Score Predictions for West Virginia vs. No. 6 Houston

Picking tonight's game between the Mountaineers and Cougars.
West Virginia University forward Amani Hansberry (13) and guard Javon Small (7) fight for the defensive rebound against Arizona State.
West Virginia University forward Amani Hansberry (13) and guard Javon Small (7) fight for the defensive rebound against Arizona State. / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Darian DeVries and the West Virginia Mountaineers (13-6, 4-4) look to snap a two-game skid and get back in the win column on Wednesday night against the sixth-ranked Houston Cougars (16-3, 8-0). The action is slated to begin at approximately 7 p.m. EST on ESPN+.

Our picks for tonight's game are in. Here is what we see happening.

Schuyler Callihan: West Virginia 64, Houston 62

West Virginia University guard Jonathan Powell
West Virginia University guard Jonathan Powell / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

I rarely go out on a limb, but here I go.

The Cougars pose a lot of challenges for the Mountaineers, particularly with their suffocating defense. In the first matchup between these two a couple of weeks ago, the Mountaineers turned the ball over just twelve times, but Houston made them pay virtually every time, translating to 25 points off of turnovers. Taking care of the basketball is the number one priority in this game if WVU wants any chance at springing the upset.

Secondly, it's time for the shooting woes to come to an end. After shooting a combined 8-for-50 from three-point range over the last two games, West Virginia is due to have a semi-efficient night from range, even against the stingy Cougars. Houston allowed nine made threes in the first game, so there will be open looks, especially when they blitz Javon Small with a double-team.

Houston has played two road games since playing West Virginia, and in those matchups, they held on to beat UCF 69-68 and took down Kansas in double overtime, 92-86. If anything, you can expect this to be a much closer game than the one that played out in Houston. WVU had an awful week, and there's no hiding that, but every team goes through a stretch where they just aren't playing well. Just about every time they've locked up with a ranked opponent this season, Darian DeVries gets his guys to compete for 40 minutes and I expect nothing less here.

I'll go ahead and pick the upset because why not? It's a home game, the crowd should be juiced, and this is a team that is desperate to get a really bad taste out of their mouth. What better way to do it than to knock off yet another top-10 team?

Prediction record: 13-6

Christopher Hall: Houston 76, West Virginia 70

Javon Small has been steady as they come and has hit double figures in every game this season. However, West Virginia has not found a consistent scorer to complement the Big 12 Player of the Year frontrunner.

The Mountaineers have persisted since the loss of forward Tucker DeVries in early December but the lack of consistency since his absence has led to some abysmal stretches in Big 12 games.

West Virginia has shot a league-worst 39.5% from the field in Big 12 action and the poor shooting was amplified in the last two losses, shooting 34.9% from the floor, and they’ve gotten plenty of good looks at the rim.

Meanwhile, Houston remains undefeated in Big 12 play and is currently on a 12-game winning streak after an overtime win at Kansas on Saturday

West Virginia just lost at Houston by 16 just two weeks ago, and the Cougars stingy defense and with an offense that can light it up from outside, it’s hard to see a path to a Mountaineers win.

However, this time Houston comes to Morgantown, the program’s first trip to the WVU Coliseum. There were many doubters when then-ranked No. 2 Iowa State rolled to town and the Mountaineers pulled off the upset. So, there some light to the end of the tunnel.

West Virginia didn’t shoot it well against the Cyclones, under 40%, but key players hit big shots and with a strong defensive effort, gave the Mountaineers an opportunity to win it in the end. Then, Small took over in the final minute and a half with 12 points to pull off the upset.

I do believe the Mountaineers will have a better showing against the Cougars and maybe, just maybe the crowd can affect a veteran group that leads the Big 12 in three-point percentage (39.5%), and naturally, they will rally around Mountaineer fans with a gritty defense. Nonetheless, I think Houston hits big shots in the final minute for a heartbreaking loss, 76-70.

West Virginia University guard Javon Small
West Virginia University guard Javon Small / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Prediction record: 12-7

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Publisher of Mountaineers Now on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. Lead recruiting expert and co-host of Between the Eers, Walk Thru GameDay Show, Mountaineers Now Postgame Show, and In the Gun Podcast.