SMU vs UConn Free Betting Prediction

Posted by Henry Watkins on Wednesday,February 17, 2016 5:05, EDT in

NCAA Basketball News, Betting Tips, Picks & Previews

It looked for a little while as though there was only going to be one winner of the American Conference, but a slight shift in the balance of power has put that into doubt. The SMU Mustangs have looked like the team to beat in that conference all season long, but it is Temple who have taken over top spot. The Mustangs will try to steal it back when they face the Connecticut Huskies at the XL Center in Hartford on Thursday, February 18. Game time for this one is at 8 PM EST on ESPN2. We will let you know when the college hoops betting odds go live.

SMU Mustangs Vs Connecticut Huskies Free Betting Prediction

When: Thursday, February 18th, 2016, 8:00 PM ET
Where: XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut
TV: ESPN2
Radio: IMG Radio Network
Stream Option: WatchESPN
Opening NCAAB Odds: TBA

This is going to be a very tough game to call, as there appears to be very little separating these two teams at the moment. I would give the slight edge to the SMU Mustangs based on their body of work this season, but would not be surprised to see the bookies go the other way.

Why bet on the SMU Mustangs

It’s easy to dismiss the Mustangs (21-3, 9-3) due to the fact that they have not faced a ranked opponent this season, but it still isn’t easy to win over 20 games in a single season. After going a perfect 18-0 to start the season, the Mustangs have played .500 ball over their last 6 games, and that has seen them drop to #21 in the national rankings. SMU have put together a solid 5-2 record on the road this season, and that may well be enough to make them the favorite to come away with something in this one. This will be the first of 2 games that they play against the Huskies in the final couple of weeks, and getting the win in this game can set the tone for the final push that the Mustangs will make to win the American Conference. SMU are averaging 79.4 PPG, and are giving up 64.3 PPG.

Why bet on the Connecticut Huskies

The Huskies (18-7, 8-4) are by no means going to be an easy out for the Mustangs, especially when you consider how well Connecticut have played in their own building this season. The Huskie have dropped just one game, a 1-point loss to Cincinnati, at home this season, and they have turned their own building into something of a little fortress. They have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games, and are sitting on the brink of perhaps being able to crack the top 25. A win against a ranked SMU might help them do just that, but it is worth noting that they have lost both games that they have played versus ranked teams this season. The Huskies are averaging 73.8 PPG, and are giving up 62.0 PPG.

Expert Picks and Final Score Prediction

This really is a game that has the potential to go either way, but since I am not allowed to sit on the fence like that, I am going to go with the Mustangs to win a tight one on the road.