The 25th-ranked SMU Mustangs hit the road tonight to take on the Houston Cougars in American Athletic Conference hoops action. The game is scheduled for a 9:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPNu. Currently the College Basketball Betting Odds for the game have the Mustangs favored by double digits on the road.
SMU has been solid in the American all season, posting a 10-2 record to this point in the year. The Mustangs just picked up a big conference win as well over league leader Tulsa, giving the Golden Hurricanes their first loss in the American this season.
Four Mustang players pour in an average of double digits per game, led by Nic Moore with 14.5 points while shooting better than 44 percent from downtown. He's also handing out 5.5 assists per game as well, helping lead the Mustangs to an average of better than 69 points per game. SMU shoots the basketball well at 48.5 percent, which ranks 17th best in the country. The defense plays well, too, giving up just 58.8 points per game to opponents, which ranks inside the Top 20 nationally as well.
Houston comes in struggling mightily. The Cougars are just 1-9 in the American this season, sitting just ahead of the South Florida team that is 1-11 in the conference. Despite winning a couple of games recently and knocking off Connecticut in a game the Huskies needed, Houston has dropped nine of their last 11 overall.
The Cougars have trouble scoring points, averaging just 57 points per game their last eight overall. They have three players averaging in double digits, led by Jherrod Stiggers with 14.6 per contest, but the bench is weak and the defense is suspect. SMU can't afford a letdown on the road in this one.
Free Pick: SMU 69, Houston 55
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