Miami vs. Houston NCAA Tournament picks, predictions, odds: Who wins March Madness game?
No. 5 seed Miami and No. 1 seed Houston face off on Friday in an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game.
The regional semifinal game is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. MST and can be seen on CBS.
Who will win the game?
Check out these picks and predictions for the contest.
Houston is a 7.5-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
The Cougars are -330 on the moneyline. The Hurricanes are +260.
The over/under for the game is set at 138.5 points.
More:March Madness Sweet 16 game picks, predictions: More upsets in NCAA regional semifinals
OddsChecker: Take Houston to cover against Miami
It writes: "The spread here is 7.5 points. Normally that’d be too big for me to take considering how efficient Miami’s offense is. However, Houston has shut down every offense they’ve come across this year. Plus, they have a strong offense in their own right, which should be able to take advantage of their rebounding advantage and a mediocre Miami defense. So, while this spread should be close, Houston gets the slight edge."
March Madness Sweet 16 game picks, odds: Michigan State vs. Kansas State | Arkansas vs. UConn | Florida Atlantic vs. Tennessee | Gonzaga vs. UCLA | San Diego State vs. Alabama | Miami vs. Houston | Princeton vs. Creighton | Xavier vs. Texas
College Football News: Houston 76, Miami 70
Pete Fiutak writes: "Houston will have to deal with an offensive fight, but the defense is too good, too tough from the outside, and too physical on the inside. To stick with the theme throughout the Sweet 16 predictions, the better defense should be able to outlast the nastier offense."
NCAA Tournament schedule, TV: March Madness game times, channels, announcers, how to watch
Bleacher Nation: Houston 75, Miami 66
Andy Molitor writes: "In games this season it was favored by 7 points or more, Houston has a 17-14-1 record against the spread. The two teams average a combined 16.0 more points per game (154) than this game’s total of 138 points. Opponents of the two teams average a combined 9.8 fewer points per game (128.2) than this matchup’s total of 138 points."
NCAA Tournament odds: 2023 March Madness point spreads, money lines, over/unders for games
Odds Shark: Houston 77.4, Miami 68
The site predicts that Houston will win and cover the spread in the game on Friday. It has the total going over.
March Madness odds: Houston, Alabama 2023 men's NCAA Tournament favorites
ESPN: Houston 73, Miami 68
Jeff Borzello writes: "I'm wildly intrigued by this game. There are so many fun angles that could decide the outcome. First, the tempo. Houston will want to keep it mostly in the half court, while Miami will hope to get opportunities in transition. Second, the rebounding battle. Neither team is overly big, but Houston is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country and Miami just grabbed 20 offensive boards against Indiana on Sunday. Marcus Sasser, Isaiah Wong, Jamal Shead, Jordan Miller, Jarace Walker. I can go on forever. Man, I'm fired up for this one."
How to watch NCAA Tournament regional semifinal games: Michigan State vs. Kansas State | Arkansas vs. UConn | Florida Atlantic vs. Tennessee | Gonzaga vs. UCLA | San Diego State vs. Alabama | Miami vs. Houston | Princeton vs. Creighton | Xavier vs. Texas
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Miami vs. Houston NCAA Tournament March Madness game predictions, odds
