Wichita State has worked its way to near the top of the American Conference standings in the last month.
Since starting league play 3-3, the Shockers (17-10, 9-5) have gone 6-2 and sit tied for second in the American with four games remaining in the regular season. The top four seeds in the conference tournament earn a double-bye. The Shockers defeated East Carolina in double overtime in their last outing.
Temple (15-11, 7-6) sat alone in second place in the conference standings just one week ago, but it has lost its last three games and has fallen to sixth place. The Owls share the same conference record as three other teams.
On Wednesday, the Owls lost to UAB, 76-71. It was the second consecutive loss they had where the game came down to the final minute.
This is the only meeting this season between these two programs.
Temple at Wichita State Odds
As of this writing, Wichita State is an 8.5-point college basketball odds favorite on BetMGM against Temple, while the Over/Under is at 142.5.
The Moneyline for WSU is -470 and +360 for Temple.
Temple at Wichita State on TV
The matchup between Temple and Wichita State will be televised on ESPN2.
Tonight’s game tips off at 6 p.m. ET.
Temple at Wichita State Prediction
I predict Temple covers the 8.5-point spread, but Wichita State wins. I also predict this game goes under 142.5 points.
The Owls’ chances of winning this game will most likely be based on how well they can contain Kenyon Giles. The 5-foot-10 senior is one of the best scorers in the league and can get to his spots as well as anyone.
Not only does he create his own looks, but the Shockers use a lot of actions to get him open, which is sometimes necessary to get him the ball because he draws so much attention. His 18.8 points per game are third-most in the league, and he adds 1.7 steals per game.
Karon Boyd chips in with 11.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game for Wichita State. The Shockers are averaging 77.4 PPG against conference opponents.
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Temple’s defense is solid and allows 69.9 PPG and an effective field-goal percentage of 48.4%, per KenPom. However, they sometimes struggle on the interior defensively, and that could be a problem against Wichita State’s 7-foot-2 big man Will Berg. He also grabs a ton of offensive rebounds and is the main reason the Shockers get an offensive rebound on 38% of opportunities, which is the 12th-most in the nation. Limiting the second chances will also be key for Temple.
The Owls have their own standout guard in 6-foot-3 senior Derrian Ford. The lefty is fourth in the American with 18 PPG, but instead of lighting it up from the outside like Giles, Ford tends to get to the rim and to the free-throw line. He’s made the third-most free throws in the league (137), where he is shooting 83.5%.
Sophomore Aiden Tobiason nets 14.7 PPG while Jordan Mason scores 12 for the Owls, who are averaging 74.5 PPG.
Temple plays at a slower pace than the Shockers and is willing to be patient and not force any shots. It takes care of the ball and only averages 13.8% of its possessions, which is 17th-best in Division I. Taking care of the ball will help Temple play at its own pace.
Wichita State has a defensive turnover rate of 16.2% and also allows 70.7 PPG. Both marks rank in the top four in the league.
I think the Owls could struggle to defend Wichita State for stretches throughout this game, but I imagine they’re eager to end their three-game losing skid, and their need for a win is what keeps this game close.
