Preview: San Diego Clippers at Rio Grande Valley Vipers

EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — The surging Rio Grande Valley Vipers look to solidify their standing near the top of the G League’s Western Conference when they host the San Diego Clippers on Wednesday night at Bert Ogden Arena.

The Vipers (21-14) enter the contest with a 1 1/2-game lead over the Clippers (20-18) in the conference standings. Rio Grande Valley has won five of its last seven games, including a 117-115 road victory over Iowa last Sunday. Forward Caleb McConnell has been a key contributor, averaging 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists over his last six outings, highlighted by a 19-point, 5-rebound, 7-assist performance in the win at Iowa.

San Diego arrives after a thrilling 135-132 victory over Austin last Friday, a game in which guard Jaelen House erupted for a season-high 45 points and eight assists. House has been on a remarkable run, averaging 24.5 points and 8.9 assists over his last 10 games, establishing himself as one of the league’s most dynamic offensive engines. The Clippers have shown a potent but inconsistent offense, scoring 135 and 140 points in wins but also dropping a 128-120 overtime decision at Salt Lake City earlier this month.

This marks the second leg of a rare back-to-back, home-and-home set between the teams. They met in Edinburg on Tuesday night, with results from that contest unavailable for this preview. The outcome will likely hinge on which team controls the tempo, with San Diego’s high-octane attack led by House facing a Vipers squad that has found success in close games, with three of their last five wins coming by three points or fewer.

The Vipers continue a four-game homestand Friday against Noblesville. The Clippers head to California for a two-game series at Santa Cruz starting Friday.