The Houston Cougars will travel to take on the SMU Mustangs in a Thursday night American Athletic college basketball matchup at the Charles Koch Arena. With that said, check out our college basketball odds series which has our Houston-SMU prediction and pick.

Houston is one of the best teams in the nation, currently second in the national polls, with a 23-2 record. The Cougars are an impressive 8-0 on the road. A heartbreaking loss against Temple is the lone blemish on the team’s schedule. Kelvin Sampson’s squad once again looks like a contender.

SMU has struggled mightily this season, with a 9-17 record, going 4-9 in conference play. Head coach Rob Lanier is in his first season with the Mustangs, coming off a successful tenure with Georgia State. A down year was unexpected after SMU won 24 games last season.

Here are the Houston-SMU college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: Houston-SMU Odds

Houston Cougars: -16.5 (-102)

SMU Mustangs: +16.5 (-120)

Over: 138.5 (-110)

Under: 138.5 (-110)

How To Watch Houston vs. SMU

TV: ESPN2

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 7:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT

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Why Houston Could Cover The Spread

Marcus Sasser leads the team with 16.4 points per game, shooting an impressive 36.9 percent from three-point range. Jarce Walker is the second and only other Cougar in double-digits, averaging 11.5 points per game on 49.3 percent shooting. The team’s leading rebounder is J’Wan Roberts 7.0 boards, putting up 9.8 points per game. Roberts may need to see an expanded role with his 64.3 shooting percentage. Jamal Shead leads the team with 5.6 assists per game, also scoring 9.2 points per game.

Houston has scored 75.6 points per game, ranking third in the nation in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency. The Cougars’ defense has been stifling, keeping opponents to just 55.0 points per game, ranking sixth in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency.

Why SMU Could Cover The Spread

Zhuric Phillips has been great this season for the Mustangs, leading the team with 17.4 points and 2.3 steals per game. Phillips, who was named Mr. Basketball in Texas, has improved his scoring output by over 13 points from his freshman campaign last year. Zach Nutall is second on the team with 13.5 points, leading the team with 2.8 assists per game. Much like Phillips, Nutall has improved his numbers in his second season with the Mustangs. The third and final Mustang to average double-digit points is Efe Odigie, who has put up 11.0 points per game, also ranking second on the team with 6.9 rebounds per game. Big man Samuell Williamson leads the team with 7.4 rebounds, also putting up 8.6 points per game.

As a team, SMU has averaged 70.2 points per game, shooting 42.0 percent from the field. According to KenPom, SMU’s offense ranks 236th in adjusted offensive efficiency. Opponents have put up 74.7 points per game on the Mustangs, although defense is not to blame for the team’s struggles.

Final Houston-SMU Prediction & Pick

Houston will handle this one rather easily.

Final Houston-SMU Prediction & Pick: Houston -16.5 (-102), over 138.5 (-110)