Following back-to-back victories, WSU has returned to the AP top-25, but will once again be faced with a test to maintain their ranking. Despite Tulsa struggling in the non-conference portion of their schedule, the Golden Hurricane have responded with a 6-1 start in conference play.

Currently, the metrics point to a close Tulsa victory, with KenPom giving them a 51% chance and a score prediction of 65-64. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Golden Hurricane a 50.9% shot of winning inside the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

The Golden Hurricane have inserted themselves into the AAC title race in dominant fashion, punctuated by a 40-point victory over preseason conference favorites, Memphis. They’re currently tied with Houston atop the AAC standings.

Here are the three keys for WSU to pull a conference upset and pick up a major road victory:

Success from downtown

During their hot streak, Tulsa has locked opponents down on defense — especially from three-point range. Currently, the Golden Hurricane are holding their opponents to 28.2% shooting from deep, which ranks No. 8 nationally, according to KenPom.

The Golden Hurricane frequently run a zone defense, something the Shockers have yet to face on a regular basis. Last season, the Shockers were able to find success against Tulsa’s zone.

In that 21-point victory at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, the Shockers shot lights out from downtown, going 15-33 (45.5%) from beyond the arc. Dexter Dennis had a career night against the Golden Hurricane, tallying a career-high six three-pointers on nine attempts.

Dennis, who has found his rhythm from downtown over the last few games, could be a major factor on Saturday. In the last two games, Dennis has gone 8-17 from beyond the arc.

Using the size advantage

Unlike in recent games, WSU will have a definite size advantage against the Golden Hurricane — especially in the frontcourt. According to KenPom, Tulsa’s most frequent lineup features a frontcourt of Jeriah Horner and Martins Igbanu, who are no taller than 6-8.

With that kind of size advantage, you can expect the Shockers — particularly Jaime Echenique — to pound the ball into the post. Echenique had some success against Tulsa’s zone a season ago, tallying 14 points on 6-11 shooting.

Jamarius Burton can also create mismatches with his frame. He and Dexter Dennis will most likely flash at the high post to help break down the zone.

Bringing out the press

Against UCF, the Shockers used the press to create turnovers and get better looks on the offensive end of the court. Coach Gregg Marshall will most likely employ the press again against Tulsa, especially if the Shocker offense struggles out of the gate.

That would mean more minutes for Trey Wade and DeAntoni Gordon, both of whom have been featured at the top of the press so far this season.

One major benefit of bringing out the press is that it helps limit the time the offense spends in half-court. If Tulsa’s zone creates havoc and the Shocker offense struggles to find its groove, the press can help eliminate some of those issues.

With the press in play, making shots and forcing the Golden Hurricane to inbound the basketball will be critical. If the press is effective, it could propel the Shockers to a major conference victory.