NCAA conference basketball odds - Vols lead SEC East betting
Sports betting: Tennessee the frontrunner once again
- Volunteers looking solid
- Is Florida ready to contend again?
- Gamecocks on the rise
NCAA basketball betting is near, which means it’s time for bettors to rack their brains and try to figure out who will come out on top in a wide open SEC. Much like in NCAA football, the SEC is known for its plethora of talent which has accounted for three national championships and two dozen first-round NBA draft picks in the past 10 years. The SEC East alone sent four representatives to the NCAA Tournament last season, making SEC East basketball betting a little tricky.
SEC East basketball odds list the Tennessee Volunteers as the preseason favorites to top the standings after a solid run to the Sweet 16 last season, when they were everyone’s favorite underdog on NCAA basketball odds. With the loss of shooting guard Chris Lofton, Vols coach Bruce Pearl will likely employ a slower tempo offense.
Tennessee will count on big men Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith. The latter in particularly is a threat due to his mobility, despite standing 6’7”. Smith has uncanny talent and will challenge for Most Outstanding Player honors over the next two seasons.
Lofton will be replaced in the backcourt by freshmen recruits Scotty Hopson and Bobby Maze. Hopson is a gifted jump shooter, while Maze is expected to step into the starting point guard role, which isn’t much of a daunting task with two star big men down low at his disposal.
While SEC East basketball lines have them listed at +175 to come out on top, the Florida Gators are an incredibly risky play. The Gators lost their star center, Marreese Spreights, to the NBA draft, and now have to fill that void down low. This seems to be an annual occurrence for Florida, which has had to replace Joakim Noah and David Lee in recent years as well.
Unless freshman Alex Tyus proves to be a serviceable center, the Gators will rely heavily on combo guard Nick Calathes in the backcourt. College basketball odds are kind to them because of their reputation—two straight national championships in ’06 and ’07 don’t hurt—but this could be another year of transition for the Gators after missing the NCAA Tournament entirely last season.
If you’re looking for a value pick, there’s no better team for your money than the South Carolina Gamecocks at +800 internet sportsbook odds. Darrin Horn has been brought in to replace Dave Odom and appears to be a perfect fit. College basketball betting enthusiasts will recall Horn as the mastermind behind Western Kentucky’s miracle run to the third round of the NCAA Tournament last year, instituting a perimeter-based, up-tempo system that simply outworked superior teams.
The South Carolina roster is chalk-full of perimeter shooters and guys that can run the court. Zam Frederick, Dominique Archie and Devan Downey are all explosive scorers who will benefit tremendously from Coach Horn’s shot selection philosophy. Don’t be surprised to see the Gamecocks bounce back from a 14-18 season and make a run at the tournament in 2009.
WASHINGTON’S PICK: While it’s too early to tell how the freshmen recruits will benefit each team, it’s Tennessee that has the most pieces in place from last season (and the least question marks to be erased). There will be no transition phase for the Vols this year, which should allow them to get off to a torrid start in conference play and develop a comfortable lead. Bet on Tennessee.
Be sure to check out the Betting Edge at betonline.com, where you can find NCAA basketball betting picks, odds and futures for each of the major conferences!
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. .
