rv/rv WICHITA STATE (17-5, 5-4) at 25/25 HOUSTON (18-5, 8-2)
SUNDAY, FEB. 9, 2020 | 2:05 P.M. CT
HOUSTON, TEXAS (FERTITTA CENTER)
TV: ESPN (WatchESPN)
RADIO: KEYN 103.7 FM (GoShockers.com/Listen)
SERIES: WSU leads 17-13 (3-9 in Houston)
LAST: Jan. 18, 2020 in Wichita (UH, 65-54)
 
>>> The Wichita State Shockers (17-5, 5-4 and receiving votes in both major polls) battle the 25th-ranked Houston Cougars (18-5, 8-2) Sunday at the Fertitta Center.
 
>>> Sunday's matchup airs nationally on ESPN with streaming available through the ESPN App, accessible on computers, smart phones, tablets and devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider. Kevin Brown and Bryce Drew have the call.
Mike Kennedy and Bob Hull describe the action on KEYN 103.7 FM and online at goshockers.com/listen. Kennedy, who is now in his 40th year as Voice of the Shockers, will call is 1,250th consecutive game.
 
>>> Catch the Gregg Marshall Show on Monday nights throughout the season. Join Marshall and host Mike Kennedy LIVE from 6-7 p.m. at A.J.'s Sports Grill at The Alley, or listen on KFH (97.5 FM / 1240 AM). The show is rebroadcast in a television format Mondays at 9 p.m. on YurView Kansas (Cox 2022). Upcoming Show Dates: February 10, 17, 24
 
>>> In partnership with the American Cancer Society Coaches vs. Cancer, Wichita State will take the court in pink jerseys, shorts and shoes for its Feb. 20 home game against the USF Bulls. Shocker fans are encouraged to show their support by dressing the part. Limited edition pink t-shirts are available now for just $12 at Shocker Store locations inside the Rhatigan Student Center, Braeburn Square and Charles Koch Arena or online at ShockerStore.com.
 

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OPENING TIPS:

• WSU is 3-0 this year against Coaches top-25 teams and 1-0 against AP-ranked squads. The Shockers downed No. 21 Memphis on Jan. 9. Their last AP top-25 road win came Feb. 18, 2018 at No.5 Cincinnati.
• WSU is 17-13 all-time against Houston but has lost the last four meetings, including a 65-54 setback on Jan. 18 in Wichita. DeJon Jarreau sparked the Cougar victory with 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Tyson Etienne scored 10 points to lead the Shockers.
• Houston overcame a five-point halftime deficit to win last year's lone matchup, 79-70, at the Fertitta Center. WSU is 3-9 all-time in Houston, last winning 60 years ago during UH's final season in the Missouri Valley.
• WSU ranks among the national leaders in turnover margin (24th, +3.2) and field goal percentage defense (26th, .391) and is 17th in KenPom defensive efficiency.
• WSU is 3-2 on the road and has won nine of its last 11 in enemy territory going back to last February.
• Two last-second shots are all that separates WSU (5-4 American) from a share of first-place. The Shockers fell last Saturday at Tulsa (54-51) on a three-point buzzer-beater and dropped another heartbreaker Thursday (80-79) when Cincinnati's Jarron Cumberland converted a three-point play with 3.5 seconds remaining.
• WSU plays its third-straight against a conference front-runner. UH (8-2) entered the weekend tied with Cincinnati (8-2) and Tulsa (7-2) in the loss column.
• Jaime Echenique has logged double-doubles in each of the last two contests, including a 19-point, 11-rebound effort against Cincinnati.
• Dexter Dennis celebrates his 21st birthday on Sunday. He's hit 13 threes on 43% accuracy over the past four games, including a 16-point (4/6 3pt) effort vs. UC.
• Jamarius Burton is two assists shy of 200. He'd be just the sixth Shocker to hit that milestone before the end of his sophomore season, joining current NBA Shockers Landry Shamet (288) and Fred VanVleet (282). Last year Burton set WSU's rookie record with 124 dimes.

 

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WINNING UGLY:

• Over the last two seasons, the Shockers have won a nation-best 14 times while shooting 40%-or-worse from the field. Houston is fourth on the list with 10 such victories.
• WSU and Houston have each won five times this year while shooting 40%-or-less. That total is tied for second nationally behind Virginia.

