McCarthey Athletic Center - Spokane, WA
Tip-off: Monday, 11:00 p.m.
Line: Gonzaga -7.5, Total: 141

Two top-25 teams battle on Monday night as No. 13 Gonzaga hosts No. 22 SMU.

The Mustangs are coming off a great season where they were snubbed from the NCAA Tournament, but made it all the way to the NIT championship game. They also showed that they can compete with the best teams in the country, going 4-3 against Top 25 opponents. A big reason they didn’t make the NCAA's was because of a weak non-conference schedule, which is a big reason they agreed to travel to Spokane to take on an elite program. SMU started off this season with a resounding 93-54 victory against Lamar on Friday, shooting 61% from the field and holding the Cardinals to 31% FG. The Bulldogs look to build off a solid finish from last year’s campaign, as they won six games in a row before losing to Arizona in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Mark Few has built a traditional powerhouse at Gonzaga, and once again has a team that could be a Final Four contender. Like SMU, the Zags got off to a flying start to this season on Friday, scoring 104 points (55% FG) in a 46-point victory against Sacramento State. Both teams have favorable coaching trends for this matchup, as SMU is 17-6 ATS off a home win under Hall of Fame head coach Larry Brown, while the Bulldogs are 42-28 ATS in November games under Few. There are no injuries to either teams, but each team is missing a key player due to NCAA eligibility standards, as SMU will be without PF Markus Kennedy (academics) for at least a semester, while Gonzaga SG Eric McClellan is out until Jan. 8 after transferring from Vanderbilt.

Will Gonzaga secure a comfortable victory on Monday night? For the latest college basketball picks, check out The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks. The experts are coming off an unbelievable 2013-14 college basketball season where the five men combined for a 60% ATS record (332-225-19), including 62% ATS (56-35-3) in the NCAA Tournament. StatFox Brian led the way with a 69% ATS record (76-34-4) on this season, which included a 77% ATS run (44-13-4) from Jan. 17 to the end of the season. StatFox Dave was 74% ATS (14-5) in Best Bets for the 2014 NCAA Tournament to finish at 62% ATS for the season. StatFox Scott finished 59% ATS (65-46-5) for season Best Bets, while StatFox Gary was close behind with a 57% ATS mark (64-49-2) in college basketball Best Bets. The experts have started out the 2014-15 season with a bang, posting a 65% ATS mark (13-7) in Best Bets through Sunday. All five experts are 50% ATS or better, led by Gary's 3-0 ATS mark.

Expectations were high heading into the season for SMU, as head coach Larry Brown thought he would have Emmanuel Mudiay leading the show. However, Mudiay went overseas to play professionally, then it was announced that starting PF Markus Kennedy (12.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG) would miss the first semester of the season. In the opener, the team did a great job of making up for him as they moved the ball effectively (22 assists, 10 turnovers) to score 93 points. SF Ben Moore did a terrific job of being the go-to player in the season opener with 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists). The 6-foot-8 sophomore displayed the ability to put the ball on the floor, something that he hadn’t shown last season. C Yanick Moreira (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists), C Cannen Cunningham (15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks) and SG Keith Frazier (11 points, 2 rebounds) gave the Mustangs a solid trio of scorers versus Lamar. Frazier was the star recruit last season, but he struggled to reach his potential, averaging only 5.4 PPG on 41% FG. If he can emerge as the player the team thought he would be, then SMU has a chance for a special season.

It was only one game, but the Zags looked very impressive in their victory against Sacramento State. Gonzaga scored 104 points, while dishing out 24 assists with just 12 turnovers, while holding its opponent to 36% FG. Leading the way for the Bulldogs was Kentucky transfer PF Kyle Wiltjer, who scored 18 points with three boards and two blocks. He fits the role for Gonzaga as a post player who can step out and hit the three-point shot, draining 3-of-5 threes in the opener. The junior is especially dangerous off the pick-and-pop. The backcourt of PG Kevin Pangos and SG Gary Bell Jr. do a great job of complementing the post players, and the duo combined for 27 points and eight assists on Friday. As the point guard, Pangos will be involved heavily in the pick-and-roll game with guys like Wiltjer and 6-foot-10 freshman PF Domantas Sabonis who began his collegiate career with 14 points and eight rebounds. The Bulldogs did a great job in their opener on defense, as they forced 22 turnovers.