SMU -7 1/2 3x
Think DD win, i hope :mj07: Think 15 points
DATE & TIME: Friday, December 30th, 9:30 p.m. (et).
FACTS & STATS: Site: Moody Coliseum (8,998) -- Dallas, Texas. Television: None. Home Record: TCU 4-3, SMU 5-1. Away Record: TCU 0-3, SMU 1-3. Neutral Record: TCU 0-2, SMU 0-0. Conference Record: TCU 0-0, SMU 0-0. Series Record: SMU leads, 98-82.
GAME NOTES: A couple of long-time intrastate rivals meet tonight in Dallas as the SMU Mustangs look to avenge last season's loss to the TCU Horned Frogs. The Mustangs have won three of their last four games, with the lone loss coming in a 75-69 game at Wyoming. SMU has been dominant in Dallas, losing just one game on its home floor, with the loss coming more than a month ago to Toledo. Each of the team's six wins have come by double digit margins, so it has been dominant at points this season. Meanwhile, the Horned Frogs have struggled a bit this year, having already amassed eight losses. They have lost two of their last three games, but did post a win in their last outing, 79-64, over Grambling State. This game marks the 181st meeting of the former Southwest Conference foes, with the Mustangs holding a 98-82 advantage all- time. However, TCU took last year's match, 65-51 in Forth Worth.
The Horned Frogs concluded a five-game homestand on Wednesday, as they accrued a 3-2 mark on their home floor. The season did not open well for the team, as it started with losses in six of its first seven games, but it has seemingly recovered in the last three weeks. The Horned Frogs concluded the home stretch with a solid 79-64 win over Grambling State, in which the team used a 24-6 scoring edge from the free throw line to offset a poor shooting night. While the squad shot just 35.8 percent from the floor, and allowed Grambling State to connect on 49.1 percent of its field goal attempts, it won because of the vast discrepancy in foul shooting. Brent Hackett led the team in the win with 21 points, including 5-of-7 three-pointers. Judson Stubbs added 18 points and nine rebounds, while Nile Murray chipped in with 16 points in the victory. Murray leads an offense averaging just 64.2 ppg, with a team- high 18 ppg, albeit on 38.6 percent shooting from the field. Hackett is behind him, pitching in with 11.8 ppg and Stubbs is scoring 11.3 ppg, while grabbing a team-high 7.1 rpg. Collectively, the team is struggling to shoot the ball with much consistency, hitting on just 35.6 percent of its field goal attempts. On the flip side, they are allowing opposing offenses to score 68.6 ppg on 45.8 percent shooting from the floor. They will need to improve on both areas if they wish to get back on a winning track.
With their 76-55 win over Harvard on Wednesday, the Mustangs were able to continue their trend of bouncing back from a loss with a win. So far this season, the team has yet to drop consecutive contests. In the win over the Crimson, the offense exploded for 50 first-half points, connecting on 64.5 percent of its field goals, including 7-of-11 shots from three. In the blowout, the team held Harvard to just 17 field goals for the game. Devon Pearson led the charge offensively, dropping 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Bryan Hopkins added 13 points. Derrick Roberts and Brian Morris each added 10 points in the win. Hopkins leads a balanced attack that is scoring 73.4 ppg. While Hopkins has played just three games to this point, he is averaging a team-high 17 ppg. In Hopkins' absence, Roberts shouldered the load offensively, scoring 13.7 ppg on 44.5 percent shooting from the floor. Pearson is right behind him, averaging 13.1 ppg and pulling down a team-high 8.3 rpg. Dez Willingham is netting 11.4 ppg. In all, the Mustangs have 11 players averaging more than one ppg, so the squad has its share of depth. The glass has been kind to the team, as it holds a 37.4-30.2 rebounding advantage per game. At the defensive end of the floor, the squad is limiting opponents to 64.9 ppg on 42.7 percent shooting from the field.
Given the way the Mustangs have played at home this season, and the fact they have won four straight at Moody Coliseum, they shouldn't have a problem in this one.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: SMU 74, TCU 64
