Tulsa @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 11, 2017 ) Houston 73, Tulsa 64

Visiting Tulsa and Houston both look to bounce back from tough losses when they meet Thursday night in American Athletic Conference action. A win will also help one of them keep pace with league leaders Cincinnati and Wichita State.

Thursday's meeting features two of the top scorers in the league with Houston's Rob Gray and Tulsa's Junior Etou. The Cougars, who have won seven straight home games at nearby Texas Southern while their home arena gets a $60 million renovation this season, rank second in the league in scoring but will be challenged by Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane have held their last nine opponents to 66.9 points after allowing 96 points to Texas-San Antonio in late November. Tulsa has won seven of 10 against Houston but was swept last year.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT TULSA (10-6, 3-1 AAC): Etou, a senior forward, has scored in double figures in 15 straight games and leads the Golden Hurricane with 17.1 points per contest. Guard Sterling Taplin adds 11.9 points and 3.9 assists while forward Martins Igbanu is averaging 12.8 points in league play after averaging 6.6 points in non-conference. Junior wing DaQuan Jeffries (10.0 points, 5.3 rebounds) has nine total points in his two games back from a hand injury.

ABOUT HOUSTON (12-3, 2-1): Gray's 18.6-point average leads the Cougars and is ranked second in the league but he has been held to 10.7 in AAC play. Forward Devin Davis adds 11.5 points and a team-best 6.7 rebounds while guard Corey Davis Jr. chips in 11.1 points and a 43.2-percent clip from behind the 3-point line. Sophomore center Chris Harris Jr. (2.1 points, 3.1 rebounds) made his first career start in place of junior Breaon Brady (5.8 points, 5.4 rebounds), who missed the Wichita State game with an ankle injury.

TIP-INS

1. Tulsa senior G Corey Henderson Jr. (8.9 points) is averaging 4.7 points in Tulsa's six losses and was held scoreless twice.

2. Houston was outscored in the paint 38-18 against LSU and 20-10 against Wichita State, its two more recent losses.

3. Gray (1,315 points) is 22nd on Houston's list of all-time scorers and needs 17 to tie Hakeem Olajuwon for 20th place.

PREDICTION: Houston 78, Tulsa 70