New Orleans Privateers (4-7, 1-1 Southland) at Houston Cougars (9-1)
Houston; Saturday, 3 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cougars -33.5; over/under is 138.5
BOTTOM LINE: No. 7 Houston faces New Orleans after Emanuel Sharp scored 23 points in Houston's 80-38 win over the Jackson State Tigers.
The Cougars are 5-0 in home games. Houston ranks sixth in the Big 12 with 17.2 assists per game led by Kingston Flemings averaging 5.1.
The Privateers are 2-6 on the road. New Orleans is 1-4 in games decided by at least 10 points.
Houston's average of 9.1 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.6 more made shots on average than the 8.5 per game New Orleans gives up. New Orleans has shot at a 44.1% rate from the field this season, 7.0 percentage points greater than the 37.1% shooting opponents of Houston have averaged.
TOP PERFORMERS: Sharp is shooting 45.7% and averaging 18.1 points for the Cougars. Milos Uzan is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers.
