March Madness gets underway with the first wave of games taking place today. The game begins with TCU vs. Ohio State, as 16 games are on the schedule. Elsewhere, it’s the 2-seed Houston Cougars taking on No. 15 Idaho in an opening round clash. The Cougars obviously enter this game as the significant favorite, and Kelvin Sampson’s team is looking to avenge their loss in the National Championship Game last season with a deep tournament run. Still, all of those goals start by winning this first one against Idaho. Here’s a preview, prediction, key storylines, and updated odds to keep an eye on in this matchup as we get set for tonight’s game.
Houston vs. Idaho Basketball Updated Odds
The Cougars opened as a 22.5-point favorite over Idaho, with an over/under of 136.0 total points. By Thursday afternoon, the line moved to Houston -23.5 points, and an over/under of 138.5 total points.
Key Storyline: Elite Guards All Around
Everyone says that guards win you games in March, and this game is going to put that to the test. Both teams have incredible backcourts in this one, with Houston’s Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp, and Kingston Flemings, however not as much is known about Idaho. Let me be the first to tell you: don’t sleep on their squad. The Vandals have three different guards averaging more than 10 points per game, including Kolton Mitchell (13.7PPG), Biko Johnson (12.4PPG), and Isaiah Brickner (12.1PPG). If this game comes down to guards, it should be a whole lot of fun on both ends of the floor.
Match Up to Watch: Balance vs. Balance
Primarily, it’s wise to focus on one end of the court when discussing matchup breakdowns. In this case, both squads are elite on offense and on defense. Idaho enters the game with both the third-best offense in the Big Sky, averaging 78.7PPG, and the third-best defense in the league, surrendering 72.6PPG. Houston ranks No. 11 on offense in the Big 12, which for most standards isn’t good. The caveat to that is they haven’t needed many points to win because their defense is so special. The Cougars are giving up just 62.9 points per game this season, league best in the Big 12.
Prediction: Houston 91, Idaho 59
While it’s worth mentioning Idaho is a pretty good squad, the skill gap in talent still prevails. The Cougars have been battle tested by the best conference in college basketball, game in and game out, while Idaho’s taken on the Big Sky Conference. Not to take a shot at other leagues, but Idaho has never seen a team like Houston. They did close out the season on a five-game win streak, but unfortunately for the Vandals, their storybook ending comes to a close here against a Big 12 juggernaut.
