American Athletic Conference Title Game: Memphis Tigers vs. Houston Cougars Betting Preview

The top two teams in the American Athletic Conference will clash in the conference tournament title game as the Memphis Tigers (25-8) take on the Houston Cougars (31-2). This game will be played at the Dickies Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 3:15 pm ET.
The Cougars come into this one as the favorites. They are -260 to win, while the Tigers’ moneyline sits at +210.
The spread features Memphis as 5.5-point underdogs (-102), and the over/under for total points is 135.5 (-110).
Regular Season Matchups
During the regular season, these two teams battled it out twice. In fact, both matchups happened within the last few weeks as the Cougars beat Memphis 72-64 on February 19, and they won again in the regular season finale 67-65 just one week ago.
In the most recent game, Jamal Shead and Tramon Mark combined for 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.
In the loss, Kendric Davis had a game-high 26 points, while Chandler Lawson added 10 points and five rebounds.
Memphis Hopes To Take Down Conference Rivals
Memphis has gone 9-2 in their last 11 games, but both of their losses have been to the Cougars. On Sunday, they hope to beat them when it matters most and punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament with a conference title.
Offensively, Memphis has been one of the best teams in the country as they rank 16th overall, averaging 79.9 points per game. The team is led by senior guard Kendrick Davis, who is averaging 21.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.
Deandre Williams is their only other double digit point scorer, averaging 17.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
Defensively, the Tigers fall to 225th in the nation, allowing opponents an average of 72.2 points per game.
Cougars Are Out To Prove Why They Are Tops In The Nation
At 31-2 overall, the Cougars are not just the best team in the AAC, they are the top-ranked team in the nation. On Sunday, they will try to prove that as they go for their 14th win in a row and third in that span over Memphis.
It is on the defensive end that Houston is elite. In fact, they rank atop the standings in scoring defense, allowing opponents a paltry 55.9 points per game.
The Cougars aren’t too bad on the offensive side either. They rank 69th overall, averaging 75.3 points per game. Senior guard Marcus Sasser leads the offensive attack, averaging 17.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.
Jarace Walker (10.9 points, 6.7 rebounds), J’Wan Roberts (10.1 points, 7.4 rebounds), Jamal Shead (10 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists), and Tramon Mark (9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds) have also had great seasons.
Take Memphis And The Points
While Houston has been elite all season long, the Tigers have shown that they can run with them. The big key in this one is whether Memphis’ defense can step up and get some quality stops.
If the defense can do its part, the Tigers have more than enough points to keep this one close. The Tigers might still struggle to pull out a win in this one, but expect it to stay close throughout.
For that reason, take Memphis and the 5.5 points (-102).