Memphis University Tigers Heavy Favorite in C-USA Title Game with Houston Cougars

The fifth-ranked and C-USA Tournament top-seeded Memphis Tigers (29-3) will be looking for their second consecutive championship and 30^th win on the season when they play the Houston Cougars (18-14) in the C-USA Tournament Championship game at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn. The game has an early 11:30 a.m. EST tip-off time and will be televised nationally by CBS. 

This will be the third meeting between the schools this season having played a home and home conference series with the Tigers winning both games. Memphis is installed as a -14 ½ favorite with a 142 ½ point total at offshore sportsbook BetUS.com.

On Jan. 11^th, Memphis traveled to Houston as a -8.0 road-favorite and came away with a 79-69 straight up victory. With the win, Tigers backers cashed on the line bet (ATS) while the OVER (155) paid off on totals betting. Memphis hosted Houston at FedEx Forum on Feb. 25^th and won SU 77-64 but came up short in covering the -17 ½ point spread. The UNDER (147) paid off on totals betting.

With a win in the Conference USA Tournament championship game on Saturday, Memphis would record back-to-back 30-victory seasons for the first time in the program’s history. The Tigers enter Saturday’s game with a 29-3 record. Last season, Memphis had a 33-4 overall record. 

The Tigers made it to the championship round by defeating Tulane by a score of 71-49 SU and covering the -19 point spread. They forced 14 of their 22 turnovers in the first half, turning them into 21 points and a 41-22 halftime lead. Chris Douglas Roberts led Memphis with 17 points, and Jeremy Hunt added 10 off the bench for the Tigers, who have tied BYU for the longest home winning streak. 

Houston defeated cross-town rival Rice by a score of 77-62 in the semifinals to earn its place in the championship game with Memphis. The Cougars, installed as an -8.0 point favorite, easily covered ATS while the OVER cashed on the 136 point total. 

Leading 29-23 at halftime, Houston put the game away with a 12-2, 5:50 run that gave the Cougars a 53-37 lead with 8:10 to go. The run was capped by an alley-oop dunk from Robert McKiver that Jahmar Thorpe slammed home and a deep three-pointer from Dion Dowell.

All five of Houston’s starters scored in double figures with McKiver leading the way, scoring a game-high 25 points and grabbing six rebounds. Oliver Lafayette finished with 17 points, Marcus Malone had 13, Thorpe 10 and Dowell added 11. 

All March Madness lines and totals can be found at BetUS.com.