NCAA Basketball Predictions: UCF Knights vs. SMU Mustangs
by Mike Rose
The CUSA Tourney is where we make more NCAA basketball predictions for the day when the Central Florida Golden Knights and SMU Mustangs collide on a neutral court in Tulsa.
Central Florida closed out its regular season campaign on a high after it secured a 66-59 road win and cover as 1.5-point favorites against Rice last Saturday. The victory snapped their four-game overall losing streak.
As for SMU, it dropped back-to-back games to close out the year falling to both Tulsa and Marshall to move to 7-9 SU in CUSA play.
Central Florida Golden Knights (14-16, 14-10-2 ATS) vs. SMU Mustangs (14-16, 12-10 ATS)
College Basketball Odds:
UCF Golden Knights +1.5
SMU Mustangs -1.5
Game Total 121.5
UCF was a much more confident team at home this season evidenced by its 9-6 SU & 5-4-2 ATS mark. However, though they were 3-9 SU as a visitor, those that made NCAA basketball predictions on them against the closing pointspread saw a decent return with the Golden Knights going 9-6 ATS overall.
In their three neutral court match-ups against Auburn, Niagara, and Drake, the CUSA reps went 2-1 SU & ATS.
Nothing about Head coach Kirk Speraw’s club is overly impressive. Offensively, the Golden Knights rank 219 th overall in scoring (67 PPG) with F A.J. Tyler leading the way with a paltry 10.4 point scoring average.
Defensively, they allow an average of 68.5 PPG (#186) and allow opponents to shoot 43.4 percent from the field (#188) and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc (#211).
Much like their opponent tonight, Southern Methodist tallied the bulk of its wins in its own house. They went 10-7 SU at home, but killed their NCAAB betting backers by posting a 4-7 ATS record.
Though it won just six games and lost all three of its neutral court battles, SMU was an ATM machine as a visitor as it covered eight of its 11 lined games. They were also money within CUSA play going an impressive 12-4 ATS.
The Mustangs proved to be highly efficient at the offensive end of the court as they shot 45.6 percent from the field (#71) even though they only averaged 66.7 PPG (#230). At the other end of the court, SMU limited opponents to just 42.3 percent from the field (#133) and allowed just 64.3 PPG (#74). They enter this match-up with a +3.2 rebounding margin.
College Basketball Insider Betting Tip : Though SMU failed to win or cover any of its neutral court games at the beginning of the year, they showed poise on the CUSA road by covering every single one of their games.
That’s something I just can’t ignore in this spot especially considering they hold advantages over tonight’s opponent at both ends of the court, at the free throw line, and on the glass.
UCF just so happened to be one of the teams SMU plastered on their home court this season winning 65-43 as 4.5-point favorites.
The favorite has taken 4 of the L/5 meetings ATS, and SMU has gotten the job done 4 of the L/5 times they were deemed favorites.
It certainly won’t be the cakewalk they experienced against the Golden Knights at the end of January, but I expect the Mustangs to carry the confidence of an impressive CUSA road resume and pick up their first neutral court win and cover of the season.
My College Basketball Prediction: SMU by 5
