The No. 2 Houston Cougars (23-2) go on the road to face the SMU Mustangs (9-17) in an AAC bout on Thursday evening. The Cougars lead the all-time series 21-11 over the Mustangs. Houston has won four of the past five matchups. On Jan. 5, the Cougars beat SMU 87-53.
Tipoff from Moody Coliseum in Dallas is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Cougars are 16-point favorites in the latest Houston vs. SMU odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 138.5. Before making any SMU vs. Houston picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 15 of the season 66-38 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning almost $1,700 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Houston vs. SMU and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for SMU vs. Houston:
- Houston vs. SMU spread: Cougars -16
- Houston vs. SMU over/under: 138.5 points
- Houston vs. SMU money line: Cougars -1600, SMU +900
- HOU: Cougars are 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games
- SMU: Over is 4-0 in Mustangs' last four Thursday games
- Houston vs. SMU picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Houston can cover
Freshman forward Jarace Walker is a high flyer who makes plays on both ends of the floor. Walker has great range defensively and covers plenty of ground in open space. The Pennsylvania native averages 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. He's scored at least 23 points in two of his last four games. On Feb. 5, Walker dropped 23 points, six rebounds, and went 4-of-5 from downtown.
Junior guard Jamal Shead owns solid playmaking ability and has good court vision. Shead has the instinct to jump into passing lanes consistently. The Texas native is second in the American Conference in assists (5.6) and tied for sixth in steals (1.7). Additionally, he averages 9.2 points but has scored 10-plus in seven of his last eight matchups. On Feb. 2, Shead logged 13 points, seven assists and two steals.
Why SMU can cover
Sophomore guard Zhuric Phelps is an athletic and versatile scorer in the backcourt. Phelps has been an acrobatic finisher in the lane and can absorb contact from defenders. The Texas native is sixth in the conference in scoring (17.4) with 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. He also has a knack for takeaways and ranks second in the American Conference in steals (2.2). Phelps notched 26 points, five assists and seven steals in his last matchup.
Senior forward Efe Odigie is a strong and powerful player down low. Odigie sets solid screens and has been a good cutter. He logs 11 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. The Texas native has recorded double-digit boards in seven games thus far. On Feb. 8, he finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
How to make SMU vs. Houston picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 141 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits more than 70% of the time. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Houston vs. SMU? And which side of the spread cashes in over 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned almost $1,700 on its college basketball picks this season, and find out.
