They're on the board and they receive automatic bids to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, ample reason why college basketball betting fans need to monitor teams from the 11 mid-major conferences. Let's take look at the most likely candidates to take part in March madness. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2008/09 season are in parentheses:
BIG WEST CONFERENCE
UC-SANTA BARBARA (16-15 SU, 11-16 ATS, 16-10-1 O/U): Deep and experienced and finally boasting some quality at the point, the Gauchos appear poised to claim their first NCAA bid in eight years.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:3-8
Home Underdog:2-0
Away Favorite:1-0
Away Underdog:4-7
Neutral Site:1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Gauchos were 1-9 ATS in games after a pointspread victory.
Sports Betting Angle: The “over” was 9-4 when Santa Barbara was a favorite.
LONG BEACHSTATE (15-15 SU, 15-14-1 ATS, 20-10 O/U): Led by Larry Anderson, the first Big West freshman to earn first-team all-conference honors in 35 years, the young 49ers should be a handful at the end of the season.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-6-1
Home Underdog:1-1
Away Favorite:3-0
Away Underdog:6-6
Neutral Site:0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The “over” was 12-3 when the 49ers were underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: Long BeachState was 6-2-1 ATS on just one day of rest.
CS-NORTHRIDGE (17-14 SU, 17-11 ATS, 16-11 O/U): Five junior college transfers provide the Matadors with the type of superior depth that helped Cal State Northridge tie for the regular season Big West title last season.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:6-4
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:2-1
Away Underdog:5-6
Neutral Site:3-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Matadors were 11-7 ATS in Conference games.
Sports Betting Angle: Cal State-Northridge was 9-5 as a favorite.
IVY LEAGUE
CORNELL (21-10 SU, 14-11 ATS, 11-14 O/U): With all five starters returning to the team that cruised to a League championship for a second straight year and no chance of a tournament upset—the Ivy League doesn't have a post-season tournament—Cornell should be back at the Big Dance in March.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-3
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:4-4
Away Underdog:2-2
Neutral Site:3-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Big Red was 7-1 ATS in games after a SU loss.
Sports Betting Angle: Cornell was 11-7 ATS in Ivy League play.
SUN BELT CONFERENCE
WESTERN KENTUCKY (25-9 SU, 18-13-1 ATS, 15-17 O/U): With four starters back from the team that was a regular season and Sun Belt Tournament champion last year, the Hilltoppers are an obvious choice to again dominate conference play.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-5-1
Home Underdog:1-0
Away Favorite:3-3
Away Underdog:3-4
Neutral Site:6-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Hilltoppers were 13-8 ATS in conference games.
Sports Betting Angle: Western Kentucky was 10-5-1 ATS in games after a pointspread win.
NORTH TEXAS (20-12 SU, 14-11-1 ATS, 16-9-1 O/U): All five starters return to a Mean Green outfit that has three straight 20-win seasons so North Texas should win the Sun Belt's weaker West Division. But can North Texas get past Western Kentucky to assure an NCAA bid?
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:3-6-1
Home Underdog:0-1
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:10-1
Neutral Site:1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Mean Green was 10-1 as an away underdog.
Sports Betting Angle: The “over” was 13-7-1 in North Texas conference games.
TROY (19-13 SU, 15-11-1 ATS, 14-12-1 O/U): The Trojans return four senior starters, including the league's best backcourt, so it's now or wait a while for a Troy NCAA Tournament appearance.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-2-1
Home Underdog:3-1
Away Favorite:1-2
Away Underdog:6-4
Neutral Site:0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Trojans were 12-7 ATS in conference play.
