Tweet
CINCINNATI (12-5, 2-2 AAC) vs WICHITA STATE (9-6, 0-3 AAC)
WSU -3.5
SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2022 | 12:00 PM CT
WICHITA, KANSAS| CHARLES KOCH ARENA
TV: ESPN with Kevin Brown & Jon Crispin
RADIO: KEYN 103.7 FM https://www.radio.com/keyn/listen
SERIES: Cincinnati leads 13-25 (9-10 in Wichita)
LAST MEETING: March 13, 2021 in Cincinnati (CIN, 59-60)
GAME NOTES:
- Wichita State looks to snap a rare three-game losing streak this Sunday when it plays host to the Cincinnati Bearcats inside Charles Koch Arena.
- The Shockers have dropped three-straight for the first time since February, 2020 and are 0-3 in league play for the first time since January, 2019.
- WSU dropped a 68-67 heartbreaker to Tulane on Wednesday, when Ricky Council IV's buzzer-beating layup was negated by a charging foul.
- Tyson Etienne scored 20 points, Craig Porter Jr. set new career-highs with 18 points, nine rebounds and four steals, and Council (12 points, 15 rebounds) broke the Shockers' season-long double-double drought.
- WSU suited up just eight players with starters Dexter Dennis and Morris Udeze absent due to illness.
- A 14-point halftime lead matched WSU's second-largest in a loss (1970-pr.).
- Cincinnati is 2-2 in its first season under Wes Miller, following Wednesday's 79-71 home victory over East Carolina. Junior wing Jeremiah Davenport is leading scorer (13.6) and rebounder (5.3) for a Bearcat team that ranks among the top-20 nationally in A:TO ratio (1.46) and field goal percentage defense (.378).
- UC leads the all-time series 25-13 (10-9 in Wichita).
- The teams split last year with WSU winning in Wichita. The Bearcats upset the top-seeded Shockers in the AAC semifinals in Fort Worth.
- The Bearcats have taken seven of the nine AAC era meetings, but five of those wins have come down to the final possession.
- Etienne (team-high 15.0 ppg) matched his career-high with six three-pointers against Tulane and leap-frogged Landry Shamet and Markis McDuffie into a tie for sixth on WSU's all-time triples list with Conner Frankamp (164).
- Council is WSU's new rebounding leader (5.7) after grabbing a career-high 15 against Tulane.
- Porter leads the team in the rare combo of assists (3.1) and blocks (1.07).
- KenPom rates the Shocker defense 37th nationally in efficiency. WSU leads the conference in defensive rebound percentage (.734) and is holding foes to a league-low 28.7% from three.
- The bad news: WSU is 1-4 in Q-I and Q-II games. The good news: it still has nine more opportunities to make amends. Sunday tips off a stretch of five-straight Quadrant II contests to close out the month of January.
Comment