College Basketball Odds: Wichita State vs. SMU prediction, pick, and how to watch

The Wichita State Shockers (9-9) head to Dallas to take on the SMU Mustangs (7-12) in a Sunday afternoon American Athletic Conference showdown.

Both teams have struggled in conference-play leading into this one  going 2-4 and four games back of Houston at the top spot. Wichita State dropped their last outing to Memphis in a game that was competitive throughout. SMU had their hands full in their own way last game, playing against Tulsa in an overtime nail-biter. Zach Nutall hit a 3-pointer late in overtime to secure a win for the Mustangs and give them some momentum heading into this one. Overtime games can drain a team’s emotional energy, so SMU will have to forget about their exciting win and focus on the task at hand: a Wichita State team with similar capabilities looking to advance in the conference standings.

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

College Basketball Odds: Wichita State-SMU Odds

Wichita State: +1.5 (-110)

SMU: -1.5 (-110)

Over: 132.5 (-115)

Under: 132.5 (-105)

How to Watch Wichita State vs. SMU

TV: Regional Coverage, ESPN+

Stream: ESPN+

Time: 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Wichita State Could Cover The Spread

Wichita State has seen success in games where they are able to distribute the basketball and open up scoring opportunities for all players on the court. They are not led by any one star player; instead, they play their best basketball when they are moving the ball to find the best shot opportunity.

The Shockers’ staff had hopes of forward James Rojas becoming that star player for them. However, he’s still yet to find his stride this season after suffering multiple knee injuries during his time at Alabama. While he’s been able to contribute in the rebounding department, Wichita State has leaned on Craig Porter Jr. for much of their scoring and facilitating on the offensive end.

If they can play a team game where each player contributes something tangible, the Shockers can win this game outright.

Why SMU Could Cover The Spread

The Mustangs are reeling after an exciting win against conference foe Tulsa. They’ve had a few close games during their recent stretch, but have only converted one of those into wins. Before their win against Tulsa, SMU was on a four-game losing skid which included two blowouts of 30 points or more to Houston and UCF. Losses like that can be demoralizing to a team just trying to scratch by in their conference.

Big man Samuell Williamson has been a bright spot on the team, leading the Mustangs in both rebounds and blocks. However, the rest of the defense simply isn’t catching up to Williamson’s efforts. They’re a slightly bigger team across the board than Wichita State, so SMU will have to lean on its defense and keep this low affair scoring to be able to win.

Final Wichita State-SMU Prediction & Pick

While SMU had a nice win last time out, their recent run has not showed they are capable of winning some of these tough in-conference matchups. Wichita State is the more sound team offensively and they are more willing to counter on the fast break. The Shockers get the win here.

Final Wichita State-SMU Prediction & Pick: Wichita State +1.5 (-110)