The Houston Cougars have won their last three games after losing to Texas Tech 82-81 on Feb. 1 at home. Meanwhile, Arizona is coming off a tough 73-70 road loss to Kansas State on Tuesday.
Find out who wins in our Houston vs. Arizona prediction. Will Houston continue its current hot streak with a road win over Arizona? Will the Wildcats bounce back?
Houston vs. Arizona Betting Preview
All Houston vs. Arizona odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.
- Spread
Houston -1.5 - CSN Spread
Arizona -1.5 - Moneyline
Houston -125, Arizona +105 - Over/Under
137.5 Points - Game Time
Saturday, Feb. 15, 2 p.m. ET - Location
McKale Center | Tuscon, Arizona - How To Watch
ESPN
Houston has won 11 of 12 games since January and is undefeated on the road this season at 6-0. The Cougars are currently 20-4 with a 12-1 conference record, while Arizona is 17-7 with an 11-2 mark.
It is a battle of trends, as the Wildcats are 11-1 at home this season, while the Cougars remain unbeaten on the road.
A Houston win would give the Cougars full control of the Big 12 regular-season title race, as they would hold a two-game lead with six contests remaining.
Houston vs. Arizona CSN Power Rankings Line
Our metrics system has an interesting take with Arizona being favored by 1.5 at home. In a top-15 matchup, home-court advantage could be huge. It will certainly be a road test for Houston.
Prediction for Houston vs. Arizona
These are two of the three best teams in the Big 12 this season, and Arizona’s inconsistency beyond the arc could be the telling factor in this game.
Despite averaging 82.3 points per game (24th in the nation), Arizona is shooting 31.8 percent from three-point range (297th in the nation).
Caleb Love leads the team with 15.8 points per game but is a streaky shooter who produces primarily on volume. In the last 10 games, the former North Carolina guard is 25-for-79 from deep, including an 0-for-7 performance against Kansas State earlier this week.
Defensively, Houston is one of the best teams in the country, allowing just 57.3 points per game. The Cougars are known for their physicality and dominance on the defensive end, which could limit Arizona’s offensive output.
Additionally, Arizona will need to execute in the half-court offense, as Houston limits the Wildcats’ opportunities in transition—averaging only 8.6 turnovers per game, which ranks fourth in the country.
Arizona will need to force the issue by playing a full-court press and speeding up Houston’s offense. This approach could lead to turnovers and create fast-break opportunities.
If the Wildcats can shoot efficiently from the field while taking care of the ball, they have a legitimate shot at winning.
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Teams that light up the scoreboard while scoring efficiently can minimize the impact of any elite defensive team, but Arizona is simply not efficient enough to completely overcome Houston’s standout defense.
The Cougars can take control early with their physicality and ball pressure. If that happens, Arizona could find itself in an early hole.
This should be a competitive game from start to finish, but since this is the only matchup this season, it’s hard to imagine a seasoned team with great chemistry like Houston falling short.
Given that I like the Cougars, I also lean toward the under, though as the score prediction shows, I don’t love betting on the total in this one. Take Houston and the points.
Prediction: Houston 71, Arizona 66
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