A busy night in college basketball includes a matchup in the AAC between the no. 6 Houston Cougars and the SMU Mustangs. These are the two top teams in the AAC and perhaps the only ones in the league heading to the NCAA Tournament. On the road, the Cougars are favored by seven points, with the over/under set at 136.5 points.
Houston has surely earned a spot in the top-10 at 20-2. The Cougars have only lost to Wisconsin and Alabama while beating the likes of Virginia, Oregon, and Oklahoma State. They are also 9-0 in conference play, including a blowout road win against Cincinnati over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Mustangs are 16-5 but still searching for statement wins to improve their NCAA Tournament chances. They also need to bounce back quickly from a road loss to Wichita State over the weekend. At 7-2 in AAC play, SMU is two games behind Houston, so if the Mustangs are going to make the race interesting, they need to win this game.
Mr. Everything
Senior Kendrick Davis has done it all for SMU this season, averaging 19.5 points and 4.7 assists per game, leading the team in both categories. Even at just 5’11’’, he can be a handful, although he was held to just eight points in the loss to Wichita State, so the Mustangs need to get him back on track. Fortunately, SMU has a solid backcourt around him, with Emmanuel Bandoumel and Michael Weathers averaging 10.5 and nine points per game, respectively.
SMU also has one of the better wing players in the AAC in Marcus Weathers, who’s 6’5’’ but plays more of a power forward role. He averages 11.8 points and seven rebounds per game and also leads the team in both blocks and steals, so his presence is felt at both ends. The Mustangs also get a little size from Tristan Clark, Jahmar Young, and Stefan Todorovic, who are all taller than 6’8’’.
Who’s Missing?
The amazing part of Houston’s season is that the Cougars have kept rolling despite losing Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark to injuries along the way. Sasser was the team’s only returning starter from last season and was averaging 17.7 points per game before getting hurt, so his loss was significant. However, Kyler Edwards has picked up the slack, averaging 13.9 points per game while getting help from point guard Jamal Shead.
Meanwhile, the tandem of Fabian White and Josh Carlton gives Houston the best frontcourt in the AAC. White is a versatile forward who can score at all three levels and averages 12 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Carlton, a transfer from UConn, is giving the Cougars 11.8 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game while also providing a strong defensive presence.
Fight in These Claws
While this will surely be Houston’s toughest test of the AAC season, only two of their ten conference wins have come by five points or less. The Cougars have made it a habit of blowing teams out, and with Davis slumping recently, the Mustangs may not be able to keep up. Bet on Houston to win and cover on the road.
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