The Mustangs want to route Memphis even though they're not going to March Madness.

SMU vs Memphis NCAAB Odds Preview

Written by on February 24, 2016

With a postseason ban staring them directly in the face, the 22-win SMU Mustangs have nothing to play for this season besides pride.Legendary head coach Larry Brown will lead his suddenly inconsistent ball club into Memphis for a date against the rival Tigers looking to make another college hoops lines statement despite having no chance to participate in March Madness. Now, let’s find out if SMU can get the road win to extend their recent dominance over the Tigers.

How To Bet The SMU Mustangs vs. Memphis Tigers NCAAB Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, February 25, 7:00 PM  ET Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee TV: ESPN2 NCAAB Odds: TBA

Why Bet The SMU Mustangs

SMU (22-4 SU, 9-13 ATS) has been absolutely maddening in alternating SU wins and losses over their last nine games. The Mustangs picked up a solid 74-63 win over East Carolina on Sunday despite failing to cover the spread as a whopping 19-point home favorite. Point guard Nic Moore scored a game-high 22 points and shot 4-of-6 from beyond the arc in the second half. Moore left to a standing ovation from the Moody Coliseum crowd when he departed with 20 seconds remaining. “Whenever he gets hot, you just keep feeding him,” SMU guard Shake Milton said. “Every time he puts it up, you think it’s going in.” SMU forward Markus Kennedy scored 13 of his 19 points in the final 10 minutes. “Nic Moore, he gives them whatever they need, every game,” East Carolina head coach Jeff Lebo said. “Whether it’s a 3-point shot, an assist, a steal, taking a charge, whether it’s making somebody miss. We had five layups in the second half, three of them he made us miss at 5-9. He just makes winning plays. He is two plays ahead, offensively and defensively. Unfortunately, SMU has also suffered losses against UConn, Tulsa, Houston and Temple over their last nine games. The Mustangs average 78.5 points per game while limiting their opponents to just 64.3 points per contest defensively.

Why Bet The Memphis Tigers

Memphis (15-12 SU, 9-15 ATS) has lost three of its last four games and five of its last seven overall, including its humbling 80-71 road loss against previously, conference-winless South Florida on Saturday as an 8-point underdog. Memphis got 17 points from freshman forward Dedric Lawson and junior guard Avery Woodson, but shot a pitiful 36.5 percent from the floor and made just 10 of 20 free throw attempts in the loss. The Tigers average a solid 77.1 points per game while allowing 71.1 points per night defensively.

Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction

While SMU has clearly struggled over the last couple of weeks, Memphis has been even more abysmal and simply isn’t much more than mediocre this season as their 15-12 SU record suggests. SMU is one of the best defensive teams in the country and will get the win in this contest by shutting down the offensively-limited Tigers. The Mustangs are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win, but Memphis is an awful 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games against a team with a winning road record. The Favorite in this rivalry is a perfect 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings, making the SMU Mustangs the easy pick in this one! My final score prediction: SMU 75 Memphis 65