Tulane hosts SMU in their second matchup of the season. SMU took the first game, winning 80-76 at home. It is time to continue our men's college basketball odds series with an SMU-Tulane prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

SMU began a bounceback in AAC play when they played Tulane. The Mustangs had lost two games in a row as favorites but have won four straight games. Despite winning four consecutive games, they've failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games. Zuhric Phelps is leading the team, averaging 14.4 points per game, with Chuck Harris chipping in 13. The offense has been doing enough to win games, but their real strength is defending, as they rank in the top 20.

Tulane dropped their most recent game, losing by 12 to Memphis as nine-point underdogs. It hasn't been a good time in AAC play for the Green Wave, losing five of the last seven games. They are 4-7 in conference play and sit in ninth place. Tulane has a much better offensive output than the Mustangs, with six players averaging double-digits. Kevin Cross leads the way, tallying 18.1 points per game.

Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: SMU-Tulane Odds

SMU: -3.5 (-102)

Moneyline: -152

Tulane: +3.5 (-120)

Moneyline: +126

Over: 159.5 (-105)

Under: 159.5 (-115)

How to Watch SMU vs. Tulane 

Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

TV: ESPN+

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why SMU Will Cover The Spread/Win

SMU needs to take advantage of Tulane's below-average defense to cover the spread in this game. Tulane ranks 345th in the nation, allowing 79.8 points per game. They are one of the worst rebounding teams, which lets teams grab plenty of offensive rebounds and get 65.7 field goal attempts per game.

SMU has an above-average offense, and those numbers don't take a hit on the road like some other teams. They average 76.2 points per game and shoot 46.2% from the field. SMU is also an above-average rebounding team, which matches up well against Tulane.

SMU allowed Tulane to score 76 points in their first matchup this season, but they have the defensive abilities to limit Tulane's offense. They allow just 64.6 points per game, ranking 20th in the nation.

Why Tulane Will Cover The Spread/Win

Tulane kept the prior matchup close on the road, covering the eight-point spread by losing 80-76. Tulane hasn't been a successful team on the road, owning just a 2-5 record, but now get a chance to take on the Mustangs at home. Tulane's home record this season is 10-3, while SMU will get away from their friendly confines and 12-2 home record. SMU takes the win/loss record over the last ten games, but Tulane has been able to keep games close and cover when they are the favorites. Tulane may be 3-7, but they are 8-2 against the spread.

Tulane will keep themselves in games with their elite offense. They average 84.8 points per game, ranking tenth in the nation. This was why they covered the spread against SMU on the road, as they put up 76 points. One thing Tulane does well is get plenty of free throw opportunities and shoot efficiently from the field. They rank 24th in the nation with a 48.3 field goal percentage. The Green Wave also hit 20.1 free throws per game and got to the line 27.1 times.

Final SMU-Tulane Prediction & Pick

Tulane may not be the better team in this matchup, but there are plenty of reasons to believe they can keep this game close. They've lost seven of the last ten games against SMU but covered eight. Tulane's conference record is much worse than SMU's, but they've covered two of their past three games. SMU has had a much worse form, holding a 1-5 against-the-spread record over their last six.

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Final SMU-Tulane Prediction & Pick: Tulane +3.5 (-120)