Free College Basketball Picks: Memphis at SMU Odds
by Dave Schwab - 1/31/2014
The No. 22 Memphis Tigers and the SMU Mustangs will square off against one another this Saturday afternoon at Moody Coliseum in an AAC matchup between two of the top teams in the conference. Tip off is set for 2 p.m. (ET), and the game will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network.
Memphis is 16-4 straight up on the year, and it improved to 6-2 in the AAC with a 69-59 victory over Central Florida this past Wednesday as a seven-point road favorite. It has now covered in five of its last six games to improve to 11-6 ATS on the year. The total has stayed “under” in six of its last seven contests.
The Mustangs are coming off a tough 78-71 loss to South Florida as seven-point favorites on the road this past Tuesday to fall to 5-3 SU in conference play and 16-5 overall. They are also 11-6 ATS this season, and the total has gone “over” in their last two outings after staying under in their previous five games.
Memphis vs. SMU Betting Storylines
The Tigers remain one of the higher-scoring teams in the nation this season with an average of 80.2 points a game, and they have also been one of the better shooting teams with a field goal percentage of 48.4. This number drops to 32.5 percent from 3-point range, and Memphis is hitting just 64.7 percent of its shots from the free throw line. Another area of strength has been under the boards with 38.4 rebounds a game.
Joe Jackson leads a trio of players scoring in double-figures with 14.2 points a game, and he is also dishing out a team-high 4.3 assists. Shaq Goodwin is a close second with 12.9 points, and he leads the Tigers in rebounds with 6.9 a game. Chris Crawford remains the team’s best pure shooter form outside in hitting 40.6 percent from beyond the arc.
SMU is averaging only 71.9 points a game, but it matches up extremely well shooting the ball with a 48.7 field goal percentage. It also matches up well under the boards with 37.9 rebounds a game. The Mustangs have done a slightly better job from outside with a 36.8 shooting percentage from 3-point range, and they are hitting 68.5 percent of their foul shots.
Nic Moore has had the hot hand for SMU with 13.9 points a game while shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 46.3 percent from outside the perimeter. Markus Kennedy is second on the team in points with 11.7, and he is pulling down an average of seven rebounds a game. These are the only two players scoring in double-figures, but SMU has some decent depth with seven other players adding at least five points a game.
Memphis vs. SMU NCAA Odds and Game Trends
The Mustangs have been opened by as three-point home favorites for this conference clash.
The Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a SU win, and they are a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last six games on the road. The total has stayed under in five of their last six road games.
The Mustangs are 6-1 ATS in their last seven conference games and 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games. The total has stayed under in five of their last six games played at home.
Head-to-head in this series, the home team is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings, and the total has stayed under in four of the last five games.
Free College Basketball Picks: Memphis vs. SMU Betting Predictions
The Tigers have had their issues against SMU on the road after failing to cover in the last six meetings at Moody Coliseum. However, the overall edge in talent and current form is clearly in their favor this time around, especially since they are getting three points. Bank on Memphis coming away with the SU victory on the road.
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