7 p.m. ET – No. 6 Houston (-7.5) at Wichita State O/U: 139
| Teams | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | -7½ (-110) | -330 | O 139 (-110) |
| Wichita State | +7½ (-110) | +265 | U 139 (-110) |
The 17-2 Cougars travel to Wichita, Kansas to take on the 12-4 Shockers on Thursday night for a huge American Athletics Conference showdown between the conference’s top two teams. Houston defeated South Florida handily last Wednesday, 82-65. Wichita State has won four in a row, most recently winning at Central Florida last Wednesday 61-60. These two teams met back on Jan. 6, where the Cougars overcame a six-point halftime deficit to earn a 70-63 win.
Houston is led by 6-foot-5 guard Quentin Grimes who is averaging 16.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Grimes’ rebounding ability as a guard does not go unnoticed and is much needed as the Cougars’ tallest player is listed at just 6-foot-8. Grimes had 22 points and nine rebounds in the first matchup making four of his eight three-point attempts.
Wichita State is led by guard Tyson Etienne, who is averaging 17.3 points per game for the Shockers. Etienne led all scorers in the first matchup with 25 points on 7-of-20 shooting from the field last time these teams met, and also added eight rebounds. Wichita State is 7-1 when Etienne eclipses the 20-point mark, with the only loss against these same Cougars.
In fact, against all odds, the Cougars led all of Division I basketball in offensive rebounds per game. While both teams boast solid defenses, their respective offenses are even more impressive. The first game went below the Over/Under total due to a low-scoring first half. However, the second half featured 22 more points than the first, proving both coaching staffs figured something out at halftime. In a game with the stakes this high, and more familiarity this time around, take the Over at 139.
