The Cincinnati Bearcats (17-12, 7-9 AAC) face the #14 Houston Cougars (24-4, 13-2 AAC) on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. Here's what you need to know for this American Athletic Conference matchup:

Team Comparison:

• Houston: 76.3 PPG scored, 49.0 PPG allowed
• Cincinnati: 70.2 PPG scored, 65.7 PPG allowed

Key Players: Houston

• Marcus Sasser (17.7 PPG)
• Josh Carlton (key big man, rebounding threat)
• Six players averaging 9+ PPG

Cincinnati

• David DeJulius (14.5 PPG)
• Jeremiah Davenport (13.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG)

Previous Matchup: Houston won 80-58 in Cincinnati earlier this season, led by Fabian White Jr.'s 22 points and 9 rebounds.

Betting Analysis:

• Spread: Houston -15
• Over/Under: 135
• Recommendation: Take Houston to cover and the under
• Reasoning: Houston's dominant defense, Cincinnati's recent struggles (3-game losing streak), and previous head-to-head result

X-Factor: Houston's size advantage with Josh Carlton could be decisive, especially on the boards against a smaller Cincinnati team. The Bearcats will need exceptional guard play to stay competitive.

Cincinnati's only path to March Madness is winning the AAC tournament, while Houston looks to maintain their conference lead and momentum heading into March.

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