Houston vs Wichita State Odds, Lines, and Spread
- #6 Houston is an 8-point road favorite over Wichita State on Thursday (Feb. 18th, 7 pm EST)
- The Cougars have won 10 of their last 11
- See below for analysis, odds and a betting prediction
The top-two teams in the AAC clash on Thursday (Feb. 18th, 7 pm EST), as #6 Houston visits Wichita State. The Cougars (17-2, 11-2 AAC) enter play fresh off back-to-back blowout victories, while the Shockers (12-4, 8-2 AAC) have put together four straight wins.
#6 Houston vs Wichita State Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Cougars | -8.0 (-110) | -380 | Over 137.0 (-110) |
| Wichita State Shockers | +8.0 (-110) | +290 | Under 137.0 (-110) |
Odds taken Feb. 17th at FanDuel.
Houston opened up as an 8-point road favorite, in a game that features a total of 137. The Cougars are a lock to be at the NCAA Tournament next month, while Wichita State has some work to do if they want to book a ticket to Indianapolis.
Cougars Crush South Florida
Houston has reeled off 10 wins in their last 11 outings, most recently embarrassing Our Lady of the Lake by 66 points, and stomping South Florida by 17. Quentin Grimes led the way with 29 against the Bulls, while DeJon Jarreau racked up 17 points and 8 assists, and Justin Gorman chipped in 11 points and 8 boards.
Coogs rise to #6 in latest @AP_Top25 poll
READ – https://t.co/6NCEFyp1Wq pic.twitter.com/ArxF7cwSkQ
— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) February 15, 2021
The Cougars shot 53.2% from the field, won the assist and rebounding battle, and held USF to 42.9% from the field while forcing 15 turnovers.
The national media loves to praise the Houston defense, and rightfully so, but let’s not discount what they can do at the other end of the court. They are KenPom’s sixth most efficient offense, and lead the AAC in points per game and total rebounding, while ranking third from beyond the arc.
Here's what the media says about @UHCougarMBK, "A GREAT defensive team, but lacks offense".
Per @kenpomeroy:
#6 Adjusted Off Efficiency in NATIONIn @American_MBB play:
#1 scoring offense
#1 3-pt FG's made
#3 3FG%Wake up, UH is for real. Reality beats rhetoric every time.
— Mike O'Donnell (@MOD4three) February 16, 2021
Defensively, as noted, they are rock solid leading the conference in points allowed and opponent field goal percentage, while ranking second in steals and third in blocks.
Shockers Sneak Past UCF
Wichita State meanwhile, has won four in a row and 10 of 12 after edging out Central Florida 61-60 last time out. Alterique Gilbert led the way with 17 points, while Dexter Dennis racked up a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Morris Udeze splashed 12.
.@Alterique_G led us with 17 points, including our final five of the game. #watchus
The grad transfer guard is tonight's Player of the Game! pic.twitter.com/YkUrRYIIYB
— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) February 11, 2021
The team overcame a miserable performance by leading scorer Tyson Etienne, who missed all but one of his eight attempts and finished with just 5 points. The Shockers shot a dismal 37.3% from the field against UCF, but this is not an elite offensive team. They rank 62nd in adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom, and are eighth in the conference in field goal percentage.
Played with toughness.
Got it done. #watchus pic.twitter.com/ooAnEoo9YL— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) February 11, 2021
Defensively, they do an excellent job of clamping down on enemy shooters, holding them to 40% from the field, but they still find a way to surrender nearly 70 points a night (69.5).
In their lone meeting with Houston this season, the game up 70 to the Cougars in a 7-point defeat, but still managed to cover the spread as a double-digit underdog.
Wichita State Won’t Roll Over
In that outing, the Shockers held Houston to 38.3% from the field and 7-for-22 from beyond the arc. They’re 3-2-1 ATS as an underdog this season, and 2-0 as a home dog.
24 hours until a big-time matchup with one of the best in the country. #watchus
Shockers vs. No. 5 Houston | 6 p.m. Thursday | ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/vxf5ycTL02
— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) February 18, 2021
The Cougars on the other hand, have been on a tear against the number. They’ve covered in seven of their last eight, and are 11-5 as a favorite of 8 or more points this season.
Despite the impressive run, Houston is not invincible away from home. They’ve been upset in two of their last six road games, are are just two outings removed from a 9-point defeat at East Carolina as a 16.5-point favorite.
With Wichita State’s March Madness prospects hanging in the balance, I like the Shockers to keep this game close and potentially even pull off the outright upset.
Pick: Wichita State +8 (-110)
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
