LSU vs SMU prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball
12/13/2024 06:36 PM
It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with an LSU SMU prediction and pick. Find out how to watch LSU SMU.
LSU has just one loss this season, to Pittsburgh. The Tigers have put together a solid nonconference run, recently defeating Florida State in the ACC-SEC Challenge. LSU has won on the road at Kansas State, and it defeated UCF of the Big 12 in a neutral-site triple-overtime game earlier this season. Coach Matt McMahon inherited a bad situation in Baton Rouge, given the penalties assessed to the LSU program under previous coach Will Wade. A lot of players left the program and McMahon was left to deal with the mess. All things considered, McMahon is doing well to build back the LSU program. The Tigers are competitive and respectable, and they have made noticeable progress under their head coach. However, being competitive and respectable is not the same as making the NCAA Tournament. LSU needs to continue to show that it can defeat opponents with roughly equivalent talent. SMU would fit that general description.
SMU is making its way through its first season under new head coach Andy Enfield, who came over from USC to lead the Mustangs into the ACC. SMU pulled the trigger rather quickly on previous coach Rob Lanier, in a move a lot of people questioned, given that Lanier simply didn’t receive enough time to put his stamp on the SMU program. SMU clearly wanted Enfield, who had coached at USC for 11 years and whose tenure ran out of steam. It was time for a fresh start for Enfield. Whether SMU was the location for that fresh start was an open question, but the Mustangs clearly had their preference, and now they’re entering a new era.
SMU has had mixed results this season. The Mustangs beat Washington State and Virginia but have lost to Mississippi State and Butler. The Washington State win could become a really good win, given that Wazzu has recently defeated Nevada and Boise State on the road. The loss to Butler got worse when Butler lost at home earlier this week to North Dakota State. All in all, SMU has not done enough to feel confident about its NCAA Tournament prospects. Given that the ACC has been atrocious in nonconference play, the value of wins in ACC play won’t be as great as the Mustangs and other ACC teams would have hoped. This game versus LSU is very important for Enfield if he wants to make the Big Dance in Year 1 on the job in University Park.
Here are the LSU-SMU College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: LSU-SMU Odds
LSU: +4.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +160
SMU: -4.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -194
Over: 152.5 (-115)
Under: 152.5 (-105)
How to Watch LSU vs SMU
Time: 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT
TV: ESPNU
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Why LSU Will Cover The Spread/Win
LSU is arguably a better team than SMU and is getting — not giving — points. Home-court advantage for SMU seems to be getting way too much credit here. If you work under the assumption that home court is worth three points relative to a neutral site, that would mean SMU would still be favored on a neutral floor and would be just a 1.5-point underdog at LSU. That seems a little off. LSU losing by four still covers. That’s a really good play to make.
Why SMU Will Cover The Spread/Win
SMU handled Virginia by 12 on its home court. The Mustangs can beat LSU by seven fewer points and still cover. SMU also needs this game more than LSU does if we are going to compare the two teams’ situations. That’s worth considering here.
Final LSU-SMU Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to LSU, but we don’t have a strong feel for this game. Pass.
Final LSU-SMU Prediction & Pick: LSU +4.5
The post LSU vs SMU prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball appeared first on ClutchPoints.
