Mountain West Conference teams covered 60 percent of the time as road favorites last year, a trend college basketball betting fans will be monitoring this season. 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:
BYU (25-8 SU, 17-15 ATS, 16-14 O/U): The Cougars boast the MWC’s top two returning scorers, Jimmer Fredette (16.2 PPG) and Jonathan Tavernari (15.7 PPG). ‘Nuf said.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:6-9
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite: 8-1
Away Underdog:2-1
Neutral site:1-4
Sportsbook Buster: The Cougars were 10-2 ATS in road games.
Sports Betting Angle: BYU was 12-6 ATS on three or more days rest.
UNLV (21-11 SU, 12-16-1 ATS, 14-15 O/U): The Rebels were last in the MWC in rebounding last season but transfers from UCLA and Kentucky help prevent another late season collapse.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite: 6-9
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:2-3-1
Away Underdog:3-3
Neutral Site:0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Runnin’ Rebels were 8-13 as favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: UNLV was 5-10-1 ATS on three or more days rest.
SAN DIEGOSTATE (26-10 SU, 19-14 ATS, 11-20 O/U): The Aztecs have the best recruiting class in the MWC but there’s just one senior on the roster so the kids will need to perform.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:11-4
Home Underdog:0-1
Away Favorite:3-2
Away Underdog:3-3
Neutral Site:2-4
Sportsbook Buster: The Aztecs were 15-7 as favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 12-3 when SDS was a home favorite.
UTAH (24-10 SU, 19-14 ATS, 16-15-1 O/U): The Utes will have a quality backcourt but will have difficulty replacing imposing Luke Nevill (16.8 PPG, 9.0) in the paint.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:8-5
Home Underdog:1-0
Away Favorite:5-2
Away Underdog:1-5
Neutral Site:4-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Utes were 15-9 as favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: Utah was 4-0 ATS on one or no days rest.
NEW MEXICO (22-12 SU, 16-15-1 ATS, 16-16 O/U): A trio of double-digit scorers is gone, forcing Coach Steve Alford to build around Roman Martinez (10.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG).
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite: 9-6
Home Underdog:1-0
Away Favorite:2-3-1
Away Underdog:4-3
Neutral Site:0-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Lobos are 30-13-1 as favorites the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: New Mexico was 8-5-1 ATS in games following a pointspread win.
TCU (14-17 SU, 14-13 ATS, 10-17 O/U): Four starters return, including Zvonko Buljan (12.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG), giving the Horned Frogs a shot at a winning record and an NIT bid.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-1
Home Underdog: 2-4
Away Favorite:1-2
Away Underdog:4-6
Neutral Site:3-0
Sportsbook Buster: The "under" is 33-16-1 in Horned Frogs games the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: TCU was 3-8 ATS after a pointspread defeat.
WYOMING (19-14 SU, 15-10-1 ATS, 13-13 O/U): Afam Muojeke (13.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG) was a star as a freshman last season but the Cowboys lost 52 PPG when three starters graduated.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-2
Home Underdog:3-2
Away Favorite:0-0-1
Away Underdog:5-5
Neutral Site:1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Cowboys were 11-7 ATS in conference play.
Sports Betting Angle: Wyoming was 9-4 ATS on three or more days rest.
COLORADOSTATE (9-22 SU, 13-17 ATS, 19-11 O/U): Ole Miss transfer Andy Ogide (10.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG) isn’t enough to keep the Rams from remaining near the bottom of the MWC.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-3
Home Underdog:2-4
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:5-7
Neutral Site:1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Rams were 6-13 ATS on three or more days rest.
Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 13-4 in CSU conference games.
AIR FORCE (10-21 SU, 10-14 ATS, 9-13-1 O/U): The Falcons went 0-16 in the Conference last season and with a lack of a proven scorer and little experience, could go winless again.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:1-2
Home Underdog:1-5
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:4-6
Neutral Site:4-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Falcons were 2-8 ATS at home
Sports Betting Angle: Air Force was 6-12 ATS in MWC games.
This is the ninth of 11 NCAA basketball betting previews.
