SMU Mustangs vs Virginia Cavaliers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our SMU vs Virginia NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Charlottesville.

SMU vs Virginia Prediction

Planning on watching today's Mustangs and Cavaliers game? Catch the action at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA, as the Cavaliers hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on ACCN. SMU is favored by -6.5 in this Atlantic Coast conference matchup the against Virginia. The over/under for the game is set at 133.5 points.

SMU vs. Virginia Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: SMU Mustangs at Virginia Cavaliers
Where: Charlottesville at John Paul Jones Arena
Date: Wednesday, January 15th
Betting Odds SMU -6.5, SMU -265 | VIR +215 O/U 133.5

Mustangs Preview: Can SMU Live Up to the Hype on the Road?

SMU Mustangs Recent Game/Games

SMU improved to 12-4 this season with a 93-71 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Mustangs, who were -11 point favorites, covered the spread in the victory. The total points for the game reached 164, surpassing the O/U line of 153.5.

SMU dominated early, leading 50-19 at halftime, but allowed 52 points in the 2nd half while scoring 43. Despite the defensive lapse, they secured the win.

Mustangs Offense Breakdown

SMU's offense put up 93 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field and hitting 14 of 28 threes, also at a 50% clip. Their effective field goal percentage was 60%, and they added 13 offensive rebounds and 25 assists.

Chuck Harris led the way with 21 points, hitting 4 of 6 from deep, while Javian McCollum added 20 points, making 5 of 8 threes. B.J. Edwards contributed 19 points, going 2 for 2 from beyond the arc.

Mustangs Team Defense

SMU's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 71 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Mustangs allowed 35 made field goals on 70 attempts.

From beyond the arc, SMU's opponents hit 14 of 28 threes, also at a 50% clip. The Mustangs sent them to the line 15 times, where they made 9 free throws.

Cavaliers Preview: Are Virginia Ready for a Home Win?

Virginia’s season record dropped to 8-8 after a tough 88-65 loss to Stanford on Saturday. The Cavaliers, who were +7.5 point underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Virginia trailed 40-30 at halftime and couldn’t turn things around in the second half, allowing 48 points while scoring 35. The game’s total points reached 153, going well over the pre-game O/U line of 125.5.

Cavaliers Offense Breakdown

Virginia's offense put up 65 points in their last game, shooting 46.7% from the field. They were particularly effective from beyond the arc, hitting 47.6% of their threes (10/21), contributing to an effective field goal percentage of 57.8%.

At the free-throw line, the Cavaliers connected on 81.2% of their attempts (13/16). Maxime Raynaud led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaac McKneely added 22 points, hitting 5 of 11 from three-point range.

Cavaliers Team Defense

Virginia's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 88 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Cavaliers allowed 31 made field goals on 61 attempts.

Inside the arc, Virginia's opponents shot 56%, hitting 21 of 37 two-point attempts. From three-point range, they connected on 10 of 24 shots, good for 41%. The Cavaliers also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 16 free throws, a 94% rate. Virginia gave up 14 offensive rebounds in the game.

Mustangs vs Cavaliers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although SMU has a straight up record of 2-3 in their last five road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 2-3. The team averaged 81 points per game in these games.
Although Virginia has a straight up record of 3-7 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 3-7. The team averaged 59 points per game in these games.
Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Virginia has an ATS mark of 0-3 while going 0-3 straight up.
As the betting favorite, the Mustangs have an ATS record of 4-1 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 5-0.