The conference schedule is more than a month away but college basketball fans take heart. We have some good old holiday tournaments. Houston is off to a 3-0 start but opens against Towson in Thursday's tip-off of the Charleston Classic. Teams finally will start playing more quality opponents eventually. At Online Sports Betting, we look at a matchup which might surprise. So, first, we look at Houston vs Towson Bets featuring the Houston Cougars.
- WHAT: Houston Cougars versus Towson Tigers
- WHEN: Thursday, November 16th, 2023, 6:30 pm ET on ESPN2 or streamed on FUBO TV
- WHERE: TD Arena, Charleston, South Carolina
- WHY: First Round Charleston Classic Matchup
Bettors are looking for some or any challenge for these games. The Houston vs Towson bets spotlight an undefeated team who happens to be number six in the nation. Now, NCAA College Men's basketball futures like Houston maybe a bit more than they should. Here is a quick table for the Cougars and Tigers tonight, courtesy of Bovada Online Sportsbook.
| College Basketball Thursday Night |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston (-20) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Towson | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Houston vs Towson Bets Like Those Cougars
Houston vs Towson Bets like those Cougars. So, what happened with Houstonin the last week? Honestly, they have had it rather easy. The Cougars are off to a 3-0 start and really have not played anyone of note. Kelvin Sampson are in for a challenge as the Houston coach is back in some familiar conference climbs. That is correct. Houston joined the Big 12 this season in basketball. The conference improves that much more.
Now, Houston is only averaging 81.7 points per game. On the other hand, this is a Cougars team that can clamp down defensively like few colleges. Overall, Houston has held their opposition to a mere 43 points per game (tops in the nation). Yes, it is early but this is a team that has ranked in the top three defensively since 2020. So even the early number should not surprise bettors at all. Honestly, Houston has not played anyone of consequence. That may change later in this tournament.
Currently, the Cougars should not be too concerned with the Towson Tigers. Vegas sites installed them as 20-point favorites pretty early. Houston has stayed the course and is once again primed to try and win 30+ games once again. As for Towson, they likely will try and battle for a spot in the NIT.
Kelvin Sampson Has Houston Playing Defense
The Houston vs Towson Bets go overwhelmingly in favor of Houston. Kelvin Sampson is not worried about Towson. Some were surprised by the spread being so low. Maybe, the bookies are seeing some teams struggle against the press of the Cougars. Whatever the reason, teams have managed 43 points game and an average of only 57 points a contest since 2020. In terms of advanced metrics, Houston ranks number one in overall defensive rating.
Houston ranked third in defensive rating last season and fourth the year before. Offenses will find Houston to be a considerable challenge and that goes for even the Big 12 teams. Powerhouses like Kansas and Texas are not going to have much fun trying to solve the Cougars' press. LJ Cryer leads the way again while averaging 15 points a game early on. This time of year is more about teams playing consistently.well. Defense seems to come first followed by the offense.
Those are some of the reasons why Sampson and Houston bettors have a few more options here on Thursday night. Houston is the only team in the Top 20 to see action. Light nights like these can cause some headaches. However, our goal will be to keep things simple.
Again, Purdue features three players from the Top 100 GSCI and that does not include Edey. If there is one matchup which looms big in this game, it is this center on center clash. Rutgers can keep the score down if Omoruvi shuts down Edey or gets him in foul trouble. Edey has not committed more than two personal fouls since a November 24th game against West Virginia.
Houston vs Towson Bets Laying Twenty Points?
So, Houston vs Towson Bets ponder the concept of Houston laying twenty points. Honestly, that should be a relief for the Cougars considering they are winning games consistently by 30 or more. Towson is the first teams to have a positive SRS rating of just above 5. However, the Cougars often do not get phased by this sort of thing. The expectations for Houston this season are sky high. Okay, let us get back to the task at hand.
The Cougars team is a Big 12 school that still plays a lot like the New York Knicks teams of the 90's with a bit more offensive punch. Despite their late NCAA Tournament deficiencies, the regular season force should easily top 75 points even against Towson. Yes, the Tigers have given up only 62 points a game, but Towson got blown out in Colorado for their opener. Does anyone expect any less versus the Cougars?
There is little reason that Towson can keep this close. Sadly for Towson, they had problems whenever Colorado upped their defensive intensity. They have not seen anything yet. Whether Houston lays 20 or 21 points means little. Take the points here anyway. Houston has a chance of winning by 25-30 points or even more on Thursday night.
What About The Under On Thursday Night?
Finally, Houston vs Towson Bets considers the under for Thursdaynight. This game saw that game totalr move a few times. The recommendation remains to play the Under anyway. After all, this contest only becomes a problem if the number slides below 125. Houston could win this game 75-50 or even 70-45. However, what if Towson can find a way to slow down Houston even a little bit? That makes the Under even more of a best bet..
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