  "UGLY" WINS (Field Goal Percentage of .400-or-worse) // Last 2 Seasons:
1.Wichita State -- 14
2. Florida State -- 12
3. Virginia -- 11
4. Houston -- 10
4. Saint Louis -- 10
6. Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Ole Dominion, Temple, Villanova -- 9                            

 

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TRENDING:

• Sunday's game is the ninth in a stretch of 10-straight games against KenPom top-75 defenses.
• Nine of the 12 AAC teams rank among the top-75 in KenPom's adjust defensive efficiency measurement. WSU (17) and Houston (55) are joined by Memphis (10), UConn (31), Temple (33), Cincinnati (35), Tulsa (53), USF (62) and UCF (74).
• Jaime Echenique has been playing at an all-conference level for the past month. Since Jan. 12 (a span of seven games), he's averaging 14.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks (up from 9.5 pts, 4.5 reb, 1.0 blk over his first 11 games).
• WSU has out-rebounded each of its last four opponents (USF, UCF, Tulsa and Cincinnati). That's welcome news for Gregg Marshall. Prior to that -- and somewhat surprisingly -- the Shockers had been out-rebounded in each of their first five of their conference games. They won the battle of the boards in 12 of their 13 non-conference contests and have annually been among the national leaders in that category.
• Over these past four games, WSU has gobbled up defensive rebounds on 81 of its 104 chances (77.9%) and outscored its three opponents 55-14 on second-chance opportunities. The Shockers' season average (75.0%) is second only to USF on the league leaderboard.

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SCOUTING HOUSTON:          

• Houston is the defending American Athletic Conference champion and made last year's Sweet 16.
• The Cougars lost four starters but were preseason co-favorites (tied with Memphis) in the AAC preseason poll.
• UH has won 12 of its last 14 games and is one of three AAC teams that entered the weekend with two conference losses. The Cougars' only losses have come on the road at Tulsa and Cincinnati.
• UH ranks second nationally in rebounding margin (+9.9).
• Four Cougars are scoring in double-figures, led by redshirt freshman guard Caleb Mills (13.1).
• Nate Hinton – a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard – averages nearly a double-double with 10.7 points and 9.4 rebounds and leads the team in steals (30) and minutes (30.2)
• Sophomore Quentin Grimes – a Kansas transfer – scores 12.2 points-per-game.
• 6-7 forward Fabian White Jr. averages 9.9 points and 5.2 rebounds and DeJon Jarreau -- a preseason first team all-conference pick – averages 9.5 points and a team-best 3.9 assists.

 

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MATCHUP MASHUP: 

• Sophomore center Morris Udeze is a Houston native and a graduate of Fort Bend Travis High School. He played prep school ball for a year in Florida before signing with the Shockers. Udeze logged five minutes in the game at Houston last year and recorded two rebounds.
• WSU has had at least one Houston-area native on the roster in every season since 2001-02. That run began with 1,600-point scorer Randy Burns (out of Booker T. Washington HS). P.J. Couisnard and Karon Bradley were key contributors on the Shockers' 2006 Sweet 16 team. One of Marshall's first WSU recruits, Toure' Murry (Klein Forrest HS) finished with 1,539 points from 2008-12 and went on to play parts of two NBA seasons.
• Gregg Marshall (519) and Kelvin Sampson (634) have combined for over 1,150 victories. Both have coached in a Final Four.
• Marshall is 1-5 against Sampson. The two faced off in the 2000 NCAA tournament. Sampson (then head coach at Oklahoma) led his third-seeded Sooners past Marshall's 14th-seeded Winthrop team, 74-50, at the McKale Center in Tucson.

 

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A SHOCKER WIN WOULD….
... stop a two-game slide.
... make them 18-5 -- one more win than last year's regular season total (17-13).
... make them 6-4 in league play.
... up their road record to 4-2 with wins in 10-of-12.
... snap a four-game losing streak to UH.
... make them 2-4 vs. UH in the American Era.
... give them an 18-13 all-time series lead.
... be their first in Houston since 1960 and just their fourth in 13 visits.
 
A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD…
... drop them to 17-6 (5-5 American).
... be their fifth in seven games after a 16-1 start.
... be their fifth-straight vs. Houston.
... narrow their series lead to 17-14 (3-10 at UH).
... make Marshall 1-5 vs. Houston.
... be less good than a win.
 

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UP NEXT:
The Shockers go back out on the road Thursday against the UCF Knights. The 6 p.m. CT tip airs nationally on ESPN2.