There’s some work to do for the Memphis Tigers if they plan to join the ride—at least by invitation— to the Big Dance this March. They only have one win over a Top 150 RPI team thus far this season, but they still have three chances of duplicating that feat, beginning with a rematch with the No. 21 and Top 18 RPI SMU Mustangs. The Mustangs, meanwhile, are looking to strengthen their credentials as the AAC’s top candidate for a spot in the National Tournament.
The competition in the Big 12 conference is also getting tighter as the end of the regular season nears its end. Read here for the preview of this Saturday’s matchup between Michigan and Maryland.
[sc:MarchMadness ]SMU Mustangs vs. Memphis Tigers Betting Preview
Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis
When: Thursday, February 26, 2015 9:00 PM ET
Line: SMU Mustangs vs. Memphis Tigers – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the SMU Mustangs
Larry Brown must be happy with the kind of shooting the Mustangs have displayed recently. In fact, any coach with a team that has shot over 50 percent from the field in the last three games should feel that way. SMU stayed hot on offense on Thursday, going 21-of-43 (48.8%) from the field on their way to a decisive 67-58 win over the Temple Owls.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Once again, Nic Moore did most of the damage. Moore scored 18 points against Temple, bouncing back from a mini-scoring slump that saw him score 16 points total in back-to-back games against the UCF Knights and the Cincinnati Bears.
Moore, however, won’t be the only guy the Tigers’ defense will have to prepare for. In the Mustangs’ 73-59 win over Memphis on January 8, Moore and the other Mustangs took a backseat on offense as Marcus Kennedy came off the bench and fired 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting in 22 minutes. Kennedy, who scored 18 points against Temple, has put up 12.7 PPG in SMU’s past three games.
The Mustangs’ defense is also looking good. SMU is 22nd in the country in terms of scoring defense, allowing opponents to score just 59.0 PPG.
SMU is 3-1 ATS in its last four games against
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Betting on the Memphis Tigers
The Tigers avoided a disastrous loss on Sunday when they eked out a hard-earned 75-65 overtime victory over the lowly UCF Knights. Moving forward, the Tigers are set for a rematch with SMU, which they had a tough time dealing with in the teams’ first meeting.
Memphis’ leading scorer Austin Nichols (13.7 PPG this season) carried the team on his back, putting up 20 points and added seven rebounds off the bench. Nichols has missed the Tigers’ games against Temple and East Carolina due to a sprained ankle, but has come back strong from the injury. In his first game back, Nichols posted huge numbers of 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven blocks. In the two games since returning to the lineup, he has averaged 18.0 PPG.
For the Tigers to upset SMU in the rematch, they’ll have to do a much better job on the boards against the Mustangs this time around . In the first meeting with SMU, the Tigers were massively outrebounded, 38-22.
Given the talent on their roster, the Tigers shouldn’t allow this to happen again. Led by Shaq Goodwin (7.0 RPG), Nichols (6.2 RPG), and Trashon Burrell (5.3 RPG), the Tigers are currently 17th in the nation in rebounds with 38.2 a game. The trio also combined for 22 of the Tigers’ 50 rebounds in the win over the Knights.
Memphis is 3-0 ATS in its last three games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
SMU wins, 65-60.
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