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The No. 10 Houston Cougars will look to extend their winning streak to nine when they host the East Carolina Pirates on Saturday night.
Houston (16-2, 5-0 AAC) is coming off a 74-55 home victory over the USF Bulls earlier this week. The Cougars are rated ninth overall in KenPom, and they rate inside the top 15 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. Houston lost two of their top players for the rest of the season, but Kyler Edwards averages the most points among all the healthy players with 13.8 points per game.
East Carolina (11-6, 2-3 AAC) lost three of their last four games, and they’re coming off a 92-85 home overtime loss to the UCF Knights. The Pirates rate outside the top 150 overall in KenPom, and their defense has been the biggest struggle this season. They’re led by Tristen Newton, who is averaging 17.9 points, four rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 blocks. JJ Miles could remain out after missing three consecutive games, and Brandon Suggs could be out a while.
How to watch Houston vs. East Carolina
When: Saturday, January 22nd, 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Fertitta Center, Houston, TX
TV: ESPN2
Where to live stream online: WatchESPN, ESPN app
Live updates and stats: At DraftKings Sportsbook
Odds
Spread: Houston -19.5
Total: 142
The Pick
Houston -19.5
When the Cougars are at their best, they are crushing opponents by a significant margin and not letting up, and they’ve got a decent chance at making that happen in this scenario especially with East Carolina’s new injury issues. The Pirates are headed on the road for two games in a row after an overtime loss, while Houston is playing their second straight home matchup.
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