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October 2007
Back-to-back titles by Florida and a 77-63-2 out-of-conference ATS record have alerted every college basketball betting aficionado to the power of the SEC. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2006/07 season are in parentheses:
EASTERN DIVISION
TENNESSEE (31-7 SU, 18-15 ATS, 19-14 O/U): Chris Lofton (20.8 PPG) is the best shooting guard in the country and the Volunteers are loaded everywhere else, too. Final Four anyone?
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 9-3
Home Underdog: 2-0
Away Favorite: 0-4
Away Underdog: 3-3
Neutral site: 4-5
Sportsbook Buster: The Volunteers were 11-3 ATS at home last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Tennessee was 11-5 ATS in non-conference games during the 2006/07 season.
KENTUCKY (20-16 SU, 14-18-1 ATS, 18-14-1 O/U): In guards Joe Crawford (14.0 PPG) and Ramel Bradley (13.4 PPG) new Head Coach Billy Gillespie will trust.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 7-7
Home Underdog: 0-0-1
Away Favorite: 2-0
Away Underdog: 3-5
Neutral Site: 2-6
Sportsbook Buster: The Wildcats were 4-8-1 in the unaccustomed role of underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: Kentucky was 0-4 ATS on no or one days rest.
VANDERBILT (22-12 SU, 17-13 ATS, 17-13 O/U): Shan Foster (15.6 PPG) is a stud but SEC Player of the Year Derrick Byars (17.0 PPG) will be missed.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 2-7
Home Underdog: 4-0
Away Favorite: 2-0
Away Underdog: 3-5
Neutral Site: 6-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Commodores were 6-1 ATS on neutral courts.
Sports Betting Angle: Vanderbilt was 10-5 ATS as an underdog.
GEORGIA (19-14 SU, 10-16 ATS, 13-13 O/U): If G Mike Mercer (13.6 PPG) has recovered from knee surgery the Dawgs could go to the Big Dance.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 5-5
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite: 1-0
Away Underdog: 2-8
Neutral Site: 1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulldogs were 2-10 as underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: Georgia was 5-9 ATS after a SU victory.
FLORIDA (35-5 SU, 18-14-1 ATS, 19-13-1 O/U): The top six players from the title years are gone leaving Billy Donovan with a rebuilding job.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 7-5
Home Underdog: 0-0
Away Favorite: 3-5-1
Away Underdog: 0-0
Neutral Site: 8-4
Sportsbook Buster: The "over" was 11-3 when the Gators played on no or one days rest.
Sports Betting Angle: Florida was 9-5 ATS versus non-conference foes.
SOUTH CAROLINA (14-16 SU, 15-11 ATS, 11-15 O/U): The Gamecocks lose their top three scorers from a team that wasn't that good anyway.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 2-2
Home Underdog: 3-6
Away Favorite: 1-1
Away Underdog: 9-1
Neutral Site: 0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Gamecocks were 9-1 ATS as away underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: South Carolina was 10-5 ATS following a SU defeat.
WESTERN DIVISION
ALABAMA (20-12 SU, 11-16 ATS, 13-13-1 O/U): G Ronald Steele, who returns from knee surgery, and a starting front line that averaged over 40 PPG, have the Tide on a roll.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 4-7
Home Underdog: 1-2
Away Favorite: 1-2
Away Underdog: 4-4
Neutral Site: 2-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Crimson Tide was 6-11 ATS in conference play.
Sports Betting Angle: Alabama was 5-12 ATS after a SU victory.
ARKANSAS (21-14 SU, 15-14-2 ATS, 17-13-1 O/U): All five starters return to a team that needs to play like one. That's new Head Coach John Pelphrey's job.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 6-6-1
Home Underdog: 0-0
Away Favorite: 0-4
Away Underdog: 4-1-1
Neutral Site: 5-3
Sportsbook Buster: The underdog was 8-1-1 ATS in the Razorbacks 10 road games.
Sports Betting Angle: Arkansas was 7-4-1 ATS after an ATS loss.
AUBURN (17-15 SU, 16-11 ATS, 17-10 O/U): With everyone back, the War Eagles should be more formidable this season.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 5-3
Home Underdog: 4-3
Away Favorite: 0-0
Away Underdog: 6-3
Neutral Site: 1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The War Eagles were 11-6 ATS within the SEC.
Sports Betting Angle: Auburn was 9-3 ATS following a SU defeat.
MISSISSIPPI STATE (21-14 SU, 20-10 ATS, 18-11-1 O/U): The return of forwards Jamont Jordan (16.0 PPG) and Charles Rhodes (13.7 PPG) is cause for optimism.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 12-2
Home Underdog: 1-0
Away Favorite: 1-1
Away Underdog: 5-5
Neutral Site: 1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulldogs were 13-2 ATS at home and led the SEC with a 12-6 ATS mark within the conference.
Sports Betting Angle: MSU was 13-4 ATS after a SU win.
LSU (17-15 SU, 11-18-1 ATS, 13-17 O/U): Tigers sure to miss Glen "Big Baby" Davis (17.7 PPG, 10.4 RPG) in the paint.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 5-9-1
Home Underdog: 1-0
Away Favorite: 0-1
Away Underdog: 4-4
Neutral Site: 1-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Tigers were just 6-11 ATS in SEC play.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 11-4 when LSU was a home favorite.
MISSISSIPPI (21-13 SU, 17-12-1 ATS, 16-12-2 O/U): Too much lost talent for the Rebels to repeat last year's success.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 8-3-1
Home Underdog: 1-1
Away Favorite: 1-2
Away Underdog: 6-5
Neutral Site: 1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Rebels were 8-3-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Sports Betting Angle: Ole Miss was 11-6 ATS on three or more days rest.
This is the third of 22 NCAA college basketball betting previews.
Next: Handicapping the Pac-10.
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