The SMU Mustangs and the Virginia Cavaliers meet Wednesday in college basketball action from the John Paul Jones Arena. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s an Virginia vs SMU Prediction.
SMU Recap
The SMU Mustangs come into this game looking to build on a 93-71 win over Georgia Tech last time out to improve to 12-4 on the year. After this game, SMU will head on the road for a game against Miami.
Mustangs Looking To Heat Up
Boopie Miller leads the Mustangs in scoring and assists with 14.6 PPG and 5.9 APG while Chuck Harris has 12.4 PPG and Matt Cross has 10.9 PPG with a team-high 8.3 RPG to lead the Mustangs on the glass up to this point in the year. B.J. Edwards has 10.6 PPG with 3.6 RPG and 3.4 APG along with 2.4 SPG as well on the year to cap off the scoring in double figures for SMU so far this season. Samet Yigitoglu has 9.2 PPG with 6.8 RPG and Yohan Traore has 8.6 PPG with 4.6 RPG while Karlo Oquendo has 9.6 PPG with 2.8 RPG. As a team, SMU is averaging 84.7 PPG on 47.5% shooting from the field, 38.2% from three and 72.7% from the foul line this season.
Why the SMU Mustangs will win
- SMU has won eight of its last nine games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
- Virginia has lost five of its last six games against the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Virginia Recap
The Virginia Cavaliers come into this game looking to bounce back after an 88-65 loss to Stanford last time out to fall to 8-8 on the year. After this game, Virginia will head on the road for a matchup with the Louisville Cardinals.
Cavaliers Lose 3rd Straight
Isaac McKneely leads the Cavaliers in scoring with 12.3 PPG along with 3.6 RPG and 2.9 APG while Elijah Saunders has 11.9 PPG with 5.3 RPG as the only other double-digit scorer for Virginia so far this season. Andrew Rohde has 9.1 PPG with 3.5 APG to lead Virginia in assists and Jacob Cofie has 8.3 PPG with a team-high 5.5 RPG to lead the Cavaliers on the glass so far this season. As a team, Virginia is averaging 61.6 PPG on 43.2% shooting from the field, 37% from three and 75.1% from the foul line this season.
Why the Virginia Cavaliers will win
- Virginia has won 24 of its last 25 night games at John Paul Jones Arena against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Each of SMU’s last 11 night games have produced a total of 137+ points.
- Thirty-three of Virginia’s last 36 night games at John Paul Jones Arena have produced a total of 134 or fewer points.
Virginia vs SMU Prediction
I’m on the under in this game. We just saw this matchup between these two teams not that long ago, and it finished with 114 points in a 63-51 win for SMU and I think we see another low-scoring battle here. I lean towards SMU, but laying points on the road in a fairly tough environment in Virginia isn’t the most ideal situation. But this is going to be a slow-paced, ugly, defensive-minded affair and I think that the under is the way to go once again. Give me the under here.
