How the public is betting No. 11 Syracuse vs. No. 2 Houston in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

The Syracuse Orange continue to be dangerous as a double-digit seed as they find themselves back in the Sweet 16 where they’ll meet the No. 2 seed Houston Cougars, which have flown under the radar all season long.

Before taking a look at where the public is spending their money on this game, here’s a history of both teams in terms of how they’ve done against the spread all season long.

Here are the odds and bet splits for No. 11 Syracuse vs. No. 2 Houston in the Sweet 16 of the 2021 NCAA Tournament from DraftKings Sportsbook:

Against The Spread

Syracuse: +6.5 (73% of handle, 72% of bets)
Houston: -6.5 (27% of handle, 28% of bets)

Is the public right?

Yes, the 6.5 points feels like way too many for a Syracuse team that is playing very well right now. The latest KenPom rating shows a sizeable gap between these two teams, but after seeing the Orange knock down 50% of their 3-pointers in the last two games, it’s hard to see Houston pulling away for a seven-point win.

Moneyline

Syracuse: +235 (69% of handle, 62% of bets)
Houston: -295 (31% of handle, 38% of bets)

Is the public right?

Odds are Houston will win this game, but there is certainly value to be had taking Syracuse on the moneyline. If the Orange continue to make their 3-pointers at the rate they have been in this tournament, they will definitely come out with a win and have a decent shot even if there is a slight dip in their long range shooting.

Point Total

Over: 139.5 (48% of handle, 63% of bets)
Under: 139.5 (52% of handle, 37% of bets)

Is the public right?

The majority of bettors are wrong, but the majority of the money is going in the correct place because this one is going under. Houston ranks No. 309 in the country in possessions per game, and Syracuse ranks about average at No. 158. This is too many points, so we’re going to take the under.

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