- The #18 Houston Cougars are -167 odds-on favorites to win the American Athletic Conference Tournament
- Houston are the defending AAC Tournament champions
- Below, see odds to win the AAC tournament, which is slated for March 10-13 in Fort Worth, Texas
The Houston Cougars and the American Athletic Conference final have gone hand in hand in each of the past three events. Last year, they even managed to win it all. After finishing second three times in a row, the Cougars captured the crown last season.
The 18th-ranked Cougars are also overwhelmingly liked by oddsmakers to again be AAC champions. Houston are the -167 odds-on favorites to collect a second straight conference tournament title.
2022 AAC Tournament Odds
| School | Odds |
|---|---|
| Houston | -167 |
| Memphis | +260 |
| SMU | +600 |
| Tulane | +1400 |
| Wichita State | +2000 |
| UCF | +2200 |
| Cincinnati | +2250 |
| Temple | +3000 |
| East Carolina | +10000 |
| South Florida | +10000 |
| Tulsa | +10000 |
Odds as of March 9th at Barstool Sportsbook. See the college basketball odds page for individual game odds.
The American Athletic Conference Tournament gets underway Thursday in Forth Worth, Texas. ESPN is carrying the championship game at 3:15pm ET on Sunday, March 13.
In last year’s March Madness, Houston defied the NCAA Tournament odds and carried on to go all the way to the Final Four. Houston is given a betting line of +875 to repeat that run in the Final Four odds.
The Cougars are listed as the #2 seed in the Midwest in SBD’s NCAA Tournament bracket projections.
Cougars Are All That
There’s a lot to like about 26-5 Houston. The Cougars are ranked #5 in the nation by both KenPom and NET. They’re one of only five teams in the NCAA to rate among the top 20 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency.
They persevered during the regular season, overcoming injuries to key players such as junior guard Marcus Sasser and sophomore guard Tramon Mark. Senior forward Fabian White Jr leads Houston in scoring, putting back 13.5 points per game. He’s also shooting an AAC-best .512 field goal percentage. Sophomore guard Jamal Shead is the conference per-game leader in assists (5.8) and assist/turnover ratio (2.8).
CONGRATS to Fabian White Jr @3five_ on being named to #AmericanHoops Honor Roll#ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/ziLHRnpc8P
— Houston Men’s Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) March 7, 2022
Houston is the #2 scoring offense (7.53 ppg) and #1 scoring defense (59.3 ppg) in the American Athletic Conference. As well, the Cougars are showing a league-best 15.9 ppg margin of victory. They are holding opponents to a league-low .373 field goal percentage.
The Cougars are the AAC’s top rebounding squad (39.1 rebounds per game) and also allow opponents to grab the fewest boards per game (32.1). Houston’s 1.41 assist/turnover ratio is also tops in the conference.
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Memphis Turnaround Offers Intrigue
Chaos was the early-season story when it came to the Memphis Tigers. Coach Penny Hardaway was on the hot seat as Memphis opened 9-8.
The 19-9 Tigers come into the AAC Tournament riding a 10-1 streak and look to be playing their best basketball of the season at the most important time of the year. They went 13-5 in conference play, setting a single-season record for conference victories.
Stretching the legs and getting shots up in Fort Worth. #AmericanHoops#GoTigersGo | #TunnelVision pic.twitter.com/hWSwnxiqFw
— Memphis Basketball (@Memphis_MBB) March 10, 2022
The Tigers are also 2-0 against the Cougars this season, posting a pair of decisive victories. Memphis won 69-59 Feb. 13 at Houston. They were 75-61 home-court winners on March 6.
Memphis the #1 offense in the AAC (75.8 ppg). The Tigers own the #1 field goal percentage (.473) and #2 field-goal defense (.397). They’re the #2 team from long range (.365).
Freshman center Jalen Duren leads the Tigers in scoring (12.0 ppg). He’s the top rebounder (7.7 rpg) and shot blocker (2.1) in the conference.
Which Cats Will Take American Conference Title?
As much as the Cougars look good on paper, on the floor they don’t inspire thoughts of being a special squad. Houston lost its only regular-season game against a ranked team, falling 65-63 to Wisconsin.
Here’s the bracket! We’re ready for the 2022 @Join_AFReserve #AmericanHoops Championship later this week at @DickiesArena! pic.twitter.com/U7oSkFah2Y
— American MBB (@American_MBB) March 6, 2022
Memphis, meanwhile, also dumped #6 Alabama 92-78 to go 3-0 against ranked schools. The last time the Tigers did that was in 2007-08, when they lost to Kansas in the NCAA Tournament title game.
Houston’s only been held under 70 points twice in the past 11 games. Memphis did it both times.
Pick: Memphis Tigers (+260)
The post American Conference Tournament Odds, Predictions, and Schedule: Cougars Odds-On Favorites appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.
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