Houston is coming into this Round 2 South matchup in an interesting position after squeaking past Northern Kentucky in a close 2023 March Madness opener Thursday. Star guard Marcus Sasser will once again be a huge story here, after re-injuring his groin during Round 1.
On the other side, Auburn impressed against an Iowa team that absolutely couldn’t find its shooting touch last game, especially in the first half. They will also once again play a pseudo-home game in Birmingham, Ala.
Read on for my Houston vs Auburn prediction and best bets.
Stuart Durst’s March Madness Betting Record: 4-6 (-0.88 units)
Houston vs Auburn Odds
Note: CBB odds mentioned in this article for Houston vs Auburn were used from DraftKings Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted, and are current as of Friday, March 17, at 2 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Houston (-250) • Auburn (+210)
- Spread: Houston -5.5 (-110) • Auburn +5.5 (-110)
- Total: Over 132 (-110) • Under 132 (-110)
Houston vs Auburn Pick of the Day
Keep reading for more Houston vs Auburn betting tips.
Houston vs Auburn Prediction
Houston 68, Auburn 63
Not only does Houston have to worry about Sasser, but Jamal Shead is apparently also battling through a knee injury right now. Houston wasn’t the strongest offensive team in the world before this, but will really need to double down on their defense and rebounding.
Auburn was able to beat a terrible Iowa defense but now gets a polar opposite matchup here. Auburn starters only made three three-pointers last game but received surprising bench production from K.D. Johnson and Tre Donaldson, knocking down 6 from long range off the bench.
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Houston vs Auburn Best Bets
1H Under 63 (-122) • BetRivers Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 unit
Despite the amazing matchup last game, Auburn only scored 31 first-half points, getting a lot of their scoring production off the bench later in the game. They face a much tougher task here, with leading scorer Johni Broome facing a brutal paint matchup.
Houston only scored 31 in their opening-round game against NKU, and now they stare down a strong Auburn defense. Considering their injury concerns with Sasser and Shead, I think they win this game in a rather ugly fashion.
For this to go over, Auburn would have to get hot from three pretty early in this matchup, which is something I’m very willing to bet against.
Houston vs Auburn Same Game Parlay
Houston vs Auburn SGP (+235) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.25 units
- Houston -1.5 (-210)
- Auburn Under 68.5 Total Points (-240)
- Auburn +6.5 1H -300
Considering I’m expecting a low-scoring matchup, Auburn can easily stay in contention, especially in the first half. Houston will likely need to make some adjustments early on, and I expect them to pull ahead more in the second half.
Sasser and Shead will be interesting to monitor, but Houston will win this game on the backs of their aggressive rebounding and defense.
Houston vs Auburn Props
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