NCAA Basketball: Houston vs. Wichita State Betting Picks & Predictions

The American Athletic Conference clash between the No. 3 Houston Cougars (20-2, 8-1) and the Wichita State Shockers (11-10, 4-5) is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Eastern on February 2. The Cougars come into this matchup coming off a 75-69 home victory against the Cincinnati Bearcats, while the Shockers took down the East Carolina Pirates 85-72 on the road.

Houston has lost only two games this season, and they have yet to lose on the road. On the other hand, Wichita has struggled to stay consistent on the offensive end, and they will look to their strong defense to get back to .500 in conference play. Here’s the complete preview for your College Basketball Betting Bets.

Houston Cougars

The Houston Cougars (20-2, 8-1 American Athletic Conference) have 20 wins to their name for the eighth straight season. In fact, the most recent victory may as well have been the most difficult-fought of the season as they mounted an 11-point come-from-behind victory to maintain their No. 3 overall ranking in the AP poll.

Jarace Walker scored a career-high 25 points and seven rebounds as No. 3 Houston overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to defeat Cincinnati 75-69 on Saturday inside the Fertitta Center. In a complete effort, Jamal Shead scored 13 points for Houston, while junior J’Wan Roberts added 14 points and six rebounds to push Houston to their eighth conference win of the year.

The Cougars have had a huge target on their back, and yet they have still covered the spread in 14 of 22 contests this year. With just two losses this year straight up, Houston has gone 11-1 over their last 12 games and are undefeated on the road this year.

Wichita State Shockers

The Shockers (11-10, 4-5 American) defeated East Carolina on Sunday afternoon by a score of 85-72 after taking a 21-point lead into the break and never looking back. It was a huge win for the Shockers as they finally have some momentum coming into their matchup against a top-rated Cougars team.

In a total team effort, Wichita scored a season-high 49 points in the first half on 60% shooting, including Craig Porter Jr. leading the team with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist, while James Rojas, Kenny Pohto, and Jaykwon Walton all reached double-digit points.

After a difficult 0-3 start to conference play, the Shockers have improved with a 5-2 record in their last seven games. Wichita has covered the spread in three of their last four games, while also going over the total in six straight contests.

Prediction

Houston comes into this matchup having won eight of their last ten matchups against Wichita dating back to the 2018 season. Despite this, Houston has struggled to keep Wichita quiet when the Cougars visit Charles Koch Arena with a razor-thin double-overtime win and an upset loss.

Houston has been double-digit spread favorites in nine of their last ten contests, and despite the Shockers struggles, their defense is talented enough to keep this matchup within single digits. Lean toward the Shockers to play the Cougars tough, as they have covered the number in three of their last four matchups.