Mar 16, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson talks with ahead Jarace Walker (25) towards the Northern Kentucky Norse through the second half within the first spherical of the 2023 NCAA Match at Legacy Area. Obligatory Credit score: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports activities
- High-seeded Houston is a 6.5-point favourite over #9 Auburn in an NCAA Match second-round sport Saturday evening in Birmingham, AL
- Houston misplaced All-American guard Marcus Sasser in Thursday’s win over Northern Kentucky
- A have a look at the Auburn vs Houston odds and predictions will be discovered beneath
Banged-up #1 seed Houston faces #9 seed Auburn in an NCAA Match second-round sport at 7:10 p.m. ET Saturday at Legacy Area in Birmingham, Ala.
Houston (32-3, 18-16-1 ATS) misplaced All-American guard Marcus Sasser when he reaggravated a groin damage Thursday in a 63-52 win over Northern Kentucky within the first spherical. Sasser is questionable for the Cougars, who’ve received 14 of their final 15 video games.
Auburn (21-12, 16-16-1 ATS) beat Iowa 83-75 on Thursday within the first spherical for his or her second win within the final three video games. Nonetheless, the Tigers haven’t had back-to-back victories since successful 5 video games in a row from Jan. 7-21.
TBS will televise the sport.
Auburn vs Houston Odds
| Crew | Moneyline | Unfold | Whole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | +210 | +6.5 (-115) | Over 130.5 (-115) |
| Houston | -260 | -6.5 (-105) | Below 130.5 (-105) |
Houston is favored by 6.5 factors over Auburn and a -260 decide on the moneyline within the faculty basketball odds, giving it an implied win likelihood of 72.22%.
The Cougars are +450 favorites within the NCAA Match championship odds and Auburn is listed at +7500.
Odds as of March seventeenth at FanDuel Sportsbook. See the very best March Insanity betting apps.
Everybody Will get in Act for Auburn
Auburn had six gamers rating in double figures within the win over Iowa with sophomore ahead Johni Broome main the way in which.
Broome had 19 factors, 12 rebounds and 5 blocked photographs. It was his 10th double-double of the season.
That continued an impressive season for Broome, who’s averaging 14.2 factors, 8.5 rebounds and a couple of.4 blocked photographs a sport. He’s third in SEC in scoring and blocks and his 52.8 taking pictures proportion is fourth.
.@AuburnMBB‘s Johni Broome is the primary SEC participant w/ 15+ PTS, 10+ REB, 5+ BLK in an NCAA Match sport since Anthony Davis in 2012 pic.twitter.com/IYAxbYpafx
— CBS Sports activities (@CBSSports) March 17, 2023
Junior guard Wendell Inexperienced Jr. added 15 factors, three assists and three steals. Auburn additionally bought 11 factors every from senior ahead Jaylin Williams, junior guard Ok.D. Johnson and freshman guard Tre Donaldson.
Senior guard Allen Flannigan notched his first double-double of 2022-23 as he completed with 10 factors, 10 rebounds and 4 assists.
The Tigers dedicated simply seven turnovers.
Inexperienced has averages of 13.9 factors, 4.1 assists and 1.8 steals and Williams’ averages are 11.1, 4.8 and a couple of.3. Inexperienced is fourth within the SEC in assists.
Flanigan is scoring 10.1 factors per sport.
Auburn has among the best defenses within the nation as it’s fifth in three-point taking pictures allowed (28.8%) and 30th in total discipline aim protection (40.7%). Nonetheless, the Tigers are taking pictures 31.4% from three-point vary, rating 321st.
Marcus Sasser Damage Updates for Second Spherical
Sasser left the win over Northern Kentucky within the first half and didn’t return. He performed 14 minutes and scored 5 factors and Houston missed his exterior taking pictures because it was simply 4 for 16 (25%) on three-pointers.
Sasser initially injured his groin within the American Athletic Convention Match semifinals then sat out Houston’s loss to Memphis within the championship sport.
With a 16.7 point-a-game common, Sasser leads Houston in scoring. He’s additionally averaging 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals.
Sasser’s Picket Award odds are +10000.
Marcus Sasser, who’s beginning tonight, working with John Houston, UH’s affiliate athletics director for sports activities medication. pic.twitter.com/OEFB7ntYMM
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) March 17, 2023
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson revealed after the sport that junior guard Jamal Shead is enjoying via knee soreness.
Towards Northern Kentucky, Shead had 13 factors and 6 assists in 36 minutes. He’s averaging 10.4 factors, 5.4 assists and 1.8 steals whereas standing third within the AAC in assists.
Freshman ahead Jarace Walker led Houston with 16 factors and 6 rebounds on Thursday. Junior ahead J’Wan Roberts had 11 factors, 12 rebounds and 4 assists for his seventh double-double this season. Freshman guard Emmanuel Sharp pitched in with 10 factors off the bench.
Walker is scoring 11.2 factors and grabbing 6.6 rebounds a sport. Roberts is averaging 10.4 factors and seven.9 rebounds, which is fifth within the convention.
Houston held Northern Kentucky to 27.5% (19 of 69) taking pictures and 5 for 33 (15.2%) from three-point vary. The Cougars had a 42-33 rebounding edge however turned the ball over 17 instances.
Auburn vs Houston Prediction
Houston has received 5 straight video games over Auburn, however they final met through the 1982-83 season. Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler had been the celebrities for the Phi Slama Jama Cougars then and Charles Barkley was the Tigers’ chief.
Sasser is the largest star on both group on this matchup. His questionable standing and Auburn enjoying simply two hours from campus make the Tigers an intriguing underdog.
Choose: Auburn +6.5 (-115)
Season file: 33-30 (+0.0 models) ATS, 4-10 (-5.5 models) ML
March Insanity second-round predictions:
March Insanity first-round predictions:
John Perrotto
John Perrotto has been overlaying and writing about sports activities for varied shops for over 40 years. His work has appeared within the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Related Press, Baseball Digest, and extra. John is predicated out of Beaver Falls, PA.
