March Madness: Auburn vs. Houston odds, picks and predictions

The Auburn Tigers (21-12) battle the Houston Cougars (32-3) Saturday in the second round of the Midwest Region. Tip from Legacy Arena is set for 7:10 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let's analyze Tipico Sportsbook's lines around the Auburn vs. Houston odds as we make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.

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The Tigers beat the No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes 83-75 Thursday, covering as a 2.5-point favorite. Auburn lost in their first SEC Tournament game to Arkansas 76-73, failing to cover as a 2.5-point underdog. Those were the Tigers' 2 postseason battles as they enter the Round of the 32. The Tigers are just 4-6 against the spread (ATS) over their last 10 games.

The Cougars beat No. 16 Northern Kentucky 63-52 Thursday, failing to cover as a 19.5-point favorite. The top seed in the region is just 1-3 ATS in their 4 postseason games. G Marcus Sasser played just 14 minutes against NKU, having struggled with an injury sustained in the AAC semifinal, so Houston's leading scorer may be limited against Auburn.