Southern Methodist @ Tulane preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 15, 2017 ) Tulane 75, Southern Methodist 80

Tulane possesses the second-highest scoring duo in the American Athletic Conference, but it will look to another guard to help defeat visiting SMU on Thursday. Sophomore point guard Ray Ona Embo will have the task of slowing Shake Milton, who leads SMU in scoring.

"Defense is where (Ona Embo) leads for us," Tulane coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. told The Advocate. "He can guard size. He can guard quickness. He moves his feet well. He reads situations and gets over picks, he bodies people. He has a good combination of strength and size and the smarts to guard somebody." Milton leads six Mustangs in double figures, but the team's defense has stood out this season. SMU has held its first two league opponents to an average of 45 points while forcing 20 turnovers per contest. Tulane followed a road win at Temple with a home loss to Tulsa, dropping its record to 4-24 in home league games since joining the AAC in 2014-15.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT SMU (12-3, 2-0 American): Milton, who averages 16.7 points and a league-high 4.7 assists, has scored in double figures in 16 straight games. Jarrey Foster contributes 13.7 points and 5.8 rebounds while freshman forward Ethan Chargois adds 12.6 and 5.6. The Mustangs, who have won five straight against Tulane, lead the league in 3-point shooting (42.3 percent) and assists.

ABOUT TULANE (10-4, 1-1): The duo of Melvin Frazier (17 points) and Cameron Reynolds (16.4) pace the Green Wave in scoring and rank second behind Connecticut's Jalen Adams and Terry Larrier (33.9). Ona Embo is averaging 9.4 points after finishing at 6.4 last season and shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. Jordan Cornish, a transfer from UNLV, is contributing 9.2 points and a team-high 3.9 assists while Samir Sehic, a transfer from Vanderbilt, adds 10.3 points off the bench.

TIP-INS

1. The Mustangs are the only team with four players averaging 10 points and five rebounds.

2. The Green Wave have been outrebounded 85-59 in two league games.

3. SMU has won 18 consecutive games against AAC opponents, including six straight on the road.

PREDICTION: SMU 78, Tulane 62