In Wichita, Kansas, the Wichita State Shockers will face off against the Memphis Tigers. The game will air on ESPN at 12 p.m. ET.
The moneyline odds have Memphis as a 7.5 point favourite. We have settled on a total of 150.5 points.
My college basketball picks and predictions for the match between Wichita State and Memphis on February 16, 2025 are presented here.
Picking Memphis to Beat Wichita State
My Preference: 147 or Less
With the greatest odds available at Caesars, my best option for Memphis vs. Wichita State is the under. When placing bets on college basketball games, make use of our live NCAAB odds page to get the best lines.
Chances of Memphis Playing Wichita State
Memphis Logo (February 16) at 12 PM Eastern Time
ESPN Logo for Wichita State
Odds on Memphis
Moneyline Spread Total -7.5 -102
150.5% -110 degrees / -110 units -290
Odds for Wichita State
The spread, total, moneyline, and odds via DraftKings are +7.5, -118, 150.5, -110o, -110u, and +235. Here you may find the most recent NCAAB odds.
Logo for DraftKings
Memphis -7.5 in the matchup with Wichita State
Wichita State vs. Memphis, over/under: 150.5
Memphis is -290 and Wichita State is +235 on the moneyline for their matchup against Memphis.
Bet on the Under 147 or Better in Memphis’s matchup with Wichita State.
Spread
The spread in this game is not something I’m going to touch.
Cash Line
I am not betting on the moneyline, just like the spread.
Greater than or equal to
In an AAC matchup, I think the under is the better choice.
My Preference: 147 or Less
Charles Koch Arena will host Sunday’s Memphis vs. Wichita State game at 12:00 PM EST. Yes, ESPN will be airing the game.
College Basketball: Memphis vs. Wichita State – A Preview
With an 11-1 record in AAC play—their lone setback coming on a night when Temple scored 88 points—the Memphis Tigers have been absolutely dominant.
With the exception of a stolen bid, no AAC team other than Memphis will qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
The Paul Mills era at Wichita State has gotten off to a shaky start. Despite starting the conference schedule with a 1-7 record, the Shockers managed to win five games in AAC play last year and four games this season. Finally, the last three games have given Shocker supporters some relief.
I don’t think either team is going to be able to get the ball moving in transition, despite their desires to do so. With a turnover percentage of 19%, Memphis causes a lot of turnovers. But with a 16% turnover rate, Wichita State isn’t exactly known for its defensive pressure or forcible turnovers.
In the half court, Memphis is likewise not very effective offensively and usually gets rid of fouls quickly. According to KenPom’s FTA/FGA metric, the Tigers are ranked 25th, and their previous five opponents all experienced foul problems.
At 37th in the nation for defence in FTA/FGA, Wichita State can match Memphis’s foul-drawing skill simply by not fouling.
By limiting Memphis to just 15 free throw attempts, the Shockers kept them to 61 points in their first encounter. Memphis has been getting free throws to the basket at will, so 15 is a fair lot.
Offensively, Memphis is well-equipped. Major League Dain Dainja has scored 18 points or more in four of his last five games, Tyreke Hunter, a seasoned guard, is making more than 40% of his three-point attempts, and PJ Haggerty, a likely All-American, scores more than 20 points every game. That trio is quite frightening.
I didn’t anticipate the Tigers’ 41% shooting from beyond the arc to be a strength heading into the season. But they don’t make many three-point shots. Driving for a foul or kicking it to a shooter is the half-court offense’s game plan.
The number will be pushed under by the Shockers’ tremendous offensive woes in conference play. Their offensive efficiency ranks eleventh in the league, while they rank last in both effective field goal percentage (38%) and 3-point percentage (29%).
The fact that point guard Justin Hill has been out with an injury for the past several games has only made this team’s scoring woes worse.
Still, it might not be all awful. Without Hill, Wichita State may have experienced the famous “Ewing Effect”—they won all three of their league games.
No matter how fast they are, the Shockers aren’t physically capable of competing in a track competition. The score will be heavily in Memphis’ favour if it reaches the 70s or 80s.
Now we turn our attention to the Tigers, who rank 326th in defensive rebounding rate and may find it difficult to prevail in the shot-volume contest.
Because the Shockers have the best offensive rebounding percentage in the conference, that’s where Wichita State can really put them to shame. As a result, the better offensive club, Memphis, should have fewer opportunities to score and longer possessions overall.
I simply do not anticipate a high-scoring game.
Just looking at Memphis’s top-35 defensive efficiency ranking gives Wichita State a reason to be concerned about their chances of scoring 65 points or more.
The road Tigers’ offence could be in jeopardy since the Shockers’ defence has been playing at a higher level in league play.
