Miami vs. Houston 2023 March Madness Sweet 16 Odds and Preview

A spot into the Elite 8 is on the line Thursday when the Florida Atlantic Owls and the Tennessee Volunteers square off in timeless MSG. Can Florida Atlantic keep its unprecedented run in the Big Dance going, or will Tennessee put an end to those dreams?

Nitrobetting is ready to dish out key assists and lob passes with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 March Madness tournament. This time, let’s take a closer look at the upcoming Sweet 16 matchup between the Florida Atlantic Owls and the Tennessee Volunteers along with the latest NCAAB odds for this massive 2023 March Madness showdown.

Miami vs. Houston 2023 March Madness Sweet 16 Game Information

Heading to the #MarchMadness Sweet 16 ✈️ #ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/x6ZgW5dA3x

— Houston Men's Hoops (@UHCougarMBK) March 22, 2023

• When: Friday, March 24, 7:15 PM ET
• Where: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO
• TV: CBS
• Radio: 560 WQAM (Miami) // 103.3 The G.O.A.T. (Houston)
• Live Stream: March Madness Live
• NCAAB Betting Odds: Miami (+7) // Houston (-7)

READ MORE: Florida Atlantic vs. Tennessee 2023 March Madness Sweet 16 Odds and Preview

Why Bet on the Miami Hurricanes?

Flying under most people’s radars are the Miami Hurricanes, who just blew out a tough Indiana Hoosiers defense to the tune of an 85-69 win in the second round. The defending ACC champions are seen as relatively heavy underdogs in their Sweet 16 clash against Houston but head coach Jim Larranaga still had what it takes to make the Sweet 16 in back-to-back years.

Miami lives and dies with the performance of star guard Isaiah Wong, who scored a team-high 27 points in the win over the Hoosiers. Wong did get some help from fellow backcourt starter Jordan Miller, who scored 19 points of his own. Wong and Miller shot close to 55 percent from the field combined and the Canes’ offense is in good hands with these two rising stars.

However, Miami has one of the worst defenses in the nation in the regular season. Per KenPom, the Hurricanes are ranked a dismal 108th in Division I surrendering 101.7 points per 100 possessions. The ‘Canes did improve their defense in the first two rounds of the tournament, though, limiting Drake and Indiana to a combined average of 63.5 points per game.

Why Bet on the Houston Cougars?

For a moment there, it looked like the top-seeded Houston Cougars were in for an upset against the Auburn Tigers in the second round. Auburn led by 10 points at halftime, only for the Cougars to wake up and play like the true national contenders they were projected to be, cruising to an 81-64 rout over the Tigers.

The Cougars outscored their opponent 50-23 in the second half, and it’s their composure under pressure that makes them a huge threat in the Big Dance. It was also a valiant return for star player Marcus Sasser, who sat out the first round with a groin injury and came back against Auburn to score 22 points (five three-pointers). Tramon Mark joined Sasser in the 20-point scoring department as well with a game-high 27 points.

Houston’s offense has been prolific all season long, scoring 118,5 points every 100 possessions per KenPom (ninth in the nation). The team’s comeback victory the last time out only fuels the Cougars’ confidence and will gladly face a lackluster Miami defense ahead. Will their D be able to contain Miami’s key stars on the opposite end of the floor, or will they resort to a shootout that they’re more likely to win?

Miami vs. Houston Betting Trends

• Miami is 5-1 in its last six March Madness outings (SU/ATS).
• The Hurricanes are 5-1 in the last six games as underdogs (SU/ATS).
• The totals went under in six of Miami’s last seven games in the national tourney.
• Houston is 9-2 in its last 11 games played in the Big Dance since 2021 (7-4 ATS).
• The Cougars are 17-1 in the last 18 outings as favorites to win but just 7-11 against the spread in these contests.
• The totals went under in four of Houston’s last five games in the NCAA Tournament.

Miami vs. Houston Expert Prediction

Although we predict the Cougars to win this Sweet 16 clash outright, we’re also hesitant to bank on them to cover the current spread. Houston has not had the best ATS record during their recent rampage and Miami does have a competent offense to make things interesting. The Hurricanes should manage to cover and lose by no more than two scoring possessions.

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This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2022-23 NCAAB season previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest basketball betting odds on our online BTC sportsbook.