SMU Mustangs vs Memphis Tigers Betting Pick & Prediction 1/7/24
Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Mustangs and Tigers. The game is starting at 5:00 ET on ESPN, and it’s hosted by the Tigers at FedExForum in Memphis, TN. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 149 points, and the Tigers are the home favorites against the Mustangs in a American Athletic conference matchup.
SMU MUSTANGS VS MEMPHIS TIGERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Memphis Tigers -6.5
This game will be played at FedExForum at 5:00 ET on Sunday, January 7th.
WHY BET THE MEMPHIS TIGERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-67 in favor of the Tigers.
- Not only will Memphis pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -6.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 149 points, and we like the under with a projected 142 points.
Will the Mustangs Defense Show Up on the Road?
SMU comes into today’s game as the underdog, with a point spread of +6.5. So far, they have an overall record of 10-4 and are on a four-game winning streak. In their last game, they defeated Charlotte by a score of 66-54.
On the road this season, SMU is 3-2 and has an average scoring margin of +8.0 points per game. Over their last 10 games away from home, they are just 3-7.
As the underdog this season, SMU has a 2-2 record vs. the spread, but they have been even better in their last 10 games as the underdog, going 5-4-1. On the road, the Mustangs are 4-1 vs. the spread this year and they have gone 6-3-1 in their last 10 road games vs. the spread.
SMU’s over/under record for the season is 3-10 and the average scoring total in their games is 136.7 points. Today’s over/under line of 149 is higher than the average OU line in their games (142.2). This season, 11 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s OU line. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 139 points and their OU record during that stretch is 1-2.
In their most recent game, the SMU offense concluded with only 66 points against Charlotte. Throughout the game, they made 2/14 three-point attempts and had a field goal percentage of 43.5%. Zhuric Phelps is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today’s matchup with an average of 14.7. Meanwhile, Chuck Harris also brings a PPG average of 13.2 into the game.
The Mustangs’ defense is presently ranked 11th nationally, allowing an average of 61.6 points per contest. The SMU defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 54 points and allowed Charlotte to connect on 2 threes.
Can the Tigers Pull Off a Home Win?
Memphis comes into today’s game with an overall record of 12-2 and are favored by 6.5 points over SMU. The Tigers have won seven straight games and are a perfect 7-0 at home this season.
In their last game, Memphis defeated Tulsa by a score of 78-75. Over their last 10 home games, the Tigers are an impressive 9-1.
Memphis has been a disappointing team against the spread this season, going just 6-8 overall. At home, their ATS mark is just 2-5, and over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Tigers have gone just 4-6 vs. the spread.
This season, the over/under record in Memphis games is 9-5 and their games have averaged 151.9 points. Today’s over/under line of 149 is lower than the average over/under line in their games (147.8). In their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 and the average scoring total in those games is 151 points.
The Memphis offense is coming off a game where they scored 78 points against Tulsa. They posted a field goal percentage of 50% and connected on 6 threes. David Jones is leading the team in scoring at 20.9 points per contest. Jahvon Quinerly has also been a key contributor with a PPG average of 12.9 going into the game.
On defense, Memphis is currently around the NCAA average in points allowed, giving up an average of 72.7 points per game. Against Tulsa in their most recent game, the Memphis defense gave up a total of 75 points while allowing Tulsa to hit 42% of their shots.