Houston vs. Alabama Prediction, Odds, Tip for College Basketball

It’s time to continue our college basketball odds series with a Houston-Alabama prediction and tip. Find out how to watch Houston Alabama.

The Houston Cougars have already put themselves to the test against the Auburn Tigers. Now they face the other major SEC team from the state of Alabama, Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide. Houston led Auburn midway through the game a few weeks ago, but struggled on defense in the final 10 minutes. It was a disappointing loss for the Cougars, but it also has to be said that Auburn may be the No. 1 team in the country after beating Iowa State on Monday night in the Maui Invitational. Over time, this loss will look better for Houston, not worse.

Like Houston, Alabama lost one game this season. The Tide lost on the road to Purdue, but quickly recovered and won decisively at home against another Big Ten team, the Illinois Fighting Illini. Both Houston and Alabama are always ready to test themselves outside of the conference. You will play anyone, anywhere, anytime. Houston was a No. 1 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament and might have made the Final Four had star Jamal Shead not been injured in the Sweet 16 against Duke. Alabama reached the first Final Four in school history under Oats, a coach who was every bit as good as advertised in Tuscaloosa and expects to maintain an elite program as long as he chooses to stay there and not seek a bigger job.

Bettors need to know that this is not an on-campus game. It is a neutral game in Las Vegas as part of Feast Week.

Here are the Houston-Alabama college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel

College Basketball Odds: Houston-Alabama Odds

Houston: -4.5 (-108)

Money line: -192

Alabama: +4.5 (-112)

Moneyline: +158

Over: 150.5 (-110)

Under: 150.5 (-110)

Here’s how to watch Houston vs. Alabama

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT

TV: TBS

Stream: fuboTV (free trial)

Why Houston will cover the spread/win

The Cougars will be highly motivated to win this game after losing to Auburn earlier in the season. They know that Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, who places a heavy emphasis on coaching defense, toughness, effort and rebounding at a high level, wants his Cougars to settle in on defense and get a handle on Alabama. The remarkable thing about the Crimson Tide early in the season is that star guard Mark Sears hasn’t really gotten going yet. Sears played no role in the win over Illinois. He wanted the younger players on the roster to keep playing in the second half because, strictly speaking, they played well and played better than Sears. It’s true that Sears could leave at any time, but right now he’s out of rhythm. Houston is not the type of team that a struggling offensive player will generally get healthy against. If the Cougars can keep Sears in check, they will likely keep Bama’s offense in check as a whole and win the game handily.

Why Alabama will cover the spread/win

The Crimson Tide knows that Mark Sears is simply too good a player to continue struggling. He will be out, and when that happens, Houston’s defense simply won’t have the answers it needs to face Alabama. The Tide get almost five whole points with the spread, which almost feels like a steal. Alabama isn’t five points worse than Houston on neutral ground – maybe in Houston, but not on neutral ground. At least Bama will keep this game close, at least nothing else.

Final Houston-Alabama prediction and picks

The bias is toward Houston, but the spread seems too wide. We think you should either pass or wait for a live game.

Final Houston-Alabama Prediction and Tip: Houston -4.5