The Syracuse Orange play the SMU Mustangs in the ACC Tournament. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
SMU is favored by 4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -180. The total is set at 158 points.
Here’s my Syracuse vs. SMU predictions and college basketball picks for March 10, 2026.
Syracuse vs SMU Prediction
My Pick: SMU -4.5
My Syracuse vs SMU best bet is on the Mustangs to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Syracuse vs. SMU Odds
| Syracuse Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 158 -110 / -110 | +150 |
| SMU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 158 -110 / -110 | -180 |
- Syracuse vs SMU spread: SMU -4.5
- Syracuse vs SMU over/under: 158 points
- Syracuse vs SMU moneyline: Syracuse +150, SMU -180
Syracuse vs SMU College Basketball Betting Preview
Syracuse Basketball
Syracuse enters the first round of the ACC Tournament as the 14th seed after posting a sub-.500 record (15-16 overall).
In Adrian Autry's third season at the helm, the Syracuse head coach has yet to make an NCAA Tournament appearance, and it doesn't look likely that the Orange will snap that negative streak.
Donnie Freeman leads the charge for an Orange offense scoring 75 points per game. The Syracuse sophomore is posting an uber-impressive 17 points per contest, along with seven rebounds on average.
While Syracuse’s superstar forward missed nine contests this season, Freeman has been the heart and soul of Autry’s Orange bunch on both ends of the floor. If Syracuse is to go on a deep run in its conference tournament, it'll be on the back of its young star.
Despite a largely terrible season for the Orange, Autry’s backcourt boasts impressive size and length. 6-foot-5 senior guard Nate Kingz is the second-leading scorer for Syracuse, posting just shy of 12 points per contest.
Alongside Kingz, 6-foot-4 senior guard J.J. Starling adds further experience to this Syracuse lineup, with the Orange veteran also posting over 11 points per game.
While both Starling and Kingz have been impressive scorers for Autry’s offense, it’s his 6-foot-3 point guard Naithan George who's served as the primary facilitator.
Per KenPom, the Orange's offense ranks 85th nationally in offensive efficiency rating and has largely struggled to protect the ball for most of the season, posting 11 turnovers on average.
This Syracuse defensive unit is allowing its opponents 74 points per game this season and ranks outside the top 90 in the country in defensive efficiency rating.
The Orange have been horrific on the glass on both ends of the floor, but their defense surprisingly ranks third in college basketball in blocks per game.
SMU Basketball
In what's been a very up-and-down season for SMU, the Mustangs enter the first round of this tournament, having won just eight of the team’s 18 games in conference play.
In SMU head coach Andy Enfield’s third season in Dallas, his Mustangs look to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017.
Enfield had an optimistic first season as the Mustangs' head man, just barely missing the Big Dance after posting a decent 24-11 overall record. In 2025-26, SMU once again finds itself on the bubble with less than a week until Selection Sunday.
After a stellar 19-8 start, the Mustangs have lost four consecutive contests prior to their first-round matchup with Syracuse.
For a Mustangs bunch skidding at the absolute worst time, their superstar guard Boopie Miller provides some faith that SMU can reverse its fortune with its postseason aspirations at stake.
Though very undersized at just six-foot, the Mustangs’ senior guard is a phenomenal scorer, amongst the best in college basketball. The SMU point guard is posting nearly 20 points per game, along with nearly seven assists on average.
Miller is the engine of an SMU offense that scores 85 points per game, ranking 20th nationally in both total offense and offensive efficiency rating, per KenPom.
Enfield’s bunch boasts elite guard play and a ton of experience, which could prove vital.
Alongside Miller, the SMU backcourt features Jaron Pierre, another phenomenal bucket getter who's posting 17.5 points per game.
B.J. Edwards completes an SMU backcourt oozing with experience and impressive scoring prowess. Of Enfield’s three senior guards, Edwards is the most versatile, making an impact all over the floor.
The Mustangs' frontcourt is elite offensively as well, with Enfield’s entire starting five each posting double-figure scoring efforts. Corey Washington and Samet Yigit are scoring 11 points per game this season.
Yigit is in his second season under Enfield, and his 7-foot-2 frame makes him arguably the second most valuable player on the team, especially given his impact for SMU’s interior defense. The sophomore from Turkey is an elite rim protector for a Mustangs defense that's largely struggled this season.
SMU’s defense ranks outside the top 100 nationally and will surely require improvements on that end of the floor if it wants to make the. NCAA Tournament.
Syracuse vs. SMU Betting Analysis
Tuesday afternoon’s first-round matchup in the ACC Tournament features two teams in horrific form, both of whom are in a dire, must-win scenarios.
While the 11th-seeded Mustangs have looked atrocious, dropping four games to conclude their regular season schedule, I still think SMU is the superior team in this matchup.
In the first meeting between these ACC foes, the Orange won in spectacular fashion, nailing a buzzer-beater on their home floor to defeat the Mustangs by one point.
I'm definitely willing to buy into the revenge narrative of this ACC first-round matchup as the Mustangs avoid the sweep.
I feel far more comfortable backing the superior offense in SMU, with a starting five all capable of generating offense. Meanwhile, the Orange's offensive flow has proven stagnant at times.
I also fear Freeman might be overwhelmed by the presence of Enfield’s Turkish monster clogging the paint, making it tough to find open looks near the basket.
I expect SMU to advance to the second round of the ACC Tournament, given the team’s greater experience and offensive scoring prowess. I'm willing to lay the points on the Mustangs, and I expect a huge performance from Miller.
My Pick: SMU -4.5
