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November 2007
With a non-conference record of 41-51-1 ATS, college basketball betting followers of the Sun Belt Conference had to be careful picking their wagering spots last season. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2006/07 season are in parentheses:
EAST DIVISION
WESTERN KENTUCKY (22-11 SU, 13-17-1 ATS, 15-15-1 O/U): The Hilltoppers return all five starters to the team that finished second in the division last season, including Sun Belt Player of the Year candidate Courtney Lee (17.3 PPG). Freshman Stepffon Pettigrew was Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball."
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 7-7
Home Underdog: 0-0
Away Favorite: 3-4-1
Away Underdog: 2-3
Neutral Site: 1-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Hilltoppers were 6-13-1 ATS in conference play last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Western Kentucky was 4-10-1 ATS following a pointspread defeat.
SOUTH ALABAMA (20-12 SU, 12-14-3 ATS, 12-16-1 O/U): With four starters back from last season's division champions, Coach Ronnie Arrow should hit a bullseye in his second stint as the Jaguars top man.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 5-4-2
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite: 0-3-1
Away Underdog: 6-4
Neutral site: 1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Jaguars were 0-3-1 as away favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: South Alabama was 4-1 ATS on one or no days rest.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE (15-17 SU, 13-16 ATS, 10-18-1 O/U): The Blue Raiders three-guard attack is led by Kevin Kanaskie (12.2 PPG, 6.1 APG), one of four returning starters. Middle Tennessee should be closer to the top than the middle of the division.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 5-5
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite: 2-0
Away Underdog: 4-6
Neutral Site: 2-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Blue Raiders were 5-9 ATS after a SU loss.
Sports Betting Angle: The "Under" was 10-6 when Middle Tennessee was an underdog.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC (16-15 SU, 15-10 ATS, 17-7-1 O/U): The loss of leading scorer DeAndre Rice (20.5 PPG) hurts but the Owls have Carlos Monroe (18.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG) and enough other talent to again be above .500.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 4-2
Home Underdog: 3-1
Away Favorite: 0-1
Away Underdog: 7-6
Neutral Site: 1-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Owls were 13-7 ATS in conference play.
Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 8-1-1 in Florida Atlantic home games.
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL (12-17 SU, 8-15 ATS, 12-11 O/U): With balance and experience, the Golden Panthers are yet another club with eyes on the top half of the division.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 0-4
Home Underdog: 3-2
Away Favorite: 0-0
Away Underdog: 5-9
Neutral Site: 0-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Panthers were 7-12 ATS in Sun Belt play.
Sports Betting Angle: Florida International was 5-9 as an away underdog.
TROY (13-17 SU, 12-15 ATS, 14-12-1 O/U): The loss of seven seniors, including four starters, likely will doom the Trojans to the East Division cellar.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 3-6
Home Underdog: 1-0
Away Favorite: 0-2
Away Underdog: 5-6
Neutral Site: 3-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Trojans were 3-9 as favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: Troy was 5-10 ATS on three or more days rest.
WEST DIVISION
LOUISIANA-MONROE (18-14 SU, 16-11-1 ATS, 13-12-3 O/U): All five starters return to the team that led the league in three-pointers, including G Tony Hooper (15.4 PPG), an honors candidate.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 8-0
Home Underdog: 1-0
Away Favorite: 0-1
Away Underdog: 4-9-1
Neutral Site: 2-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Indians were 10-0 ATS at home but 4-10-1 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: UL-Monroe was 9-4-1 ATS on three of more days rest.
ARKANSAS STATE (18-15 SU, 18-12 ATS, 16-14 O/U): These Indians also return the starting five that led Arkansas State to a tie with UL-Monroe atop the West Division. Expect another close race this year.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 6-3
Home Underdog: 2-0
Away Favorite: 1-2
Away Underdog: 6-5
Neutral Site: 3-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Indians were 8-3 ATS at home.
Sports Betting Angle: Arkansas State was 11-5 ATS after an SU victory.
NEW ORLEANS (14-17 SU, 13-14-1 ATS, 19-9 O/U): The return of reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year Bo McCalebb (25.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.7 APG) is reason enough to believe that the Privateers are ready to make a big move.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 6-5
Home Underdog: 1-0
Away Favorite: 0-0
Away Underdog: 5-6-1
Neutral Site: 0-3
Sportsbook Buster: The "over" was 9-3 when the Privateers played at home.
Sports Betting Angle: New Orleans was 5-8-1 as an underdog.
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (9-21 SU, 12-13-1 ATS, 12-13-1 O/U): Elijah Millsap (12.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG) and David Dees (17.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.0 APG) are excellent but others have to elevate their games for the Cajuns to make progress.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 3-3
Home Underdog: 2-4-1
Away Favorite: 1-0
Away Underdog: 6-6
Neutral Site: 0-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Ragin' Cajuns were 2-5 ATS outside the Sun Belt.
Sports Betting Angle: UL-Lafayette was 5-3 ATS after a SU win.
NORTH TEXAS (23-11 SU, 15-12 ATS, 9-17-1 O/U): Last year's top two scorers are gone so the Mean Green will have to rely on their league-leading rebounding to get the job done this season.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 5-6
Home Underdog: 2-4
Away Favorite: 0-0
Away Underdog: 4-2
Neutral Site: 4-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Mean Green was 9-3 ATS after a pointspread win.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 15-4-1 when North Texas was a favorite.
ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK (13-17 SU, 11-14 ATS, 14-11 O/U): Three starters are back but the loss of board sweeper extraordinaire Rashad Jones-Jennings (12.5 PPG, 13.1 RPG) will hurt the Trojans.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 3-5
Home Underdog: 2-0
Away Favorite: 2-0
Away Underdog: 3-8
Neutral Site: 1-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Trojans were 3-8 as away underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: Arkansas-Little Rock was 3-9 ATS after a SU win.
DENVER (4-25 SU, 9-14-1 ATS, 10-11-3 O/U): Joe Scott takes the helm of a team that won just four games last season. The Pioneers should do a little better this year.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 0-1
Home Underdog: 5-4-1
Away Favorite: 0-0
Away Underdog: 4-9
Neutral Site: 0-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Pioneers were 4-9 as an away underdog.
Sports Betting Angle: Denver was 6-1-1 ATS after a pointspread victory.
This is the 17th of 22 NCAA college basketball betting previews.
Next: Handicapping the Big West Conference.
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