Mandatory Credit: Photo by Kevin M Cox/AP/Shutterstock (13699433u) Guard Jefferson Koulibaly (0) is defended by Houston guard Jamal Shead (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, in Houston SMU Basketball, Houston, United States – 05 Jan 2023
PREVIEW: No. 2 Houston Cougars basketball travels for battle with Cincinnati Bearcats
The Houston Cougars basketball team is heading up north for a Sunday afternoon clash against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Winners of six straight games, No. 2 Houston (15-1, 3-0 American Athletic) will be looking to stay perfect in conference play.
The Bearcats (11-5, 2-1 AAC) enter the matchup against the Cougars off a win against Wichita State. Cincinnati has won eight of its last 10 games, including a narrow loss to Xavier, who beat Connecticut.
Cincinnati is led by senior guard David DeJulius, who is well accustomed to playing against Houston. DeJulius is averaging 15.5 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals a game for the Bearcats.
Senior guard and Memphis transfer Landers Nolley II is second on the team in scoring with 14.9 points a game. He is also averaging 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest.
Sophomore big man Viktor Lakhin leads Cincinnati in rebounding with 7.8 per matchup. He also averages double-digit numbers in regard to scoring with 12.9 per outing. Junior guard Jeremiah Davenport is the team’s fourth double-digit scorer this season. He averages 10.2 points per game.
The Houston Cougars basketball team is coming off an 87-53 beat down of Southern Methodist University on Thursday evening.
Freshman forward Jarace Walker led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Marcus Sasser added 14 points and seven assists.
With a win, Houston puts itself in a strong position to reclaim the No. 1 spot in both national polls after losses from UConn and current No. 1 Purdue.
Sunday’s game will tip off at 2 p.m. CT and air on ESPN as well as will be able to be heard on KPRC 950 AM radio.
