March Madness Round 64 Lines: Auburn vs. Houston Betting Preview

The Auburn Tigers will look to eliminate a number one-seeded team on Saturday when they take on the Houston Cougars in the round of 32. Auburn defeated Iowa in the first round, while Houston took care of Northern Kentucky in the round of 64. The Cougars open as a (-8) favorite, while the total is currently set at 133.5 points. The game is scheduled for a 7:10 PM EST tip-off from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL, and will be broadcast on TBS.

We will now preview the game plus our betting prediction for this Round of 64 contest. Keep reading for college basketball betting lines, analysis, and a free pick for Auburn vs Miami.

2023 March Madness Round of 64 Game
No. 9 Auburn Tigers vs. No. 1 Houston Cougars Betting Preview

Auburn of Southeastern meets Houston of Big 12 in NCAA Tourney Second Round
ATS Odds: Houston -5.5
Moneyline Odds: Auburn +199 / Houston -250
Over/Under Odds: 131 -110
When: Friday, March 17 at 9:20 pm ET
Where: Legacy Arena at BJCC, Birmingham, AL
TV / Streaming: TBS

Why Bet on No. 9 Auburn versus No. 1 Houston?

You can’t say that Bruce Pearl’s club looked fantastic in their first-round victory, but the name of the game in March is survive and advance and that’s exactly what the Tigers did. The Auburn Tigers did look like they had returned to their early season form for roughly three-quarters of the contest when they led by 17, but Iowa was able to make a late run and make the final score respectable.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Auburn was their balance on the offensive end. Six players scored in double figures for Pearl’s club led by Johnni Broome’s double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds. The team committed just seven turnovers and had twice as many assists.

The cover of the -1.5 spread on Thursday brings the Tigers to 16-17 on the season against the spread which makes them difficult to get a read on. Heading into their first-round matchup with Iowa, the Tigers had covered in just two of their previous nine contests. Where they have been consistent lately is against the total. Auburn has gone over the total in five of their last six games and the relatively low total on this game could be a nice play.

Auburn Tigers Offensive Averages

Points/G: 73.0
FG %: 49.7
3PT%: 20.8
FT %: 70.5
Rebounds/G: 36.3

Auburn Tigers Defensive Averages

Points/G: 67.3
FG %: 45.7
3PT%: 19.5
FT %: 70.5
Rebounds/G: 35.3

Why Bet on No. 1 Houston versus No. 9 Auburn?

Houston was able to scratch out a first-round victory over Northern Kentucky, but it wasn’t easy. Kelvin Sampson’s team underperformed the 19.5-point spread by a fairly large margin, mostly due to the absence of all-American Marcus Sasser in the second half. Sasser strained his groin during the American Athletic Conference tournament, and his status for this game against Auburn is currently up in the air. Sasser was able to manage 14 minutes in the first half of Thursday’s contest and score five points and snatch a couple of rebounds.

Despite being one of the best teams in the country all season long, the Houston Cougars have been a difficult team to gauge when it comes to betting spreads. The Cougars are just 18-17 against the spread on the season and have covered just one of their last seven games. Houston does have a margin of victory number of over 18 points per contest, but they are outperforming the spread by less than a point per contest.

Houston Cougars Offensive Averages

Points/G: 74.7
FG %: 52.7
3PT%: 22.3
FT %: 72.2
Rebounds/G: 38.9

Houston Cougars Defensive Averages

Points/G: 56.4
FG %: 42.1
3PT%: 22.8
FT %: 69.3
Rebounds/G: 31.5

Auburn vs Houston Betting Trends

Houston is 18-16-1 ATS this season.
Auburn has covered 16 times in 33 games with a spread this year.
The Cougars average 74.7 points per game, 7.4 more points than the 67.3 the Tigers allow.
The Tigers score 16.6 more points per game (73.0) than the Cougars allow their opponents to score (56.4).
Houston has a 16-8-1 record against the spread and a 25-0 record overall when putting up more than 67.3 points.
When Auburn allows fewer than 74.7 points, it is 13-10 against the spread and 20-3 overall.
Auburn has put together a 14-14 ATS record and a 19-9 overall record in games it scores more than 56.4 points.
Houston’s record is 17-12-1 against the spread and 28-2 overall when it gives up fewer than 73.0 points.

Auburn Tigers vs Houston Cougars Betting Odds and Prediction

Marcus Sasser’s potential absence makes this contest a difficult one to get a good read on. That said, Auburn is not exactly an offensive juggernaut despite their propensity for the over recently. Regardless of Sasser’s status, the Cougars are going to slow the game down and play defense, take the under.

March Madness Pick: Take the Under. | Bet Auburn vs Houston Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game