Penn Quakers vs Houston Cougars Betting Pick & Prediction 12/30/23

Planning on watching today’s Quakers and Cougars game? Catch the action at Fertitta Center in Houston, TX, as the Cougars hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under goal line for this matchup is currently at 131.5 points, and the Cougars are favored to win at home against the Quakers.

PENN QUAKERS VS HOUSTON COUGARS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Penn Quakers +26

This game will be played at Fertitta Center at 7:00 ET on Saturday, December 30th.

WHY BET THE PENN QUAKERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-66 in favor of the Cougars.
• Even though we have Houston winning straight-up, we like Penn at +26.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 131.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 143 points.

Is a Win at Houston Possible for the Quakers?

Heading into their 14th game of the season, Penn enters with a record of 8-5 this year. Looking at their performance in the past ten road games, Penn has gone 3-7 on the road, dating back to last season. Heading into today’s game, Penn holds a 4-6 ATS record. Over their last five games, the team is 2-2 vs. the spread.

Penn’s games have, on average, featured 150.6 points per game leading to an over/under record of 6-4-0. Their average over/under line is currently 145.1 points so far. When analyzing the Quakers’ last five games, they have produced a combined average of 158 points per game and an over/under record of 3-1.

In their previous game, the Quakers’ offense finished with 78 points, which is right in line with their current average of 80.9 points per contest. Currently leading the team in scoring is Clark Slajchert who comes into today’s matchup averaging 18.8. Tyler Perkins also heads into the game with a PPG average of 14.9.

Currently, the Quakers’ defense holds the 148th rank in the nation, allowing 71.6 points per game. So far, the Penn defense is giving up an average of 7.0 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 11.8 times per game (520th).

Can Houston Live Up to the Hype at Home?

After 12 games, Houston boasts a perfect 12-0 overall record. In their last ten games at home, which includes last year, Houston has a stellar 9-1 record. As Houston enters today’s game, their ATS record stands at 6-5. Over their last five matchups, the team is 2-3 vs. the spread.

Houston comes in with an over/under record of 3-8-0 through 12 games, with their games averaging a combined 126.5 points per game so far. Looking at the Cougars’ last three games, their over/under record is 2-1 with their games averaging 129 points per game.

In their latest game, Houston offense put up 72 points against Texas State. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 43.3% and made 4 threes. On the offensive front, the Cougars have a season-long field goal percentage of 43%, ranking 281st nationally. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are ranked 168th in terms of percentage and 128th in three-pointers made.

At this time, the Cougars’ defense is positioned 1st in the country, permitting 50.0 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 5.3 threes per game vs. Penn. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 26.4%.