SMU vs. Hampton Live Stream, Prediction, Preview


The SMU Mustangs are ready for another home game in Dallas, Texas to welcome the Hampton Pirates to the Moody Coliseum. Below is the SMU vs. Hampton live stream, prediction and game preview.


SMU vs. Hampton Game Preview

Game Broadcast

Below is everything you need to know about the game, including the SMU vs. Hampton online live stream, TV broadcast information, game notes and prediction.

Date: Thursday, Dec. 17
Game Time: 7 p.m ET
Venue: Moody Coliseum, Dallas, Texas
Network: ESPN3
SMU vs. Hampton Online Live Stream: Watch ESPNSMU Radio Live Stream

Why You Need To Care

No Larry Brown, no problem. The No. 18 Mustangs have started this season out 8-0 in spite of their head coach’s suspension. Their average win margin during these first eight games has been 23.4 points.

In SMU’s last time out, it absolutely stomped on Nicholls State, 86-42, and that was about a week after the Mustangs hung a 24-point victory on Michigan.

Now SMU plays host to the Hampton Pirates, and it should be interesting to say the least.

Hampton comes in at 4-3 this season, having won back-to-back games on the road against Northern Arizona and Coppin State.

Let’s see what the Pirates can do on the road for the fifth consecutive game and up against their first AP Top 25 opponent of the season.

Why SMU Will Win

The Mustangs have five players putting up double figures right now, and three of them are averaging just more than 13 points per game: Nic Moore, Keith Frazier and Jordan Tolbert. Moore and Frazier will do the bulk of their work from the outside and use the threat of the three to open up other avenues. With Tolbert, he’ll have to battle for position down low and continue to shoot efficiently (63.6 percent) to help balance out the Mustangs offense. Tolbert will spearhead the rebounding attack, too, if SMU wants to keep its streak alive.

Why Hampton Will Win

Keep Tolbert off the glass. He’s averaging 10 rebounds per game, so it’ll take a team effort from the Pirates to keep him out of position for offensive boards. Box him out and let Quinton Chievous pull down some rebounds to start some fast breaks. SMU is shooting 52.8 percent — fourth-highest in the nation — so Hampton will have to close out hard and get a hand up on every shot SMU throws up. Chievous and Reggie Johnson will have to string together big scoring nights to knock off SMU.

What’s Going To Happen?

Tolbert will have his way in the paint. He’ll use his size and footwork to position himself for some big-time offensive rebounds. When the defense gravitates towards him, the kick out to Moore and Frazier will come open, and they’ll sink ’em. Chievous will do the majority of the work for the Pirates, but he and Johnson won’t have the offensive outbursts needed to take down the Mustangs. SMU wins this one and improves to 9-0 on the season.

SMU vs. Hampton Prediction


Robert Judin:
SMU 82, Hampton 68

Jordan Cornette: SMU 86, Hampton 74

Line: TBD

Game Notes

  • The Mustangs have outrebounded six of seven opponents and have a +14.1 rebound margin (4th NCAA). Six Mustangs are averaging at least 3.9 rebounds, led by Tolbert at 8.1 and Ben Moore at 7.8. Two others are at at least five boards per game (Sterling Brown 5.6, Markus Kennedy 5.0). Three times this season, SMU has had five players with at least five rebounds in the same game.
  • The Mustangs have had at least four double-digit scorers in five of seven games, including five in double figures against Yale and New Hampshire. The offense is averaging 19.7 assists (7th NCAA) and has had at least 20 assists four times this season.
  • Hampton is 3-3 all-time against schools currently in the American Athletic Conference. The Pirates are 2-0 against UCF; 0-1 against UConn; 0-1 against East Carolina; 0-1 against South Florida; and 1-0 against Tulsa. Hampton has never faced Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Temple, or Tulane.