PREMIUM
3-Game Thursday SWEEPER PASS
(NCAAB) San Diego State vs. Houston,
Point Spread: 4.00 | -110.00 San Diego State (Away)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 4.00 | -110.00 San Diego State (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 11th-seeded San Diego State Aztecs (22-10) head to Thursday's West Region first-round game in Wichita, Kn, on a nine-game win streak. Awaiting them will be the sixth-seeded Houston Cougars, who are 26-7. San Diego State's streak includes two victories against Mountain West Conference regular-season champ (and NCAA Tournament at-large pick Nevada) and Saturday's 82-75 win against New Mexico in the conference tournament finals. Houston lost 56-55 to Cincinnati in the the American Athletic Conference Tournament championship.
San Diego State: A healthy and full roster has helped the Aztecs get hot at the right time. All five starters average in double digits, led by the 6-10 Pope (12.9 & 6.0). A pair of freshman start up front with Pope, the 6-6 Mitchell (10.7 & 4.0) and the 6-10 McDaniels (10.2 & 7.5). Guards Kell (10.4-4,0-4.1) form the starting backcourt, plus Hemsley (7.4) comes off the bench, along with the 6-9 Montana (7.0 & 3.0), up front.
Houston: Kelvin Sampson is now one of just 14 coaches to take four schools (Washington State, Oklahoma, Indiana, Houston) to the NCAA Tournament, as.Houston has produced one of its best seasons in decades. The Cougars broke into the top-25, cresting at No. 21, finished in a tie for second place in the AAC, dominated Arkansas of the SEC and had top-10 wins over Cincinnati and Wichita State (the Cougars never lost consecutive games). Gray leads the Cougars with 18.5 points and 4.5 assists, while senior forward Devin Davis adds 10.8 points and a team-best 6.2 rebounds. Junior Corey Davis Jr. contributes 13.5 points while shooting 44 percent from the three-point line and sophomore Armoni Brooks - the American Athletic Conference's Sixth Man of the Year - adds 9.8 points and shoots 42.3 percent beyond the arc.
The pick: The Cougars are in the Big Dance for the first time since 2010 and haven't won a tournament game since reaching the championship game in 1984. However, Houston heads to the NCAA tournament with 12 wins in its last 15 games and an RPI higher than most of the tournament's fourth and fifth seeds. Meanwhile, the Aztecs went to the NCAA Tournament six straight years (2010-2015) - winning at least one game four times - before missing the past two tournaments. San Diego State captured three games in three days at the Mountain West tournament, including the final against New Mexico, to earn its berth in the NCAAs. The Aztecs have won nine straight games since the return of injured guard Trey Kell in mid-February and seem poised to win again, here. Make San Diego State an * play.
San Diego State: A healthy and full roster has helped the Aztecs get hot at the right time. All five starters average in double digits, led by the 6-10 Pope (12.9 & 6.0). A pair of freshman start up front with Pope, the 6-6 Mitchell (10.7 & 4.0) and the 6-10 McDaniels (10.2 & 7.5). Guards Kell (10.4-4,0-4.1) form the starting backcourt, plus Hemsley (7.4) comes off the bench, along with the 6-9 Montana (7.0 & 3.0), up front.
Houston: Kelvin Sampson is now one of just 14 coaches to take four schools (Washington State, Oklahoma, Indiana, Houston) to the NCAA Tournament, as.Houston has produced one of its best seasons in decades. The Cougars broke into the top-25, cresting at No. 21, finished in a tie for second place in the AAC, dominated Arkansas of the SEC and had top-10 wins over Cincinnati and Wichita State (the Cougars never lost consecutive games). Gray leads the Cougars with 18.5 points and 4.5 assists, while senior forward Devin Davis adds 10.8 points and a team-best 6.2 rebounds. Junior Corey Davis Jr. contributes 13.5 points while shooting 44 percent from the three-point line and sophomore Armoni Brooks - the American Athletic Conference's Sixth Man of the Year - adds 9.8 points and shoots 42.3 percent beyond the arc.
The pick: The Cougars are in the Big Dance for the first time since 2010 and haven't won a tournament game since reaching the championship game in 1984. However, Houston heads to the NCAA tournament with 12 wins in its last 15 games and an RPI higher than most of the tournament's fourth and fifth seeds. Meanwhile, the Aztecs went to the NCAA Tournament six straight years (2010-2015) - winning at least one game four times - before missing the past two tournaments. San Diego State captured three games in three days at the Mountain West tournament, including the final against New Mexico, to earn its berth in the NCAAs. The Aztecs have won nine straight games since the return of injured guard Trey Kell in mid-February and seem poised to win again, here. Make San Diego State an * play.
