Memphis houses no. 1 Houston on Sunday when the AAC’s top teams meet to close out the regular season before the teams head to Fort Worth, Texas for the league tournament. The Cougars (28-2, 16-1 AAC) won Game 1 72-64 at home on Feb. 19, but the result came with an asterisk as Memphis star guard Kendric Davis was unavailable for the contest. due to an ankle injury.
The AAC’s all-time leading scorer is back in the lineup now for the Tigers (23-7, 13-4), who are looking for momentum entering the postseason. They are a projected non. 10 for the NCAA Tournament in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology projections before the weekend, and a win over the top-ranked team in the nation would only solidify his resume.
Houston is a projected no. 1 and looking like a national title contender with the starting five averaging double figures in the league. The Cougars can comfortably roll nine deep in their rotation and have a chance to put the finishing touches on a potentially historic regular season.
With a win, Houston would finish 17-1 in the league this season, marking the program’s best conference record through nine seasons in the AAC and surpassing the 2018-19 team that finished 16-2. The Cougars will join the Big 12 next season and leave little doubt that the program is ready for a tougher challenge than the one the AAC has provided.
However, winning on the road against Memphis will not be an easy task. The Tigers have won 11 of their last 13 games, with one of those losses coming on the road against the Cougars when they were shorthanded. Houston is already established as No. 1 for the AAC Tournament and Memphis has the No. 2 seed locked up, but this game should have the feel of a postseason matchup nonetheless.
How to watch Houston vs Memphis live
dates: Sunday March 5 | time: 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: FedExForum — Memphis, Tennessee
TELEVISION: CBS | live broadcast: End-shutdown.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Houston vs. Memphis prediction, picks
featured game | Memphis Tigers vs Houston Cougars
Memphis’ place in the NCAA Tournament seems secure, so this is not a “back to the wall” situation. But this could be the program’s last chance in Houston before the Cougars leave for the Big 12 next season, and it’s always a big deal when the No. 1 player in the country. 1 team is coming to town. The Tigers played near Houston on the road last month without Davis available. With Davis back and FedExForum at or near capacity for him, Memphis is capable of handing Houston its second loss in the league. Prediction: Memphis -5.5
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