SMU will take on Miami (OH) for a spot in the field of 64 on Wednesday.
Oddsmakers still aren’t buying the RedHawks’ gaudy 31-1 season, pegging them as 7.5-point underdogs against their ACC opponent.
That number makes a lot more sense if the Mustangs get guard B.J. Edwards back on the floor.
Edwards, who did it all for SMU this season, averaging 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, has missed the last five games after suffering an ankle injury in late February.
He’s expected to return just in time for SMU’s NCAA Tournament run, and I’m betting that Edwards’ presence will get the Mustangs off to a breezy start.
SMU comes into the tournament struggling, but I’m willing to chalk that up to Edwards being sidelined.
The Mustangs were just 1-4 without Edwards, beating only the lowly Syracuse and barely squeaking into March Madness.
Before Edwards went down, SMU had several impressive wins, including victories over Louisville, North Carolina, and Texas A&M.
Miami (OH)’s best resume wins came against Akron, Wright State, and Toledo, which is a lot different from surviving the ACC gauntlet that SMU went through to get here.
KenPom has them in a different stratosphere, with SMU sitting at No. 42 and Miami (OH) all the way down at No. 93.
That gap says a lot more about the true talent difference in this matchup than the RedHawks’ shiny record does.
Betting on College Basketball?
Look for the Mustangs to win this one relatively easily.
The play: SMU -7.5 (-120, FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.