Syracuse vs. Houston: The best Sweet 16 betting props

March Madness rolls on with the Sweet 16 this weekend! Hopefully your bracket isn’t totally busted, but if it is, that’s all the more reason to dive into the betting markets for each of the games on Saturday and Sunday.

We’ll be highlighting Saturday night’s matchup between the 11-seed Syracuse Orange and the two-seed Houston Cougars (9:55 p.m. ET, TBS). More specifically, the prop wagers from this game. Here are the three best props to take advantage of in this tilt. 

Houston Cougars Total Points (Over/Under 73.5)

This late-night contest has the potential to become totally lopsided in favor of the Cougars. It starts with Houston eclipsing their team total of 73.5 points.

The Cougars rank 42nd in the nation in points per game this season (77.9), and are fifth in the country in total rebounds per game (41). Syracuse struggles in both corresponding areas, as they are 186th in points allowed per game this year (70.4) and 293rd in rebounds per game (37.6).

Houston had one of their worst shooting nights in recent memory against the 10-seed Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sunday, hitting just 37.3% of their field goals. That 63-point performance is unlikely to be repeated in this spot. Look for Quentin Grimes, the team’s leading scorer at 18.1 points per game, to have another fine outing against the Orange on Saturday.

NCAA pick: Over

Syracuse Orange Total Points (Over/Under 67.5)

Buddy Boeheim and Syracuse have made over 50% of their shots thus far in the tournament. But considering they’ve shot just 44.4% from the floor this season – 154th in the country – the Orange seem due for a reversal of fortune.

The Cougars are second in the nation in opponent field goal percentage (37.1%). This solid defensive squad shouldn’t give Boeheim too many open looks on Saturday. Expect Syracuse to be held under 68 points.

NCAA pick: Under

First half moneyline (three-way)

There’s some value to squeeze out with Houston’s first half moneyline in this market. The tie is a longshot, and Syracuse will likely not be in command.

The Cougars and Orange score a similar amount of first half points per game – Houston with 36.8 and Syracuse with 36.3 – but the stark difference comes on defense. The Cougars allow just 26.4 points per first half, the second-lowest mark in the country. Syracuse can’t hold a candle to that, as they’re 214th with 34.0 opponent points per first half.

NCAA pick: Houston -200