Connecticut @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 15, 2019 ) Connecticut 45, Houston 84

Houston recorded its biggest win of the league slate last time out and the 24th-ranked Cougars look to avoid a letdown Thursday night when they host Connecticut for another American Athletic Conference battle. Houston has won eight of its last nine games after earning a 65-54 victory at Wichita State on Saturday, holding the Shockers to 30.4 percent from the floor and handing them their first home loss.

“We did a really good job on their shooters,” Cougars junior guard DeJon Jarreau told reporters after registering his first double-double of the season with 12 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals. “I thought we just played to our culture, rebounding and defense.” Houston, which leads the nation in rebound margin (plus-11.1), hopes to continue that trend and post a seventh victory over eight games in the series against a Connecticut team that has shown signs of improvement despite a 1-4 record in its past five contests. The Huskies went two overtimes with Wichita State on Jan. 12 before succumbing 89-86 on Jan. 12 and led by four with less than five minutes left at Villanova on Saturday, but settled for a 61-55 setback. “I saw a lot of growth since the last time we saw these guys,” UConn coach Dan Hurley told reporters after Saturday’s defeat. “But it’s a frustrated locker room because that game was on the table for us.”

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: ESPNU

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (10-7, 1-3 AAC): Christian Vital led the way with 13 points at Villanova and the senior guard is averaging 17.3 over the past three games to boost his team-best mark to 14.2 with 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals. Junior center Josh Carlton is the only other player averaging in double figures scoring (10.0) and he matches Vital for the top spot on the glass at 6.8 while connecting on 50 percent from the field. Junior guard Alterique Gilbert (9.7 points) scored 12.3 per game over the last three and freshman James Bouknight (9.5) is also a major threat, shooting 48 percent from the floor.

ABOUT HOUSTON (14-4, 4-1): The Cougars lean on their defense, which holds opponents to 38.4 percent shooting from the field, but their offense has been well balanced with the top five scorers averaging between 12.8 and 9.2 points. Sophomore guard Quentin Grimes leads the way, but is averaging six points on 8-of-29 from the floor over the past four games, while freshman guard Caleb Mills (12.6) was held to five points by Wichita State after scoring 60 total the previous three outings. Junior forward Fabian White Jr. scored a team-high 14 against the Shockers to push his season mark to 10.9.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Huskies lead the league in blocked shots per game (7.06) and the Cougars are third at 5.67.

2. Houston’s 6-5 sophomore G Nate Hinton contributes 11.6 points and is second in the league in rebounds (9.7).

3. UConn’s 6-9 freshman F Akok Akok has recorded at least three blocks in nine games and leads the AAC at 2.9 overall.

PREDICTION: Houston 78, Connecticut 68