Houston vs Cincinnati College Basketball Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Jan. 3

The Houston Cougars (12-1, 0-0 Big 12) aim to extend a six-game win streak when they visit the Cincinnati Bearcats (8-5, 0-0 Big 12) on January 3, 2026 at Fifth Third Arena.

Before you place your bet on this game at FanDuel Sportsbook, here are the NCAA basketball odds and spreads you need to know.

Houston vs. Cincinnati Game Info and Odds

• Game day: Saturday, January 3, 2026
• Game time: 2 p.m. ET
• TV channel: FOX
• Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
• Arena: Fifth Third Arena

Houston vs. Cincinnati Picks and Prediction

All college basketball win probability predictions and picks are according to numberFire.
Prediction: Houston win (69%)

Before you bet on Saturday's Houston-Cincinnati spread (Houston -7.5) or total (135.5 points), see the betting insights and trends below.

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Houston vs. Cincinnati: ATS Betting Stats and Trends

• Houston is 6-7-0 ATS this season.
• Cincinnati has compiled a 5-8-0 ATS record so far this season.
• Houston covers the spread when it is a 7.5-point favorite or more 45.5% of the time. That's more often than Cincinnati covers as an underdog of 7.5 or more (never covered this season).
• The Cougars owned a worse record against the spread when playing at home (10-7-0) than they did in road games (7-3-0) last season.
• Against the spread last season, the Bearcats had better results on the road (7-6-0) than at home (7-10-0).

Houston vs. Cincinnati: Moneyline Betting Stats

• Houston has been chosen as the moneyline favorite in nine games this year and has walked away with the win eight times (88.9%) in those games.
• The Cougars have not lost in six games this year when favored by -400 or better on the moneyline.
• Cincinnati has lost all four of the games it has been the moneyline underdog this season.
• The Bearcats have played as a moneyline underdog of +310 or longer in only one game this season, which they lost.
• Houston has an implied victory probability of 80% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.

Houston vs. Cincinnati Head-to-Head Comparison

• Houston averages 78.7 points per game (152nd in college basketball) while giving up 60.0 per contest (third in college basketball). It has a +243 scoring differential overall and outscores opponents by 18.7 points per game.
• Emanuel Sharp is 123rd in the nation with a team-high 17.0 points per game.
• Cincinnati is outscoring opponents by 10.3 points per game, with a +134 scoring differential overall. It puts up 75.8 points per game (219th in college basketball) and allows 65.5 per contest (29th in college basketball).
• Cincinnati's leading scorer, Baba, is 449th in college basketball, averaging 13.6 points per game.
• The Cougars grab 33.6 rebounds per game (165th in college basketball) while conceding 28.1 per contest to their opponents. They outrebound opponents by 5.5 boards per game.
• Chris Cenac Jr.'s 7.4 rebounds per game lead the Cougars and rank 124th in college basketball play.
• The Bearcats rank 30th in the country at 37.7 rebounds per game. That's 5.6 more than the 32.1 their opponents average.
• Miller is fourth in the country with 11.5 rebounds per game, leading the Bearcats.
• Houston ranks 92nd in college basketball with 102.5 points scored per 100 possessions, and fourth in college basketball defensively with 78.2 points conceded per 100 possessions.
• The Bearcats score 93.2 points per 100 possessions (273rd in college basketball), while conceding 80.5 points per 100 possessions (13th in college basketball).

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