Wichita State can clinch top spot in the American if they win out
Wichita State center Shaquille Morris points at the rim after a foul Sunday against Cincinnati.
Wichita State’s quest for the top spot in the American Athletic Conference just got a little easier.
Memphis (17-11; 8-7) defeated Houston (21-6; 11-4) Thursday night at Memphis, 91-85. Now with four losses in conference play, Houston sits a game back off WSU, and two games back of Cincinnati, with three regular-season games left to play.
There will no longer be a three-way tie for first place in the AAC, should Cincinnati and WSU and Houston each win out.
If Cincinnati and WSU each win the next two games, they’ll compete for the American title on March 4 at Koch Arena. Should WSU win that game, they’d tie Cincinnati with a 15-3 conference record; WSU would claim the top spot in the American owning the tie-breaker, a 2-0 record against the Bearcats.
Wichita State guard Landry Shamet fights for the ball Sunday against Cincinnati.
WSU is currently riding a five-game winning streak. Cincinnati defeated Connecticut after the Shockers snapped their 16-game winning streak and 39-game home court winning streak.
Cincinnati was projected the preseason favorite to win the American by AAC coaches by a single vote.
The top four finishers in the AAC earn a bye in the first day of the conference tournament in Orlando.
Evan Pflugradt is the former sports editor of The Sunflower. Pflugradt past served as the publication's Editor in Chief, Opinion Editor and a reporter....
