California Golden Bears vs SMU Mustangs Matchup

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

California vs SMU Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Golden Bears versus the Mustangs? Tip off is at at 9:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ACCN. The game will be played at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX. The over/under for this Atlantic Coast conference contest is set at 151 points, with SMU being favored by -12 at home against California.

California vs. SMU Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: California Golden Bears at SMU Mustangs
Where: Dallas at Moody Coliseum
Date: Wednesday, January 29th
Betting Odds SMU -12, CAH +525 | SMU -760 O/U 151

Golden Bears Preview: Will California Shock Everyone at Moody Coliseum?

California Golden Bears Recent Game/Games

California improved to 11-9 on the season with a 98-94 win over Miami on Saturday. The Golden Bears were -8.5 point favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread.

Cal led 47-39 at halftime but allowed 40 points in the second half while scoring 32. The game’s total points of 192 exceeded the over/under line of 150.5.

Golden Bears Offense Breakdown

California's offense put up 98 points in their last game, shooting 49.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.1%. They hit 62.9% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 32.1% from beyond the arc, going 9-for-28 from three-point range. At the free-throw line, the Golden Bears shot 75%, making 27 of 36 attempts.

Jeremiah Wilkinson and Matthew Cleveland both scored 30 points, with Cleveland hitting 3 of 5 threes, while Wilkinson struggled from deep, going 1-for-10. Brandon Johnson added 16 points, hitting 4 of 7 from three-point range, and DeJuan Campbell contributed 22 points and 7 rebounds. The team finished with 13 assists and 10 offensive rebounds.

Golden Bears Team Defense

Despite California's defensive struggles, they managed to put up 94 points on the offensive end. The Golden Bears shot 49% from the field, connecting on 31 of their 63 attempts. Inside the arc, they were particularly effective, hitting 62% of their two-point shots, going 22/35.

From three-point range, California shot 32%, making 9 of their 28 attempts. They also got to the free-throw line 36 times, converting 27 of those for a 75% success rate. On the offensive glass, they grabbed 10 rebounds.

Mustangs Preview: Will the Mustangs Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?

SMU Mustangs Recent Game/Games

SMU improved to 15-5 on the season with a 63-57 road win over NC State on Saturday. The Mustangs, who were favored by 3 points, covered the spread with the victory.

SMU led 34-26 at halftime and held on in the 2nd half, outscoring the Wolfpack 29-31. The game’s total points of 120 fell well short of the 146.5 O/U line.

Mustangs Offense Breakdown

In their last game, SMU's offense managed 63 points, shooting 43.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 49.1%. They hit 37.5% of their threes, going 6-for-16, and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 11 of 12 attempts (91.7%).

Samet Yigitoglu led the way with 20 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 61.5% (8-for-13). Marcus Hill added 14 points, while Kario Oquendo contributed 13 points and 7 boards. Matt Cross also grabbed 10 rebounds to go with his 11 points.

Mustangs Team Defense

SMU's defense was dominant, holding their opponent to just 57 points on 29% shooting from the field. The Mustangs limited two-point attempts, with their opponents hitting only 15 of 41 shots for 36%.

From beyond the arc, SMU's defense was even more effective, as their opponents managed just 4 threes on 24 attempts, shooting 16%. The Mustangs also sent their opponent to the line 18 times, where they converted 15 free throws.

Golden Bears vs Mustangs Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, California has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 62 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
The Mustangs are 2-1 ATS in their last three home games and 3-0 straight-up.
In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Golden Bears have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.
The Mustangs have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 4-1 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.