West Virginia Mountaineers vs Houston Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/15/25
Betting on today’s Mountaineers and Cougars game? Catch the action at Fertitta Center in Houston, TX, as the Cougars hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this Big 12 conference game currently have Houston as the -16 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 121.5 points.
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS VS HOUSTON COUGARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: West Virginia Mountaineers +16
This game will be played at Fertitta Center at 8:00 ET on Wednesday, January 15th.
WHY BET THE WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Cougars.
- Even though we have Houston winning straight-up, we like West Virginia at +16.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 121.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Are the Mountaineers Ready for a Win at Houston?
West Virginia improved to 12-3 on the season with a 78-70 road win over Colorado on Sunday. The Mountaineers entered the game as +3 point underdogs but not only pulled off the upset, they also covered the spread. The total points for the game were 148, surpassing the O/U line of 134.5.
West Virginia took control early, leading 40-29 at halftime. In the second half, they scored 38 points while allowing 41, but their strong first-half performance was enough to secure the win.
In their latest game, the Mountaineers put up 78 points, shooting 45.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.7%. They hit 54.8% of their two-point attempts and 33.3% from beyond the arc, going 8-for-24 from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they connected on 71.4%, making 20 of 28 attempts.
Javon Small led the way with 26 points and 7 assists, shooting 40% from deep (4/10). Julian Hammond III added 23 points, hitting 42.9% from three (3/7), while Joseph Yesufu contributed 18 points, shooting 66.7% overall and from three (2/3). Eduardo Andre was perfect from the field, going 5-for-5 for 12 points.
West Virginia’s defense gave up 70 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 41% from the field. They allowed 14 two-point baskets on 29 attempts, a 48% shooting rate.
From beyond the arc, West Virginia’s defense held the other team to 6 three-pointers on 19 attempts, or 31% shooting. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 30 times, where they made 24 free throws, an 80% success rate. West Virginia allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.
Does Houston Have What it Takes at Home?
Houston improved to 12-3 on the season with an 87-57 road win over Kansas State on Saturday. The Cougars, who entered the game as -10.5 favorites, covered the spread while the teams combined for 144 points, surpassing the over/under line of 128.5.
Houston took control early, leading 46-24 at halftime. They maintained their dominance in the second half, outscoring the Wildcats 41-33.
Houston’s offense put up 87 points in their last game, shooting 49.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.6%. They hit 42.9% from beyond the arc, going 6-for-14, and connected on 65% of their free throws, making 13-of-20 attempts.
The Cougars dominated the glass with 16 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists. Emanuel Sharp and Brendan Hausen each scored 15 points, with Sharp hitting 3-of-6 from deep. Joseph Tugler and Ja’Vier Francis both contributed 11 points, with Tugler grabbing 10 rebounds and Francis adding 9 boards.
Houston’s defense was solid, holding their opponent to just 57 points on 40% shooting from the field. They limited two-point opportunities, with the other team making only 9 of 22 attempts.
From beyond the arc, Houston’s opponent hit 10 threes on 25 tries, also shooting 64% from the free-throw line, going 9/14. The Cougars gave up just 2 offensive rebounds in the game.