The Oklahoma Sooners (19-9) will host the Houston Cougars (25-3) in one of the Big 12 Conference games on Saturday. Scheduled to be played at the Lloyd Noble Center, the Sooners are 13-3 on home court and looking to stop the Cougars’ 6-game winning streak. Do Porter Moser and his boys have what it takes? We’ll know soon.
The Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners face a big challenge against a team that has been exceptional all season. They’ve struggled to win games and currently occupy the 8th position in the Big Conference table. Despite the season winding down, winning against the Cougars will be an outstanding achievement. The Sooners ( 7-8, Big 12) are coming into this game from a 58-45 loss against the Iowa State Cyclones, another top team in the conference. It never looked like they had a chance at the Hilton Coliseum as they fell to a first and second-half defeat. Rivaldo Soares had to carry the team throughout the game, recording 9 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Things could have changed if the Oklahoma Guard got enough help from some of the team’s top performers like Javian McCollum and Otega Oweh. Unfortunately, they didn’t live up to expectations. To stand a chance against the Cougars, they’ll have to do much more collectively.
The Houston Cougars
Kelvin Sampson and the boys will continue their charge to finish the NCAA regular season as champion of the Big 12 Conference. With three games left, this isn’t the time to be complacent. The Cougars are 5-3 on the road, and the last time they lost an away game was on February 2 against the Kansas Jayhawks. Since that defeat, they’ve won all their games, including the ones on the home court. Their last game was a 67-59 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats at the Hofheinz Pavilion. The Cougars (12-3 Big 12) performed brilliantly in the first half, finishing with a 26-17 scoreline and LJ Cryer scoring 15 points. Things were different in the second half, as they had a shaky performance, resulting in a loss by a point. The second-half outcome didn’t matter, thanks to their first-half performance. However, such a second-half performance can’t be repeated if they seek a win at the Lloyd Noble Center.
Head-to-Head Oklahoma vs Houston
In the last two meetings between these teams, each side won one apiece. The most recent was a 79-74 win for the Sooners in a non-conference regular season game in December 2011. Many things have changed since then, with the latest being the Cougars joining the Big 12 Conference in 2023. Based on their recent forms, the Cougars will likely win this encounter.
Purdue Boilermakers vs Michigan State Spartans
The 2023 Big Ten regular season champions, the Purdue Boilermakers, will host the Michigan State Spartans at the Mackey Arena on Saturday. The Boilermakers are 14-0 on the road, indicating that the Spartans have a huge task to win this tie. The Spartans (9-8, Big Ten) have lost back-to-back games after their 3-game winning streak. This isn’t the way they would have loved to come into an encounter with the No. 1 team in the Big Ten Conference. Tom Izzo and his boys’ most recent defeat was a 57-60 loss in the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Breslin Center. They looked like a team ready to take the win after their 32-22 first-half performance. The Spartans slipped up in the second half, allowing the Buckeyes to leave their home court with an unexpected victory. It was a disappointing night for Malik Hall and Tyson Walker despite their efforts in the game.
On the other hand, the Purdue Boilermakers (14-3, Big Ten) look more focused at this point in the season and with the March Madness drawing nearer. With the win over the Michigan Wolverines last Saturday, they remain in shape to go for another victory. Bar any upset, Zach Edey and his teammates should get the job done.
Head-to-Head Purdue vs Michigan State
In the last five meetings between these two sides, the Boilermakers have won four. The most recent game was in January 2023 at Mackey Arena, with the side securing a 77-61 win. Expectedly, Zach Edey had a team-high 38 points in the encounter. Backing him to score some points again could be a good option for bettors. However, you must understand that nothing is guaranteed when betting, and always bet within your means is the best strategy.
