep. Milos Uzan was perfect from three, hitting both of his attempts, and finished with 12 points and 6 assists. The Cougars also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 17 assists as a team.
Despite a strong defensive effort, the Houston Cougars gave up 51 points in their last game, with their opponent shooting 49% from the field. The Cougars allowed 12 two-point baskets on 24 attempts, a 50% shooting rate.
From beyond the arc, Houston’s opponent hit 14 of 29 threes, shooting 48%. They also went to the free-throw line 25 times, making 21 for an 84% success rate. The Cougars gave up 13 offensive rebounds.
Will the Cowboys Pull Through as the Home Underdog?
Oklahoma State improved to 8-3 on the season with an 86-74 win over Oral Roberts on Sunday. Playing at home, the Cowboys were -20.5 point favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 160, surpassing the O/U line of 152.5.
The Cowboys led 38-31 at halftime and scored 48 points in the 2nd half while allowing 43. Despite the win, Oklahoma State’s defense will need to tighten up as they allowed Oral Roberts to stay closer than expected.
Oklahoma State put up 86 points in their latest game, shooting 48.1% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 51.9%, with a strong 57.5% shooting inside the arc, but they struggled from three-point range, hitting just 3 of 14 attempts (21.4%).
The Cowboys were effective at the free-throw line, making 31 of 39 shots (79.5%), and they grabbed 17 offensive rebounds. Issac McBride led the way with 27 points, hitting 5 of 7 threes and shooting 61.5% overall, while adding 5 assists.
Oklahoma State’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 74 points on 48% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 57% of their two-point attempts, with 23 makes on 40 tries.
From beyond the arc, the Cowboys held their opponent to just 3 threes on 14 attempts, a 21% shooting performance. However, they sent the other team to the line 39 times, where they converted 31 free throws (79%). Oklahoma State also gave up 17 offensive rebounds.