The No. 2 Houston Cougars (5-0) and Syracuse Orange (4-0) meet Monday in the Players Era Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET (TNT). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's NCAA basketball odds around the Houston vs. Syracuse odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.

The Cougars torched the Rider Broncs 91-45 Thursday, covering as a massive 41-point favorite and allowing just 20 points in the second half. The Over (135.5) cashed. Houston, despite being undefeated, is just 3-2 against the spread (ATS). In its lone game with a single-digit spread, it won 73-72 over the now-unranked Auburn Tigers Nov. 16, failing to cover as a 7.5-point neutral-court favorite.

The Orange beat the Monmouth Hawk

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