Temple at Houston College Basketball Picks & Predictions 12/30/2017

Saturday, December 30, 2017

H&PE Arena

Get todays College basketball odds and lines on this game.

The Temple Owls head to H&PE Arena to take on the Houston Cougars on Saturday, December 30, 2017. The opening line for this matchup has Houston as 7.5 point favorites.

Temple comes into this game with an overall record of 7-5. They currently have a point differential of 0.2 as they are averaging 72.3 points per game while giving up 72.2 per contest. Houston has an overall record of 11-2. They are averaging 81.0 points per game and surrendering 66.2, good for a point differential of 14.8.

Valuable Temple Owls Betting Trends

The Temple Owls are 4-7 against the spread this season

The Temple Owls are 8-4 against the over/under this year

Important Houston Cougars Betting Trends

The Houston Cougars are 6-3 against the spread this season

The Houston Cougars are 4-5 against the over/under this year

Key Temple Owls Injuries

No key injuries to report

Key Houston Cougars Injuries

No key injuries to report

Player Spotlight

Quinton Rose averages 16.7 points per contest while playing 35 minutes per night this year. He grabs 5.8 rebounds per contest and distributes 2.9 assists per game. His FG percentage is 49% while his free throw percentage is 65%. Levan Shawn Alston averages 14.9 points per contest in 33.6 minutes per game this year. He averages 2.3 assists per game and 3.8 rebounds per contest. His field goal percentage is 44% for the season while his free throw percentage is 94%.

Player Spotlight

Robert Gray Jr. scores 19.9 points per contest while playing 30 minutes per game this season. He hauls in 3.1 rebounds per contest and has 3.5 assists per game on the season. His FG percentage is 49% and his free throw percentage is at 85%. Devin Davis averages 11.8 points per game this year and he sees the court an average of 27.2 minutes per game. He also brings in 7.1 rebounds per game and has 1.6 assists per contest. His field goal percentage is 49% and his free throw percentage is 59%.

Useful Team Statistics

Temple averages 72.3 points per contest this year, which is 229th in the nation. Their average scoring margin is 0.2 and their shooting percentage is 45% as a unit, which has them ranked 188th. From 3-point territory they shoot 36%, which is good for 157th in Division 1. They average 33.4 boards per contest and 12.3 assists per game, which ranks them 293rd and 287th in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they are 334th with 10.9 per game. The Owls allow 72.2 points per contest, which is 183rd in the country. They also surrender a 46% shooting percentage and a 33% average from 3-point range, ranking them 257th and 126th in defensive field goal percentage. Opponents average 36.3 rebounds a game which ranks 241st, and they allow 14.6 assists per game which puts them in 262nd place in college basketball. They force 12.2 turnovers per game which ranks them 58th in D-1.

Useful Team Statistics

Houston is 69th in the country with 81.0 points per contest this season. They are 57th in the nation in shooting at 48%, while their average scoring margin is 14.8. They shoot 41% from beyond the arc, which is good for 25th in Division 1. They are 49th in the country in rebounding with 39.6 boards per contest and 101st in assists per game with 15.3. The Cougars are 169th in turnovers per contest with 13.6. The Cougars give up 66.2 points per game, which ranks them 60th in the nation. Their defense surrenders a 39% shooting percentage and a 33% average from behind the 3-point line, ranking them 39th and 95th in those defensive statistics. They rank 34th with 10.7 dimes allowed per game and 35th with 31.2 boards surrendered per contest. The Cougars are 224th in college basketball in forcing turnovers with 14.6 per contest this year.

Advanced Statistics

The Owls are 148th in the nation in offensive rating with 106.5, and their defensive rating of 106.3 is ranked 282nd. In terms of pace they are 305th in the country with 67.9 possessions per 40 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 51% is 197th. As a team they are 218th in college basketball in true shooting percentage with 54% and they shoot 3-pointers on 36% of their shots, ranking 199th in Division 1. Temple is 321st in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 14 times per 100 possessions while forcing 15.5 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 52%, which is 248th in the nation.

Advanced Statistics

Houston is 166th in the country in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 16.5 times per 100 possessions while forcing 18.2 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 46%, which is 42nd in Division 1. The Cougars are 56th in the nation in defensive rating with 93.5, and their offensive rating of 114.5 is ranked 37th. They are 191st in D-1 in pace with 70.7 possessions per 40 minutes, and their eFG% of 56% is 46th. As a unit they are 47th in college basketball in true shooting percentage with 59% and they shoot 3-pointers on 37% of their shot attempts, ranking 189th in the country.

Who will win tonight's Temple/Houston college basketball game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take Temple +7.5

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