Wichita State Shockers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Betting Preview

The undefeated Wichita State Shockers take their game to Cancun, Mexico, Tuesday night as they square off against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Cancun Challenge. The Shockers have barely broken a sweat this season, as their closest game was against Texas Southern, a contest they won by only six, their only single-digit victory this season. The Gamecocks have only lost one game this season, last Tuesday against Boston University.
Gregg Marshall’s 2019-20 Shockers have come out with some lock-down defense, as they rank 21st in the nation in opponents points per game, only giving up 58, while averaging over 76 on the offensive end of the floor. The Gamecocks are an extremely similar bunch on both ends of the floor, as they only allow 59.4, which ranks 38th in the country, while scoring 75.4. The Shockers are favored by 3.5 points, and the over/under is 132.5.
No Shock To Anyone
Wichita State has been a perennial contender over the last decade. Marshall has done an excellent job with the group. Led by 6-6 forward Trey Wade, a transfer from UTEP, who’s averaging 12 points and eight rebounds per game, the Shockers offense hasn’t been what they expected, but so long as they don’t allow 60 points per game, their offense should skate by just fine.
Wade averages over one steal and one block per game to go with his strong offensive game. Wade leads the team in blocks while 6-1 freshman guard Tyson Etienne leads the team with 1.4 steals per game. Wichita State ranks 69th in the nation in blocks, while only turning the ball over 48 times, which ranks ninth in the nation. The Shockers also rank 40th in the nation in opponents’ field-goal percentage.
Just Enough Game
South Carolina has had a nice start to its 2019-20 campaign. Defensively, this team is stout. Offensively, they are led by sophomore guard AJ Lawson, who is averaging 17.2 points and 3.2 assists per game while collecting 1.6 steals and four boards as well. Sophomore guard Jermaine Cousinard throws in 10.2 points per game as well, while shooting over 42 percent from beyond the arc.
Collectively, this bunch has to improve offensively. They rank 127th in the nation in points per game, while shooting just over 42 percent from the field, which ranks 243rd. Only two of South Carolina’s starting five is shooting over 50 percent. South Carolina also allows its opponents too many steals and way too many assists. The Gamecocks could also use a vast improvement in their ability to box out, as opponents rebound too well against them.
Racing To The Finish
Wichita State has been a prominent program for a while, as it hasn’t missed the postseason much this decade. South Carolina is in the tough SEC, and while it has remained relevant, the Gamecocks haven’t garnered the attention of some of their fellow division mates. Offensively, it seems the Shockers will be too much for the Gamecocks to overcome. Wichita State wins and covers the spread Tuesday night.