BYU vs. Houston Prediction, Odds & Score Picks: Big 12 Semifinal Best Bets

When it last faced Houston back on Jan. 4, BYU suffered its most demoralizing loss of the season, falling by 31 points deep in the heart of Texas.

With the battle of the Cougars set to take center stage on Friday in Kansas City, our BYU vs. Houston prediction, odds, and expert picks for this Big 12 semifinal anticipate a vastly different outcome as BYU looks to get its lick back.

BYU and Houston face off in the Big 12 semifinal at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., Friday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2).

💰 BYU vs. Houston predictions, expert picks & best bets: Big 12 semifinal

Here are my best BYU vs. Houston predictions, expert picks, and best bets today for Big 12 semifinal with my pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale. Be sure to check out the rest of our college basketball picks along with our guide on how to bet on college basketball.

• Against the spread pick: BYU +7 (-115 via Caesars) vs. Houston ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• My best player prop bet: Richie Saunders 17+ points (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Exact score prediction: BYU 71, Houston 69 (+33000 via FanDuel)

👉 Check out our latest March Madness projections with our SBR Bracketology ahead of the NCAA Tournament!

🏀 BYU vs. Houston ATS prediction & best player prop bet pick

Here's why I'm betting on BYU to cover the spread (+7) while targeting Richie Saunders 17+ points as my best player prop bet pick for today:

✅ BYU to cover the spread (+7) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Following a tough loss at Cincinnati on Feb. 8, BYU has been one of the most efficient and effective teams in college basketball. Torvik’s Power Ratings have the Cougars as the third-best team in the nation since that date as BYU has rattled off a 9-0 stretch and posted the top-rated adjusted offensive efficiency in the country during that span.

Although Houston ranks No. 2 in the sport in Torvik’s Power Rating over that same stretch, the miniscule difference between the elite level of play by these two teams represents a smaller margin than the hefty seven-point spread we’re seeing across our best March Madness betting sites.

BYU is 20-12 against the spread and is 4-2 ATS as an underdog this season. After being embarrassed against Houston in the previous meeting, BYU’s recent play combined with its desire to avenge that prior performance makes for an interesting recipe on Friday.

📊 Best odds: -115 via Caesars (bet $10 to win $8.70)

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🔥 Richie Saunders 17+ points ⭐⭐⭐⭐

BYU has had the best 2-point field-goal percentage in the country over its past nine games (61.2%). Houston’s two-point defense has ranked 46th nationally over the same span, a good-but-not-great standing that could put BYU in position to assert its impact on the interior.

Richie Saunders is a BYU forward who can score inside or outside, and he’s racked up 22 or more points in five of his last seven games.

In what is expected to be a lower-scoring environment than some of BYU’s recent games, we won’t get overly aggressive by taking an alternate points total for Saunders - but with the run he’s on, we like him for 17+ points with -105 odds.

📊 Best odds: -105 via DraftKings (bet $10 to win $9.52)

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🎯 Expert BYU vs. Houston score prediction

🔮 Expert score prediction: BYU 71, Houston 69

Houston’s impeccable defense and drawn-out pace of play leads to plenty of low-scoring games despite the its efficiency on offense. But BYU has possibly the hottest offense in college basketball, and that’s going to count for something in this matchup.

I’m looking for this game to clear the 135.5-point total as both sides display the potency and precision of elite offensive basketball to overcome what should be a slow pace featuring limited possessions.

BYU has had this one circled for months; now that it’s here just as its unit fires on all cylinders, I’m going out on a limb to predict an outright victory for the underdog.

📊 Best odds: +33000 via FanDuel (bet $10 to win $3,300)

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📊 Live BYU vs. Houston odds & latest betting splits

Here are the latest odds for BYU vs. Houston, which update live in real time. You can also check out our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool for the latest college basketball odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your region.

🔢 BYU vs. Houston opening odds

Here's a look at the opening odds for BYU vs. Houston according to BetMGM.

• Spread: BYU +7.5 (-110) | Houston -7.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: BYU +275 | Houston -350
• Over/Under: Over 135.5 (-110) | Under 135.5 (-110)

🏆 Who will win BYU vs. Houston?

As of Friday morning, Houston is favored by 7 points to beat BYU with moneyline odds of -325 at BetMGM, which suggest a 76.47% win probability for the Cougars. We're predicting a 71-69 win for BYU as our final score projection.

So far, 61% of bettors have wagered against the spread on BYU +7, while 63% of bettors expect the game to finish Over the projected total of 135.5 points.

📺 How to watch BYU vs. Houston tonight

📅 Date: Friday, March 14
🕗 Time: 7 p.m. ET
📍 Location: T-Mobile Center (Kansas City, Mo.)
📺 TV: ESPN2
💻 Streaming: ESPN App

❓ BYU vs. Houston FAQs

Who's favored to win the Big 12 tournament?

Houston is favored to win the Big 12 tournament with -135 odds at FanDuel.

Who is favored to win BYU vs. Houston?

Houston is favored to win with -325 moneyline odds at BetMGM, equating to an implied win probability of 76.47%. 

What are the betting odds for BYU vs. Houston?

The latest spread is BYU +7 (-115) | Houston -7 (-105), with a total of 135.5 points (-110).

What will be the final score of BYU vs. Houston?

We're predicting a final score of BYU 71, Houston 69 entering tonight's matchup at T-Mobile Center.

What time is BYU vs. Houston tonight?

Tipoff is scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. ET.

⛹️ Best college basketball betting sites

Looking to bet on college basketball tonight? Here are our best March Madness betting sites as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review, along with our best March Madness betting promos ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

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