Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville Prediction, Odds & Preview Today: NCAA Tournament First Round Best Bets
In one of the biggest mismatches of the NCAA Tournament, No. 1 seed Houston (30-4) opens its March Madness run against No. 16 SIU Edwardsville (22-11), with tipoff coming at 2 p.m. ET (TBS) from INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kans.
Our Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville predictions, odds, and preview look at whether the underdogs can cover an absolutely massive number on the spread, or if the favorites will run over them as expected.
We know the Cougars will advance to the next round of the March Madness bracket in the Midwest Region, but by how much will they win? As part of our March Madness predictions, we see nearly 30 points as a lofty line to cover against a defensively sound SIU Edwardsville squad.
🏀 Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville prediction & picks today
Here are my best Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville predictions for the first round of the NCAA Tournament; use our parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay:
✅ Against the spread pick: SIU Edwardsville +29.5 (115 via BetMGM) vs. Houston ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔥 Best player prop bet: Ray’Sean Taylor Over 14.5 points (-120 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎯 Exact score prediction: Houston 77, SIU Edwardsville 51 (+23000 via FanDuel)
👉 Want more picks? Check out our latest college basketball picks and the rest of our March Madness first-round predictions.
🤖 See our March Madness AI bracket predictions for every game through Monday, April 7
🔢 Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville updated betting action
- 58% of bets are on No. 1 Houston to cover (-28.5)
- 58% of bets are on the Over (126.5)
- The total opened at 127.5. It has dropped to 126.5 as of Thursday at 8:49 a.m. ET
- The No. 1 Cougars opened at -29.5 and are the 28.5-point betting favorites (BetMGM) as of Thursday afternoon
🏆 Best Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville pick, player prop bet & score prediction
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✅ SIU Edwardsville to cover the spread: +29.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
By all accounts a March Madness odds contender, Houston should dominate this game. But doing so to the extent of the massive point spread is another matter.
Houston is obviously capable, having won several games by 29 or more points during the season, including a 31-point win over tournament team BYU. But SIU Edwardsville has an 18-12-1 record against the spread this season, slightly superior to Houston’s 18-16 ATS mark.
SIU Edwardsville lost by a margin greater than this spread only once, and it came against Illinois, which runs the 18th-fastest adjusted tempo in the nation. Unless the underdogs start turning the ball over at a disproportionate rate, Houston’s 360th-paced adjusted tempo should allow SIU Edwardsville (261st in adjusted tempo) to stay within the number.
📊 Best odds: -110 via FanDuel ($10 to win $9.09)
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🔥 Ray’Sean Taylor Over 14.5 points ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It’s unconventional, but I'm riding with Taylor, the leading scorer from the side whose team total doesn’t even scratch 50.
It’s hard to imagine a scorer as prolific as the Cougars' Taylor not showing out in the NCAA Tournament setting, the first tournament appearance in school history. He averaged 19.3 points per game and scored 15+ points in 26 of 33 games this season.
While SIU Edwardsville's low projected scoring total is a risk, I’ll point to the effort of Hofstra point guard Cruz Davis as an example of how things could still break right for Taylor on Thursday. Earlier this season, Houston beat Hofstra 80-44, with Davis scoring 18. Even in a loss, Taylor should shine.
📊 Best odds: -120 via BetMGM ($10 to win $8.33)
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🎯 Score prediction: Houston 77, SIU Edwardsville 51
SIU Edwardsville's team total points sit at a paltry 49.5 at FanDuel, a sign that the market doesn’t expect the Cougars to penetrate the vaunted Houston defense.
While there’s no perfect comparison from its regular season schedule to what it will face against Houston, SIU Edwardsville scored 61 and 58 points against Indiana and Illinois earlier.
Houston’s methodical pace relative to those teams lends itself to a low-scoring SIU Edwardsville game, but I’m predicting Ohio Valley’s Cougars to play for pride and sneak over 50 points in garbage time.
📊 Best odds: +23000 via FanDuel ($10 to win $2,300)
🤖 Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville Seed AI prediction
For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze historical trends and live NCAA Tournament stats before predicting the winner and exact score for Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville. Our AI prediction projects a final score of Houston 78, SIU Edwardsville 51.
🖥️ AI score prediction: Houston 78, SIU Edwardsville 51
- Houston’s defense will dictate the game – The Cougars allow only 58.5 points per game, ranking second nationally in scoring defense. Their aggressive perimeter defense and shot-blocking ability should smother SIU Edwardsville's offense, forcing turnovers and contested shots.
- first-ever tournament appearance is a huge step – Regardless of the outcome, this game marks a historic moment for SIU Edwardsville. Their OVC Championship run was impressive, and guard Taylor will look to make an impact, but they are facing an elite Houston squad that has thrived in March for years.
- Houston’s balanced offense will shine – While known for their defense, the Cougars also feature an efficient and balanced offensive attack. Led by L.J. Cryer, Houston shoots 36% from three-point range and excels at moving the ball to find open looks. Houston's shooters should have a big day against an SIU Edwardsville team that struggles to defend the perimeter.
🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean SIU Edwardsville covering the spread (+29.5) and Over 126.5 points. ChatGPT is not a dedicated sports betting model, but it can identify data that March Madness bettors might overlook.
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📊 Live Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville odds
Follow the latest live March Madness college basketball odds and real-time NCAA Tournament scores for the first round.
Latest Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville odds
Our updated Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville odds are via BetMGM.
Spread
Houston is a 28.5-point betting favorite ahead of tipoff. It briefly traded at -29.5 after opening two points below, and it settled right in the middle.
Total
This total opened at 127.5 but quickly fell to 126.5, where it has remained ever since. The Over is juiced to -115.
Moneyline
Houston opened as a mammoth -10000 moneyline favorite and, as you'd expect, that never moved with the public reluctant to bet either side.
🔢 Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville opening odds
- Spread: Houston -29.5 (-105) | SIU Edwardsville +29.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Houston -10000 | SIU Edwardsville +3300
- Over/Under: Over 127.5 (-105) | Under 127.5 (-115)
📅 Check out the full March Madness first-round schedule and opening odds.
🔮 Midwest Region expert picks
- Midwest Region betting preview
- Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville prediction
- Gonzaga vs. Georgia prediction
- McNeese vs. Clemson prediction
- Purdue vs. High Point prediction
- Illinois vs. Xavier prediction
- Kentucky vs. Troy prediction
- UCLA vs. Utah State prediction
- Tennessee vs. Wofford prediction
📺 How to watch Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville: NCAA Tournament first round
📅 Date: Thursday, March 20
🕗 Time: 2 p.m. ET
📍 Location: INTRUST Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.)
📺 TV: TBS
💻 Streaming: March Madness Live
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