The No. 4 Houston Cougars are poised to chase their second consecutive Big 12 regular-season title as they face off against the Cincinnati Bearcats on CBS and Paramount+ this Saturday. Houston (24-4, 16-1 Big 12) has enjoyed incredible success, winning 20 of its last 21 matchups, which puts them in a strong position for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

On the other hand, Cincinnati (17-11, 7-10) made it as high as No. 14 in early December but has faced challenges during conference play. However, they’ve regained their footing, winning five of their last seven games, thus re-entering the NCAA Tournament discussion.

Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET at the Fertitta Center in Houston. According to the SportsLine consensus odds, the Cougars are favored by 13.5 points, with an over/under of 125.5. For those interested in viewing the game, you can watch it on CBS and on Paramount+, which offers a seven-day free trial.

SportsLine’s computer model has simulated the match-up between Houston and Cincinnati 10,000 times, providing three prime betting insights for the game.

Top Betting Picks

• Over 125.5 (-111): Historically, games involving Houston have low scoring totals due to their aggressive defense. Nevertheless, they’ve surpassed the total in five out of their last eight games. Cincinnati has recently shown offensive improvement, exceeding 80 points three times in their last seven games. The model predicts a high chance of hitting the over in this face-off, tallying predicted scores of Houston 74, Cincinnati 62.
• Cincinnati +13.5 (-102): Despite a rocky start, the Bearcats have steadily climbed back into contention this season, aided by a successful two-game homestand, resulting in wins against TCU and Baylor. They’ve only lost two games by more than 14 points this season.
• Cincinnati Over 56.5 team total points (+105): The Bearcats are scoring more than 70 points on average this season, and while expectations may be low against Houston’s defense, the model still anticipates a strong showing from Cincinnati.

Make sure to watch the game live on CBS and Paramount+ for the thrilling outcome!