Notre Dame vs Houston Prediction, Picks, and Odds for Tonight’s College Basketball Game

Despite Houston's latest slip-up against Alabama, Chris Hatfield anticipates a massive bounce-back from the Big 12 contenders.

Chris Hatfield - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Chris Hatfield • Betting Analyst
Nov 27, 2024 • 15:32 ET • 4 min read
Information icon

This article contains predictions for an old game!

Latest NCAAB Picks
Milos Uzan Houston Cougars NCAAB
Photo By - Imagn Images.

The Notre Dame Irish and Houston Cougars will be one of multiple matchups that close out a loaded Wednesday of college basketball.

Although Houston's recent halftime lead against Alabama slipped away, ultimately falling in overtime on Tuesday, my Notre Dame vs. Houston predictions expect the Cougars to bounce back tonight. 

Find out more in my free college basketball picks for Thursday, November 27.

Notre Dame vs Houston prediction

My best bet
Houston -17 (-110 at bet365)

My analysis

Houston has advantages galore in this one, and my numbers agree, making the Cougars nearly 20-point favorites. I’m happily backing them with my best bet. 

We’ve seen significant steam in Houston since the opening number of -15.5, and it’s easy to see why. Head coach Kelvin Sampson boasts a sparkling ATS record after coming off a loss, and he’ll be in that spot on Thursday. 

Notre Dame is a mediocre defensive rebounding team that has posted some pretty average numbers on the season, having largely played some inferior programs. On the flip side, second-chance scoring is the foundational building block of the Houston program. It’s been a regular fixture in the Top 10 of offensive rebounding for nearly a decade, and this season has proven no different.

I expect Houston to have a significant advantage on the boards while maintaining elite efficiency from beyond the arc, entering tonight shooting at a Top-20 rate this season.

Meanwhile, how does Notre Dame generate points? Although head coach Micah Shrewsbury ranks highly in power rankings because of his ability to get the most out of his teams, he’s built a lousy hand in 2024. 

Although one of the weak spots in the Houston defense is fouling too much, Notre Dame gets to the line at one of the lowest rates in the country.

Notre Dame vs Houston same-game parlay

Houston -17

Notre Dame 1H team total Under 24.5

I expect Houston's defense to be at its best tonight, given the situational context and how the Cougs typically respond after a loss. I projected exactly 24.1 first-half points for Notre Dame, and I see value in this number at a solid plus-money price.

The paths for the Irish to score are few and far between, and that should be exhibited early on.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout

Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game CBB moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your school goes up by 18+ points!

Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Notre Dame vs Houston odds

Notre Dame vs Houston live odds

Notre Dame vs Houston opening odds

  • Spread: Notre Dame +15.5 | Houston -15.5
  • Moneyline: Notre Dame +1,200 | Houston -2,400
  • Over/Under: Over 136 | Under 136

Odds courtesy of bet365

Notre Dame vs Houston betting trend to know

The Cougars have hit the 1H moneyline in 29 of their last 35 games (+18.35 Units / 1% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Notre Dame vs. Houston.

How to watch Notre Dame vs Houston

Location: MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date: Thursday, 11-28-2024
Tip-off: 12:30 a.m. ET
TV: TBS

Notre Dame vs Houston key injuries

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

Pages related to this topic

Chris Hatfield - Covers.com
Betting Analyst

Chris has always had a passion for three things: solving problems, sports, and writing. It’s no wonder then that he found himself attracted to the sports betting industry. You can find Chris betting every day. Whether it’s shot prop markets in Champions League Soccer qualifiers or NBA Summer League, he has no offseason. As an EV+ bettor, he especially values the insight gained through a data-driven approach.

His work has been featured on various websites such as SBNation, Rivals, Bleacher Report, and 247Sports. He has appeared on radio outlets such as ESPN 680 and The Sharp 600 podcast. You can listen to his own podcast, “What High School Did You Go To?” on Apple Podcast and Soundcloud.

Chris has carved out a niche as a college basketball originator with massive profitability success in that sport and stresses one piece of advice to sports bettors: exploit edges as broadly as possible and take advantage of them while they last. His preferred sportsbook is bet365 because of the range of markets you can find.

Popular Content

Legal Canadian sports betting

Best Canadian betting sites Ontario sports betting
Covers is verified safe by: Evalon Logo GPWA Logo GDPR Logo GeoTrust Logo Evalon Logo