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Memphis vs Rice Prediction 1/3/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks
Pick details
| MATCHUP | Memphis Tigers | Rice Owls |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 7-7 | 6-9 |
| Where | Tudor Fieldhouse, Houston, TX | |
| When | Saturday, January 3, 2026 | |
| Time | 03:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
Rice Owls Preview
Rice Owls have a 6-8 record this season and are tied for 10th place in the American Athletic Conference. They have a 5-2 home record and are coming off a 97-48 away loss against Tulsa. Their previous three games were an 84-62 away loss against Pepperdine, a 94-47 home win against Southwestern Christian and a 77-76 home win against Arkansas State.
Offensively, Rice averages 74.1 points per game, while allowing 74 points per game defensively. The Owls shoot with 41% from the field and grab 38.4 rebounds per game, while dishing out 12.7 assists per game. They average 4.3 blocks per game and 7.7 steals per game defensively.
Nick Anderson leads Rice in scoring, with an average of 13.9 points per game, while shooting with 38.7% from the field and 91.8% from the free throw line. Trae Broadnax is the team’s leading rebounder with 5.4 per game, while Jalen Smith adds a team-high 2.9 assists per game.
Memphis Tigers Preview
Memphis Tigers have a 6-7 record this season and are tied for 6th place in the American Athletic Conference. They have a 0-3 away record and are coming off a 57-48 home win against North Texas. Their previous three games were an 88-67 home win against Alabama State, a 71-66 away loss against Mississippi State and a 77-70 home loss against Vanderbilt.
Offensively, Memphis averages 74 points per game, while allowing 73.5 points per game defensively. The Tigers shoot with 43% from the field and grab 37.9 rebounds per game, while dishing out 14.2 assists per game. They average 4.2 blocks per game and 9.4 steals per game defensively.
Dug McDaniel leads Memphis in scoring, with an average of 14.2 points per game, while shooting with 37.9% from the field and 89.7% from the free throw line. Julius Thedford is the team’s leading rebounder with 5.6 per game, while Dug McDaniel also leads the team with 5.2 assists per game.
Memphis Tigers @ Rice Owls Betting Trends: January 3, 2026
Why the Rice Owls will win
- The home team has won seven of Memphis’ last eight games.
- Memphis has lost the first half in four of its last five road games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Memphis Tigers will win
- Memphis has won each of its last nine games against Conference opponents.
- Rice has lost each of its last eight games at Tudor Fieldhouse following a road loss.
- Memphis has won the first half in six of its last seven games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Memphis vs Rice Prediction
In this Memphis vs Rice Prediction, Memphis is coming as -8.5 road favorites. Both teams have almost identical overall records, as both have exactly six wins each, but Rice has been strong at home, while Memphis has been winless on the road. But Memphis has been better against the spread this season and have back-to-back wins, while Rice has lost and failed to cover its last couple of games, so the value lies with the guests is this matchup. Take Memphis and lay the -8.5 points in this one.
