This is a lopsided meeting between two of the four slowest teams in the entire 2023 NCAA Tournament field in terms of adjusted tempo. Houston's got the No. 4 defensive rating in the entire country and what Northern Kentucky does best is create steals and turnovers with its own defense. I imagine Houston guard Marcus Sasser may not be available to give him more time to heal after a groin injury, so after downgrading the Cougars offense slightly I think under is the best play. Houston wants to get a lead and squeeze the life out of the game, keeping legs fresh with an eye on a deep tournament run.