Houston and SIU Edwardsville are set to clash in a matchup between Cougars in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 20th.
Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. central on TBS. Houston (30-4) is listed as a No. 1 seed, while SIU Edwardsville (22-11) is listed at No. 16.
Thursday’s game between Houston and SIU Edwardsville is the first outing for each team in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, where the winner will continue to play again on Saturday, March 22nd, against either No. 8 Gonzaga or No. 9 Georgia.
Here is a preview of the game.
How to Watch Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville
Date: Thursday, Mar. 20, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. CT
TV Channel: TBS
Site: INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville Betting Odds, Lines
Opening Line: Houston -28.5
Current Line: Houston -28.5
Over/Under: 126.5
Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville Predictions
Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars have absolutely dominated the Big 12 Conference since joining the league in 2023-24, following up last year’s regular season title with two more in 2024-25. The Cougars took home their second-straight regular season crown with a 19-1 record in league play, followed by a win over Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament Championship Game. Led by a group that features LJ Cryer, J’Wan Roberts, Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan, and more, the Cougars have an incredible shot at hoisting the National Championship trophy this season if Roberts is healthy and ready to go come Thursday.
On the opposite end of the court, SIU Edwardsville is a team that, similar to Houston, prefers to make plays on the defensive end of the court. The Cougars finished the season off as the OVC’s best defensive unit, surrendering just 66.1 points per game. They can be a threat offensively though, as the team finished No. 4 in the league in terms of scoring offense. One key piece to the offensive puzzle is senior guard Ray’Sean Taylor, who leads the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring. Taylor is posting 19.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 41.4% shooting from the field this year.
Houston 86, SIU Edwardsville 48
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Houston 99.0% Chance of Winning
