Houston vs Toledo Prediction and Preview

#15 Houston returns to action after a week-long break and will look to continue their winning ways at home vs the Toledo Rockets on Wednesday night. Read more for the full Houston vs Toledo prediction and preview. 

Game information:

Teams: Houston (6-3) and Toledo (6-4)

Tip-off: 7 pm CST

Watch: ESPN+

Listen: KPRC 950

Latest on Toledo basketball: 

The Rockets will enter this tough matchup with losses in three of their last four games. Their last win was versus Defiance 111-49 at home on December 7th. Toledo is coming off a 93-87 loss at Youngstown State last Saturday. Sophomore guard Sonny Wilson is leading the Rockets this season with 16 PPG and 3.5 assists per game. Additionally, sophomore guard Sam Lewis is second on the team with almost 14 PPG and leads the Rockets with over five assists per game. Lewis led Toledo in scoring in their last matchup vs Youngstown State and team high eight rebounds. 

Head coach Tod Kowalczyk is in his 15th season with Toledo and has not faced Houston or coach Kelvin Sampson in his career. The Cougars own a 3-2 lead over the Rockets in the series, winning three out of the last four matchups. In the most recent game between the programs, Houston claimed a 71-63 win at Toledo. “A very good offensive team, runs creative sets and is fun to watch. Toledo has a great rich basketball tradition,” Kelvin Sampson said. 

Latest on Houston basketball: 

After yet another week break in play, UH picks back up with a midweek matchup at Fertitta Center where they have won 27 straight games, the longest home win streak in the nation. The Cougars are coming off of one game last week vs Troy, a 62-42 victory where Houston had lockdown defense in the first half. UH only gave up 11 points which set a new school record. Graduate guard LJ Cryer has recently caught fire and had his third straight 20 point game, becoming the only Cougar to accomplish the feat after he did the same last season. 

“LJ has made an unbelievable commitment to be the senior leader,” Sampson said. 

Cryer also received the 1A FAR Academic Excellence Award for his work in the classroom. The honor is presented annually to student-athletes who graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.80 or higher and have competed in 2+ years of NCAA athletics at a Football Bowl Subdivision school.

Sampson mentioned in his pregame availability that he wants his team to get better at creating easy baskets. Meanwhile, the Cougars boast one of the best three point shooting backcourts with Cryer and redshirt junior guard Emanuel Sharp. They rank in the Big 12’s top 10 in three point field goals made and three point shooting percentage. Sharp is third in the conference and seventh in the country with a 52% clip from three.

Houston vs Toledo prediction: UH wins by 30 (85-55)

The Cougars will continue their non-conference dominance at home and cruise by in a balanced performance on both sides.