Idaho vs. Houston, Picks and Prediction, Thursday, March 19, 2026
Use Code WWWC #15 Idaho (21-14, 9-9 Big Sky) will be trying to pull off an upset when they face #2 Houston (28-6, 14-4 Big 12) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night. The game will be played at Paycom Center, and it is scheduled to begin at 10:10 PM. ET. Read on to find out which team picks up the win in this Vandals vs. Cougars prediction. Struggling with handicapping? Try our NCAAB Predictions!
The Vandals are coming off a 77-66 win over Montana as 3.5-point favorites. The Cougars are coming off a 79-74 loss to Arizona as 1.5-point underdogs.
Idaho Going For Sixth Consecutive Win
The Vandals finished seventh in the Big Sky after closing out their season with a win over Eastern Washington to finish at .500 in conference play. They reeled off four straight wins in the Big Sky Tournament to earn their spot in the NCAA Tournament, and will try to pull off the biggest upset in school history when they play on Thursday.
Idaho averages 78.7 points per game. They’ve made 45 percent of their field goals and 36 percent of their three-pointers.
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Kristian Gonzalez leads the Vandals with 18 points per game. Jackson Rasmussen averages 13.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, while Kolton Mitchell averages 13.7 points and 3.9 assists per game.
Idaho is giving up 72.6 points per game. Opponents have made 44.1 percent of their field goals and 35 percent of their three-pointers against them.
Houston Trying To Bounce Back From Loss
The Cougars finished second in the Big 12 this season. Their loss to top-seeded Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament championship game snapped their five-game losing streak, and they will try to bounce back from the loss with a win on Thursday.
Houston averages 77.1 points per game. They’ve made 45 percent of their field goals and 35 percent of their three-pointers.
Kingston Flemings leads Houston with 16.4 points and 5.3 assists per game. Emanuel Sharp averages 15.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, while Milos Uzan averages 11.1 points and four assists per game.
Houston is giving up 62.9 points per game. Opponents have made 40 percent of their field goals and 32.1 percent of their three-pointers against them.
Idaho vs. Houston Picks
Point Spread Pick for Idaho vs. Houston
- Houston Cougars -23.5 (4 Units)
The Cougars have the edge in this game because they’re playing well offensively, scoring more than 77 points per game, while making over 45 percent of their shots. They’ve also done a better job at the charity stripe, making over 77 percent of their free throws, while the Vandals make less than 75 percent of theirs. They rebound the ball well, and they grab more than 10 offensive rebounds per game, which will give them more scoring chances. They also do a good job of protecting the ball, and won’t give up many easy-scoring chances. The Vandals aren’t very good defensively, and they’re giving up more than 74 points per game on the road, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Cougars. Take Houston to cover the spread.
Over/Under Pick for Idaho vs. Houston
- Under 137.5 (4 Units)
The Vandals average 78.7 points per game. They play at the 129th-fastest pace in the nation, averaging 71.5 possessions per game, and they’re facing a team that is giving up 62.9 points per game. The Cougars average 77.1 points per game. They play at the 328th-fastest pace in the nation, averaging 67.2 possessions per game, and they’re facing a team that gave up 69.3 points per game in their last three games. Don’t expect these teams to score enough points to push the score over the total.
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