Longwood vs. Houston: Predictions, Picks, Odds for Friday March Madness Game

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The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars will face the No. 16 seed Longwood Lancers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Houston Cougars recently suffered a major upset in the Big 12 title game, losing 69-41 to Iowa State. However, despite the loss, they still managed to secure a first place finish in the NCAA tournament. LJ Cryer was instrumental in helping Houston get to March Madness, averaging 15.3 points per game this season.

Longwood won the Big South Conference Tournament, securing its second NCAA Tournament appearance in three years, after defeating UNC Asheville 85-59. Walyn Napper leads the Lancers with an average of 14.6 points per game this season.

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No. 16 Longwood Lancers vs. No. 1 Houston Cougars Predictions

ESPN: Houston has 98% chance of winning

According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Houston Cougars have a 98.6% chance of beating the Longwood Lancers in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

BetMGM: Houston will win

The staff writes: “The winning team model predicts that Houston will win this college basketball game with 95.0% confidence, based on game simulations, player injuries, key player performances and recent confrontations.”

Action Network: Houston

Shane McNichol writes: “The Lancers rank 257th in the nation in turnover rate, and also rank last in that stat in Big South play by turning the ball over on over 18% of their possessions. That’s blood in the water for a Houston team that Ranked in the top three in the nation in forced turnovers, steals and blocked shots, Houston has played 11 games against teams outside of KenPom’s top 100 this season. Those 11 opponents averaged 46.6 points against Houston. in the Big 12 title game will stifle Longwood. Look for Houston not only to cover, but for a devilishly low team total for the Lancers.

Betting Lines, Odds for No. 16 Longwood Lancers vs. No. 1 Houston Cougars

Houston Cougars are favored to overcome the Longwood Lancersaccording to BetMGM Odds.

Odds from Friday:

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Longwood Lancers channel #16 vs. Houston Cougars channel #1, 24/7 news

How to watch NCAA men’s basketball March Madness 2024

All games will be broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.

How to watch: Catch March Madness with a Fubo subscription

March Madness Printable Bracket

You can find printable support for the men’s tournament here.

Printable support from the women’s tournament is available here.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Longwood vs. Houston: Predictions, Picks, Odds for March Madness Game