Wichita State Shockers at Memphis Tigers

Sometimes the data paints a picture of two teams simply moving in opposite directions, and that is the case tonight at FedExForum. Wichita State arrives in Memphis playing its best basketball of the season, riding a three-game win streak where the offense has clicked behind the elite scoring of Kenyon Giles. Conversely, Memphis is in a freefall, having lost four straight while surrendering 76 or more points in three of those contests. The Tigers look disjointed defensively, and the recent dismissal of Hasan Abdul Hakim adds to the sense of a roster in flux.

The biggest structural mismatch in this game is on the glass. Wichita State ranks 4th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage and has recorded at least 10 offensive boards in 22 consecutive games. This strength hits Memphis at its most vulnerable point. Tigers forward Aaron Bradshaw, their primary rim protector, is dealing with an elbow injury that limited him to just 48 seconds of action in his last outing. Without a healthy Bradshaw to clear the glass, Memphis has little answer for the Shockers' physicality. We already saw this dynamic play out in January when Wichita State dominated the first meeting by 15 points.

While Penny Hardaway's squad is desperate for a win at home, desperation doesn't fix a broken defense or heal a dislocated elbow. Kenyon Giles is the hottest scorer in the conference right now, posting four straight 20-point games, and he gives the Shockers the go-to weapon needed to close out a road win. The wrong team is favored here. Take the Shockers to complete the season sweep.