Central Arkansas Bears vs SMU Mustangs Picks & Predictions for Sunday December 21 2025

By: Kim Smith Published 12/21/2025, 03:50 AM ET

The Central Arkansas Bears travel to Dallas to face the SMU Mustangs on Sunday, December 21, 2025, in a non-conference matchup at Moody Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 2:00 PM ET, with coverage available on ACC Extra. This game features a struggling Central Arkansas team hitting the road against an SMU squad that has been dominant at home and consistently explosive on the offensive end. For additional betting insight and daily analysis across the college basketball slate, be sure to check out free college basketball picks throughout the season.

Central Arkansas Bears Preview: Competitive Effort, Road Struggles

Central Arkansas enters this matchup with a 5–7 overall record and an 0–6 mark away from home, a clear indicator of their struggles outside Conway. The Bears are coming off a blowout win over Kansas Christian, but that result came against a vastly overmatched opponent and does little to erase ongoing road concerns.

Statistically, Central Arkansas averages 75.8 points per game while allowing 72.1, numbers that suggest a competitive but unspectacular profile. The Bears shoot 43% from the field, rebound well at 39.3 per game, and move the ball efficiently with 15.0 assists per contest, but their lack of perimeter efficiency and difficulty defending higher-tempo teams has shown up against quality competition.

Offensively, Camren Hunter leads the Bears with 16.3 points per game, shooting 45.1% from the floor. Hunter is capable of creating his own offense, but Central Arkansas often struggles when forced to match athleticism and depth, especially against teams that can apply sustained pressure for 40 minutes.

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SMU Mustangs Preview: Home-Court Firepower and Balance

SMU comes into this contest at 9–2 overall and a perfect 7–0 at home, where the Mustangs have consistently overwhelmed opponents with pace, scoring depth, and physicality. Despite a recent loss to LSU, SMU has proven capable of bouncing back quickly and has already picked up impressive wins over Texas A&M and Mississippi State.

The Mustangs average 88.6 points per game, one of the higher offensive outputs in the country, while allowing 77.2. SMU shoots 49% from the field, rebounds at nearly 40 per game, and shares the ball well with 17.4 assists per contest. Defensively, they remain active with 8.5 steals and 3.5 blocks per game, often turning stops into fast-break opportunities.

Leading the way is Boopie Miller, who averages 20.2 points per game on 45.6% shooting and an elite 91.7% from the free-throw line. Miller’s ability to score at all three levels, combined with SMU’s depth, makes this offense difficult to contain, especially at home.

Key Points to Watch For

Road vs Home Split: Central Arkansas is winless on the road, while SMU is unbeaten at home
Offensive Gap: SMU scores nearly 13 more points per game than Central Arkansas
Pace Advantage: SMU thrives in transition, an area where Central Arkansas struggles defensively
Star Power: Boopie Miller is the most impactful player on the floor
Depth Factor: SMU’s rotation allows sustained pressure throughout the game

Central Arkansas vs SMU Pick

Best Bet: SMU Mustangs to Cover the Spread

Everything lines up for SMU in this spot. The Mustangs are significantly better offensively, far more consistent at home, and have a clear edge in athleticism and depth. Central Arkansas has not shown the ability to slow down high-scoring teams on the road, and SMU’s ability to push tempo should expose those weaknesses early and often. Betting on sports and on Central Arkansas is easy, but even easier if you use the best sportsbooks. Make sure you know about how the fans are looking on prediction markets for SMU with the social sportsbooks. Getting the most out of your bets on SMU vs Central Arkansas can be done by using the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Lean Pick: Over the Total

SMU games frequently trend higher due to their pace and efficiency, and Central Arkansas is capable of contributing offensively enough to keep this game moving. If SMU gets out in transition early, the total could be in play despite Central Arkansas’ defensive limitations.

SMU’s home dominance, scoring balance, and ability to force turnovers should allow them to separate comfortably by the second half.

Final Score Prediction

SMU Mustangs 96, Central Arkansas Bears 74

SMU takes control early and never looks back, extending their unbeaten home record while Central Arkansas continues to struggle away from home.

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