Subscribe
Follow Us
It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with an SMU-Cal prediction and pick. Find out how to watch SMU-Cal.
The SMU Mustangs are running out of time. They are on the bubble in the pursuit of an NCAA Tournament bid. They have put together a 20-win season, which looks good in theory, but the 20 wins have come against lower-tier teams, both inside and beyond the ACC. The Mustangs have really been hurt by the lack of quality in the ACC this season. One could make the argument that the Mustangs have been helped by the poor level of play in the conference, and to a certain extent, that's true. If other teams were better, SMU probably wouldn't even have 20 wins by now. Yet, the point is clear enough to understand: SMU has been hurt by the fact that other ACC teams aren't providing enough of a boost to the resume. If SMU had 20 wins against an ACC which was prepared to send eight or nine teams to the NCAA Tournament, the Ponies would be a lock to get in. As is, SMU's body of work doesn't stack up favorably against teams from the SEC and Big Ten which have double-digit losses but a lot more quality wins.
SMU is a really good reminder of the point that overall record doesn't determine who gets into the tournament and who gets a high seed; it's all about quality of resume, and beating really good teams. SMU hasn't beaten any really good teams, so the Mustangs just have to take care of inferior ACC opponents and then do some damage at the upcoming ACC Tournament. They might still get in, but the margins are small. A loss here to Cal would be devastating for SMU, so the Mustangs have to be at their best.
Here are the SMU-Cal College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: SMU-Cal Odds
SMU: -3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -164
Cal: +3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +136
Over: 153.5 (-110)
Under: 153.5 (-110)
How to Watch SMU vs Cal
Time: 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT
Article Continues Below
TV: ESPNU
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why SMU Will Cover The Spread/Win
When we previewed an SMU road game at Virginia Tech earlier this year, we wrote that “The Mustangs have had problems beating good teams this season. They have not had problems beating bad teams. Virginia Tech is a 10-12 basketball team which has lost three out of five and is under .500 in a bad ACC which has underperformed as a conference this season. SMU should be able to handle Virginia Tech, much as it has been able to deal with other ACC road trips to North Carolina State, Miami, Virginia, and Boston College. SMU has proved it can win on the road in the ACC and handle the long-distance commutes which are now part of life for the Mustangs in their new league.”
SMU won that game at Virginia Tech by six points. If SMU beats Cal by six, it covers the spread. We like our chances with an SMU -3.5 ticket.
Why Cal Will Cover The Spread/Win
SMU is making a long-distance commute late in the season to the San Francisco Bay Area. A team which has made a lot of long plane flights in the ACC this season, SMU has had to leave its home base in suburban Dallas for the East Coast on several occasions. Now the Mustangs have to saddle up and go to the West Coast. Travel fatigue could be an issue for SMU, especially since Cal played Bay Area rival Stanford on Saturday and has not had to travel in several days. Cal should be fresh for this game, while SMU might not be.
Final SMU-Cal Prediction & Pick
SMU does win consistently against mediocre teams. Cal is a mediocre team. Take SMU on the road.
Final SMU-Cal Prediction & Pick: SMU -3.5
