Idaho vs. Houston prediction: Houston favored to win men's March Madness First Round matchup [3/19/2026]

Houston will face Idaho in March Madness First Round action at Paycom Center on Thursday, beginning at 10:10 PM ET.

Based on the latest simulation results, Dimers' proven college basketball model projects Houston as the most likely winner of the Idaho vs. Houston game.

This article offers further insights into Thursday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and picks.

Idaho vs. Houston prediction: Who will win and advance to the Second Round?

Using innovative machine learning and data, we have simulated the outcome of Thursday's NCAAM Tournament game between Idaho and Houston 10,000 times as part of our men's college basketball predictions coverage.

Our leading predictive model gives Houston a 99% chance of beating Idaho. Our predicted final score has Houston winning 81-56.

According to our model, Houston (-24.5) has a 52% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 138.5 points has a 52% chance of going over.

Idaho vs. Houston odds

We have sourced the best men's college basketball odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Idaho	Houston
Spread	+24.5 (-110)	-24.5 (-110)
Moneyline	+3000	-8000
Total	o138.5 (-105)	u138.5 (-115)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Idaho vs. Houston picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Spread	Houston -24.5	-110
Moneyline	Houston	-8000
Total	Over 138.5	-105

According to our men's college basketball best bets, the top play to make on this game is Over 138.5 total points.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

Idaho vs. Houston game-day updates and essential details

Thursday's men's college basketball matchup between Houston and Idaho at Paycom Center is scheduled to start at 10:10 PM ET.

• Who: Idaho vs. Houston
• Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
• Time: 10:10 PM ET/7:10PM PT
• Venue: Paycom Center
• March Madness stage: First Round

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Conclusion

We predict Houston, with a 99% win probability, will likely beat Idaho this men's March Madness First Round matchup.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Idaho vs. Houston insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are sourced from up-to-date data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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