Tulsa at SMU - 1/1/23 College Basketball Picks and Prediction

SMU Mustangs (5-8) vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane (4-8)

Game Info: Sunday, January 1, 2023 at 3:00 pm (Moody Coliseum)

Betting Odds: SMU Mustangs -7 -- Over/Under: 141 Click Here for the Latest Odds

Where to Watch: ESPN Stream College Basketball all season on ESPN+. Sign up now! Advertisement

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane will head down to Dallas and face the SMU Mustangs in AAC action from the Moody Coliseum on ESPN.

Tulsa dropped to 4-8 after losing to Houston. The Golden Hurricane were overmatched from the opening tip, embarrassingly losing by 39 points at home. Tulsa is scoring 69.5 points per game, while allowing 74.8 ppg, and shooting 42.7% from the floor.

Tulsa has underwhelmed a bit this season, but Sam Griffin has done his part. The junior guard scored a game-high 29 points in the opener against Oregon State and he leads the team in scoring (15.2). Bryant Selebangue has posted four double-doubles this season, and he leads Tulsa in rebounding (8.1), while scoring 10.9 ppg. Brandon Betson has reached double figures in three of the last four games, and he’s averaging 11.6 ppg.

SMU fell to 5-8 after losing to Hawaii in Round 3 of the Diamond Head Classic. The Mustangs blew a nine-point halftime lead and fell to the hosting Warriors, 58-57. SMU is scoring 68.2 points per game, while allowing 72.3 ppg, and shooting 42.1% from the field.

No Kendrick Davis has led to a new sheriff in town for the Mustangs. Zurich Phelps’ second-year leap has been huge, and he’s scored 20 points or more in four of the last six games. Phelps leads SMU in scoring (19.5) and assists (2.8), while grabbing 4.5 rpg. Fifth-year guard Zach Nutall scored a game-high 24 points in the win over Iona, and he’s up to 14.2 ppg.

SMU comes into AAC play at a disadvantage due to strength of schedule, and they must start fast here. Things have not looked good for Tulsa this season, so we may just have the perfect storm here. Despite losing in the final round in Honolulu, the Mustangs showed life by beating talented mid-majors Iona and Utah State. That momentum should over here into their conference opener, and their backcourt should thrive against Tulsa. Take SMU's spread for this AAC contest.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.

Mitch's Take...

NBA, MLB, NCAAB, Best Bets for Today Picks & Predictions Thursday 3/28/24 | 7 Picks in 5 Minutes

18+ Has gambling become a problem for you? Call the National Problem Gambling Hotline.
1-800-522-4700 | ncpgambling.org

Credit Guaranteed Packages

Packages with Credit Guarantees automatically give you a credit if the package does not turn a profit—the sum of betting all individual picks. THESE ARE NOT PARLAYS UNLESS OTHERWISE CLEARLY STATED. If a credit guaranteed package does not profit, a credit for its full purchase price is automatically issued after picks are graded and verified.

For example, if you purchase a $39.95 package that doesn’t profit, you’ll get a $39.95 credit towards any future purchase(s) on our site. Credits are usually issued within hours of a game’s conclusion, so please allow a few hours for final verification.

To use your credits, log in to your account and add another package or pass to your cart. Credits will automatically reduce what you owe. Any remaining balance will be settled through our payment system, with any leftover credits available future purchases. Credits do not expire.

Dismiss