It’s exam week in college basketball, which means there isn’t a whole lot of action taking place on the court.
Only two SEC teams are in action on Wednesday, with both Ole Miss and LSU trying to pick up another non-conference win on the road to conference play.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 90-22
SE Louisiana (4-4) at Ole Miss (6-2) – 7:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network+
The Rebels continue to show a lot of toughness in year one of the Kermit Davis era, as they’re coming off a solid 81-74 road victory at Illinois State last weekend.
Ole Miss has been efficient on offense in posting the third-best free-throw shooting percentage in the country (80.1 percent) while shooting 57.4 percent from 2-point range (22nd nationally).
This team is also in the top 30 in effective field-goal percentage (55.8 percent), which are all good qualities to have at this point.
But the Rebels are also better on defense, as they’re finding ways to get stops in some of these close games down the stretch. That trend will need to continue if Ole Miss wants to be a contender in the SEC this season.
As for this game, SE Louisiana does have some momentum after a road win at Tulane, and there is some quality experience on this team.
However, this just isn’t a game that Ole Miss should lose, and Davis’ squad should be in a position to earn another victory.
Prediction: Ole Miss 79, SE Louisiana 59
LSU (7-2) at No. 24 Houston (8-0) – 9 p.m. EST, ESPN2
It’s been quite a start for Houston, with the Cougars earning quality wins over BYU, Oregon, and Oklahoma State.
Of course, the latter of that trio is a common opponent for these teams, as the Cowboys picked up an 80-77 win over LSU at the AdvoCare Invitational. But considering how the Tigers lost their previous game to Florida State, it didn’t feel like the Oklahoma State game was a bad loss for Will Wade’s team.
In this matchup, it will be all about LSU’s ability to find consistent offense against a tough Houston defense. The Cougars rank 17th nationally in effective field-goal defense (43.7 percent) and are allowing opponents to shoot just 27.5 percent from long range (20th nationally).
On the flip side, the Tigers are among the nation’s best in shooting 59.1 percent inside the perimeter while also racking up an offensive rebounding percentage of 37.5 percent (17th nationally). Considering that LSU will have the size advantage in this one, that could play a key role.
When you look at this game on paper, it’s understandable why Houston the favorite. The Cougars have beaten several quality teams, and they’ve been excellent at home.
But LSU’s loss to Oklahoma State didn’t change my perception all that much about this team. It’s still one of the most talented in the country, and even with the youth likely to cause some frustrations at times, there is an enormous amount of potential on this roster.
This is a crucial game when it comes to the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament resume, and they should be ready for the challenge.
I’ll take LSU to grab a great road win here in what should be a very entertaining game.
Prediction: LSU 73, Houston 70
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