Northern Kentucky Norse vs #1 Houston Cougars 3-16-2023

Northern Kentucky Norse vs Houston Cougars 3/16/2023 Picks Predictions Previews

Northern Kentucky Norse vs Houston Cougars 3/16/2023 Picks Predictions Previews

 

The #16 Northern Kentucky Norse will go against the #1 Houston Cougars in NCAAB action in Legacy Arena, Alabama, on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 9:20 PM ET.

 

In the final game of the Horizon League Tournament, Northern Kentucky defeated Cleveland State after winning five consecutive matches and seven of their past eight.

 

The Norse finished the season with a record of 22-12 overall and 14-6 in the Horizon League.

 

Northern Kentucky trailed Cleveland State by as much as four points in the first half before taking a three-point advantage into the break.

 

Midway through the second half, the Norse dominated by as many as seven points. With 2:54 left, they still had a six-point advantage, and they went on to win.

 

Northern Kentucky finished the game with a 37-29 rebounding deficit despite shooting 41.2% from the field, including five of 20 from beyond the arc.

 

In the victory, Marques Warrick led the Norse with 18 points and six rebounds.

 

The Norse are ranked 273rd in the nation in scoring offense going into this matchup with an average of 68.2 points per game.

 

Northern Kentucky averages 32.4 rebounds per game and 13.6 assists per game. By surrendering 63.6 points per game, the Norse are the 28th-worst scoring defense in the country.

 

Trevon Faulkner ranks third on the squad this season with 8.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

 

Sam Vinson averages 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while Marques Warrick tops the club with 19.1 points per game.

 

  • The Northern Kentucky Norse is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 matches.
  • The total went UNDER in 5 of Northern Kentucky’s last 7 matches.
  • The Northern Kentucky Norse is 5-0 SU in their last 5 matches.

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Northern Kentucky Norse vs Houston Cougars Predictions 3/16/2023

 

When Houston lost to Memphis in the AAC Tournament championship game on Sunday afternoon, their 13-game winning streak was broken. The Cougars finished the season with a record of 31-3 overall and 17-1 in conference play.

 

With 3:37 left in the first half against Memphis, Houston was down 40-20 after being outscored 25-6 in the first half.

 

In the half, the Cougars reduced the deficit to 15, and with 12 minutes left, they closed to within five, but they were unable to come any closer.

 

Simply put, Houston ran out of gas and was defeated.

 

In the contest, Memphis was able to shoot 50.9% from the field because of the Cougars’ poor field goal percentage (31.3%), which included six of 25 attempts from beyond the arc. 

 

The Cougars’ offense averaged 75 points per game this season, which ranks them 101st in the country. Houston averages 14.8 assists per game while pulling down 38.8 rebounds per game, ranking 19th overall.

 

The Cougars’ scoring defense, which allows an average of 56.5 points per game, ranks second in the country. Marcus Sasser leads the club this season with 17.1 points and 3.2 assists per game.

 

He is one of four players with ten or more points this year.

 

Averaging more than 4.5 points per game are Jarace Walker (11.1 points, 6.6 rebounds), Tramon Mark, J’Wan Roberts (10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds), Jamal Shead (10.3 points, 5.4 assists), and Ja’Vier Francis.

 

  • The Houston Cougars are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 matches.
  • The total went UNDER in 4 of Houston’s last 6 matches.
  • The Houston Cougars are 13-1 SU in their last 14 matches.

#16 Northern Kentucky Norse vs #1 Houston Cougars. The NCAAB pick for this game is the #1 Houston Cougars.

 

Although Northern Kentucky was strong in the last stretch, this represents a significant step up in competition for them.

 

Although the Cougars are second in the country in scoring defense for the year, the Norse was strong defensively.

 

For a club like Northern Kentucky, which struggled offensively throughout the whole season, that is a challenging challenge.

 

Houston may decide not to use Sasser in this game in an effort to get him closer to 100%, but the Cougars still have a multitude of offensive alternatives at their disposal.

 

The Cougars win this game thanks to their ability to perform well on both sides of the floor. The #1 Houston Cougars will win to a predicted score of 71-52.

 

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Northern Kentucky Norse vs Houston Cougars 3/16/2023 Picks Predictions Previews

NCAAB Starting Time: 9:20 PM (EDT)

 

Location: Legacy Arena, Alabama

 

Date: Thursday, March 16, 2023

 

TV: TNT

 

NCAAB Odds: #16 Northern Kentucky Norse +18.5

 

NCAAB Totals: 121.5

 

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