Auburn vs Houston: Line, Prediction, TV Channel & Live Stream for 2023 NCAA Tournament

One of two 1/8 matchups involving an SEC team on Saturday, Auburn faces Houston in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. A head-to-head series in which Houston owns a combined 6-1 all-time advantage, this is the first meeting between the Tigers and Cougars since the 1982-83 season.

Auburn, who is a No. 9 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, is coming off a win in the first round, defeating No. 8 seed Iowa by a final score of 83-75. Led by head coach Bruce Pearl, the Tigers also advanced to 21-12 overall for the season with the win, and are making their second consecutive Round of 32 appearance in as many years.

The Tigers enter Saturday averaging 73 PPG offensively for the year, while also allowing 67.3 PPG, and are one of the nation’s top teams when it comes to blocked shots at 5.1 BPG. Leading the way for the Tigers is forward Johni Broome at 14.2 PPG and 8.5 RPG, while Auburn has a few additional names who all make key impacts such as Wendell Green Jr., Jaylin Williams, Allen Flanigan, and KD Johnson among others.

Houston, who is the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, defeated No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky in the first round by a final score of 63-52. Led by head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars were the AAC regular season champion, and now sit at 32-3 overall having advanced to at-least the second round for the fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament.

The Cougars are the nation’s No. 1 team according to kenpom, and come into Saturday ranking No. 2 nationally in points allowed at only 56.4 PPG, while also averaging 74.7 PPG on offense. Leading the way for Houston is First Team All-American and AAC Player of the Year Marcus Sasser at 16.7 PPG, while the Cougars have others that all make significant impacts such as Jarace Walker, J’Wan Roberts, Jamal Shead, and Tramon Mark.

Auburn vs Houston Line, Spread, Over/Under

As of Friday night, Houston is a 5.5-point favorite over Auburn according to FanDuel, with the over/under at 131.5. The Cougars are -235, while Auburn is +190.

Auburn vs Houston 2023 NCAA Tournament Prediction

With this game being played in Birmingham, a potential Auburn upset can certainly not be ruled out by any means. However, I’ll say that Houston does eventually come away with the win, but it will not be without being tested in front of what will be a pro-Auburn crowd. Prediction: Auburn 72, Houston 78 

What Channel is the Auburn vs Houston Game On?

A second round matchup in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament, No. 9 seed Auburn will play No. 1 seed Houston on Saturday, March 18 inside Legacy Arena at BJCC in Birmingham, AL. The game is set to begin at 7:10 PM ET on TBS.

Auburn vs Houston Live Stream

A live stream of the 2023 NCAA Tournament matchup between Auburn and Houston can be found here on fuboTV.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change