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Houston vs Northern Kentucky Predictions | Odds & Best Bets

Last Updated: Mar 14, 2023

The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (27-7) and the No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky Norse (22-12) will meet Thursday, March 16, at 9 p.m. ET in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

The biggest news story surrounding this game is the availability of star guard Marcus Sasser. While he was a game time decision for their conference championship against Memphis, the Cougars are keeping details relating to his availability close to their chest.

Sasser was part of this Houston team’s 2021 Final Four tournament run, and his availability is important to the spread.

Read on for my Houston vs Northern Kentucky prediction and best bets.

Houston vs Northern Kentucky Seed Odds

Note: CBB odds mentioned in this article for Houston vs Northern Kentucky were used from FanDuel Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted, and are current as of 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 14.

  • Moneyline: Houston (-4500) | Northern Kentucky (+1600)
  • Spread: Houston -19.5 (-110) | Northern Kentucky +19.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under: Over 122.5 (-110) | Under 122.5.5 (-110)

Houston vs Northern Kentucky Best Bet

Keep reading for more Houston vs Northern Kentucky betting tips.

Houston vs Northern Kentucky Prediction

Houston 71, Northern Kentucky 50

Northern Kentucky has been stronger on the defensive side of the ball than on offense this season, posting 68.2 points per game, 271st in the nation. They are only allowing 63.6 points per game to their opponents this season, which ranks 28th in the nation.

While this may be a viable strategy in their conference, it’s going to be much harder to execute against an elite team like Houston.


📈 Keep track of NCAA Tournament winner odds to find our best March Madness bets:


Houston vs Northern Kentucky Best Bets

1H Under 57.5 (-110) | FanDuel Sportsbook

WAGER: 0.5 Units

This is an incredibly tough game to bet, but I’m going to take the first-half Under in hopes Houston comes out a little discombobulated, possibly missing their leading scorer. Neither of these teams is going to play particularly fast here, ranking 342nd and 328th in pace this season.

There has only ever been one No. 16-seed upset, so I would feel very confident picking Houston in my pool, whether or not Sasser suits up. Houston will be able to control this game early on, and even if they struggle to score at first, they will give Northern Kentucky an even tougher matchup on the other side of the ball.

Houston vs Northern Kentucky Same Game Parlay

Houston vs Northern Kentucky SGP (-110) | DraftKings Sportsbook

WAGER: 0.5 Units

  • Houston Team Total O65.5
  • Northern Kentucky Team Total Under 56.5

Houston vs Northern Kentucky SGP

Here we get some exposure to the very slow pace, with Houston still getting the job done in the end. Whether Sasser suits up or not, I don’t think Northern Kentucky is going to be able to stick around with Houston’s strength and athleticism.

On the other side, Northern Kentucky should struggle with those same problems on offense, and they will simply be outmatched in this one.

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