Basketball Betting

NCAA basketball betting – SEC West basketball odds favor Tide, Tigers

Posted on 11/5/2008 2:58:37 PM By Washington Tucker

NCAA basketball odds: SEC West is wide open

• Alabama loses four starters
• LSU vying for conference title
• Mississippi has a shot

The SEC West is wide open according to college basketball odds, and leading the way is a couple of teams who finished near the bottom of the division, including one that didn’t even make the SEC tournament. In order to give you a betting edge while considering your NCAA basketball picks, here’s a look at the sportsbook favorites in the SEC West.

Alabama was a disappointing 5-11 in the SEC last year, but they knocked off Florida before losing narrowly to Mississippi State in the second round of the tournament. The Crimson Tide lost four starters and will be hard-pressed to replace Richard Hendrix’s 17.8 points and 10.1 boards.

JaMychal Green is being counted on to be an impact freshman in the post, and Alonzo Gee could be ready to take the next step after averaging 14.5 points as a junior. The Crimson Tide have SEC West basketball odds of +175.

LSU is right behind Alabama with SEC West basketball odds of +250, and the Tigers are very deep and talented. Anthony Randolph jumped to the NBA after only one year, but Marcus Thornton led the team in scoring with 19.6 points and is back for another season. Chris Johnson appears ready to step into Randolph’s role as the inside threat, which would open up the floor for Thornton.

Mississippi has SEC West basketball odds of +500, and the Rebels are coming off a 7-9 SEC record and a first-round exit to eventual champions Georgia in the conference tournament. Chris Warren had a great frosh year with 15.8 points and 4.5 assists as he leads the team from the point, and he may have to do even more with the losses of Dwayne Curtis and Kenny Williams. Without them the Rebels aren’t as physical inside as last year, unless freshman DeAundre Cranston is this year’s Warren.

Auburn was dead last in the SEC West last year with a 4-12 mark, and it enters this season with SEC West basketball betting odds of +650 behind four returning starters, led by Korvotney Barber, who is eager to prove his worth after playing only 10 games last year because of injury. However, the Tigers are very small and they will not be very deep unless a few of their seven freshmen can step up to the plate.

Last year’s West representative in the conference final was Arkansas, which is tied with Mississippi State (12-4 regular season record) with SEC West odds of +800. The Razorbacks have only four players on their squad that have competed in the SEC before, and the loss of Patrick Beverley could be massive to Arkansas.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs must replace Charles Rhodes’ 17.4 points and 7.8 rebounds, and they will expect an offensive improvement from Jarvis Vernado, who led the nation with 4.6 blocks.

WASHINGTON’S PICK: Anyone could win this division, as these close SEC West basketball odds prove. This division could come down to experience, which is becoming so important in the new “one-and-down” era of college basketball. Having a legitimate 20-point scorer also helps, which is why you should bet on the LSU Tigers to avenge last year’s first-round SEC exit to claim the division crown.

For more NCAA basketball odds from ACC, Big Ten, Pac-10 and more, The Betting Edge has everything you need on the road to March Madness.

Washington Tucker was practically raised at Rucker Park. Though a freak knee injury cost him a major college basketball scholarship, his “sixth-sense” on the hardwood has translated into a spectacular career in basketball handicapping. Email Comments@BetOnline.com.