SMU Mustangs vs. Clemson Tigers College Basketball prediction, preview
SMU is off to a very strong start to the season, coming off a win over North Carolina on Saturday that helped it improve to a perfect 10-0 start at home. The Mustangs are 2-2 away from home, though, with a true road win at Mississippi State and a win over Texas A&M in Arlington. They’ve also lost a true road game by 19 points at Vanderbilt and to LSU in New Orleans.
Outside of the trip to Vandy, this will be SMU’s toughest road test to date. Clemson has proven to be a tough place to play, with the Tigers 7-0 at home this season, and on an 11-game home winning streak dating back to last season. Clemson has lost to Georgetown on the road, and then traveled to play tough games against Alabama and BYU consecutively.
These are two pretty even teams, but three factors push me towards the home favorite. Home court should play a big role in the game, and SMU is also coming off a pretty big home win. Traveling out east could lead to a bit of a letdown spot. SMU’s defense should be the weakest unit on the floor, ranking 77th on KenPom. I think the Tigers will be able to take advantage, and collect another victory at home.
Personally, I parlayed Clemson on the moneyline with the Celtics, who host the Nuggets in the NBA. That came out to -111 odds, but with Clemson tipping off later in the evening, I also think Clemson is a strong play laying the points if you want to keep it to a straight bet.
