MVC teams were a collective nine games under .500 as home favorites last season, a statistic college betting fans will checking this year. 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:
NORTHERN IOWA (23-11 SU, 17-13 ATS, 18-12 O/U): Nearly everyone returns from the only MVC team to make it to the NCAA Tournament last season so expectations are high.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-6
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:8-3
Neutral Site:4-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Panthers were 14-7 ATS in MVC games.
Sports Betting Angle: The “over” was 8-3 when Northern Iowa played at home.
CREIGHTON (27-8 SU, 16-14-1 ATS, 21-10 O/U): Three starters and several key reserves return to a team that won 27 games a year ago, making Creighton a challenger to N. Iowa
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:6-9
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:5-2-1
Away Underdog:3-1
Neutral Site:2-2
Sportsbook Buster: The “over” is 30-10-1 when the Bluejays have been favorites the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Creighton was 8-3-1 ATS on the road.
WICHITASTATE (17-17SU, 14-15 ATS, 15-14 O/U): Paced by a defense that was the stingiest in the MVC, WichitaState looks better than everyone but N. Iowa and Creighton.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:2-7
Home Underdog:2-0
Away Favorite:1-0
Away Underdog:2-8
Neutral Site:5-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Shockers were 3-8 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: WichitaState was 5-0 ATS on a neutral court.
ILLINOISSTATE (24-10 SU, 17-13 ATS, 18-12 O/U): Osiris Eldridge (14.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG) may be the best player in the conference but the Redbirds don’t have a whole lot to go with him.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:7-6
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:2-4
Away Underdog:4-2
Neutral Site:2-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Redbirds were 5-2 as underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: The “over” was 14-7 when IllinoisState was a favorite.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (13-18 SU, 14-16 ATS, 19-11 O/U): The Salukis should be improved but a roster laden with underclassmen probably is still a year away from MVC contention.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:7-4
Home Underdog:0-1
Away Favorite:2-1
Away Underdog:5-5
Neutral Site:0-4
Sportsbook Buster: The Salukis are 16-9-2 as home favorites the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: The “over” was 13-6 in Southern Illinois conference games.
BRADLEY (21-15 SU, 16-16 ATS, 14-18 O/U): The Braves have a solid backcourt back are unproven along the interior and are likely to take a step backwards this season.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:7-6
Home Underdog:1-1
Away Favorite:2-0
Away Underdog:4-7
Neutral Site:2-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Braves were 10-6 as favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: Bradley was 5-11 ATS on three or more days rest.
INDIANASTATE (11-21 SU, 16-14 ATS, 14-16 O/U): The Sycamores return four starters but don’t have a proven interior presence to take some pressure off their perimeter game.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:1-4
Home Underdog:3-5
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:9-3
Neutral Site:3-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Sycamores were 13-7 ATS in MVC games.
Sports Betting Angle: IndianaState was 9-4 ATS on the road.
MISSOURISTATE (11-20 SU, 9-19-2 ATS, 15-15 O/U): Three of the top four scorers have departed from the team that shot a league worst 40 percent from the floor last season.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-8-1
Home Underdog:0-2-1
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:5-8
Neutral site:0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Bears are 6-19 ATS on the road the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: MissouriState was 4-13-2 ATS in conference games.
DRAKE (17-16 SU, 13-15 ATS, 10-18 O/U): After finishing first just two years ago, Drake could tumble to 10th in the MVC if its heralded recruiting class isn’t as good as advertised.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:6-7
Home Underdog:0-1
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:6-4
Neutral Site:1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulldogs were 3-12 ATS on three or more days rest.
Sports Betting Angle: The “under” was 13-6 in Drake conference games.
EVANSVILLE (17-14 SU, 14-13-1 ATS, 17-11 O/U): Four starters who averaged 48.6 PPG and 18.1 RPG are gone, leaving Coach Marty Simmons with a massive rebuilding job.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:8-5
Home Underdog:0-1
Away Favorite:1-0
Away Underdog:4-5-1
Neutral Site:0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Purple Aces were 9-5 as favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: The “over” was 9-3 when Evansville was an underdog.
This is the 10th of 11 NCAA basketball betting previews.
Next: Handicapping the Western Athletic Conference.
