Only four of the SEC's 12 teams had winning pointspread records last season, a trend basketball betting devotees will be tracking 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:
EASTERN DIVISION
KENTUCKY (22-14 SU, 15-15-1 ATS, 14-17 O/U): Coach John Calipari's first Kentucky team is young but has Final Four potential if his heralded freshmen are as good as advertised.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:6-8
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:3-2
Away Underdog:3-3
Neutral Site:3-1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Wildcats were 7-11 ATS in SEC play.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 11-7 in Kentucky conference games.
TENNESSEE (21-13 SU, 14-16-2 ATS, 13-18-1 O/U): Everyone returns from last season's underachieving team, including stud Tyler Smith (17.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG).
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:6-7-1
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:2-4-1
Away Underdog:2-2
Neutral site:4-3
Sportsbook Buster: The "under" was 13-7 in games after a SU win by the Volunteers.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" is 20-11-2 in Tennessee conference games the last two seasons.
SOUTH CAROLINA (21-10 SU, 11-14-1 ATS, 14-11 O/U): Devan Downey (19.8 PPG), the SEC's leading returning scorer, should send the Gamecocks back to the NCAA Tournament.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:3-8
Home Underdog:0-1
Away Favorite:2-0-1
Away Underdog:4-3
Neutral Site:0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Gamecocks are 6-19 ATS at home the last two years.
Sports Betting Angle: South Carolina was 7-3-1 ATS after a SU win.
VANDERBILT (19-12 SU, 12-16 ATS, 11-17 O/U): The Commodores have plenty of depth and firepower, including recruit John Jenkins, who averaged 42.3 PPG as a high school senior.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:6-6
Home Underdog:1-2
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:3-6
Neutral Site:2-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Commodores were 3-7 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 12-4 when Vanderbilt was a favorite.
FLORIDA (25-11 SU, 13-16 ATS, 14-15 O/U): The Gators can put the ball in the hole but better defense and rebounding are required or Florida will slip out of tournament consideration.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:8-7
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:2-3
Away Underdog:1-2
Neutral Site: 2-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Gators were 3-6 ATS in games after a pointspread defeat.
Sports Betting Angle:Florida was 3-6 ATS on the road.
GEORGIA (12-20 SU, 11-15-1 ATS, 13-13-1 O/U): New Head Coach Mark Fox will rebuild around sophomore all-star candidate Trey Thompkins (12.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG).
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:2-1
Home Underdog:4-6
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:5-5-1
Neutral Site:0-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulldogs were 6-11 ATS on SEC play.
Sports Betting Angle:Georgia was 2-11-1 ATS on three or more days rest.
WESTERN DIVISION
MISSISSIPPI STATE (23-13 SU, 18-12-1 ATS, 15-16 O/U): All five starters return, including SEC Defensive Player of the Year Jarvis Varnardo, who led the nation in blocked shots.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:8-4
Home Underdog:1-0
Away Favorite:1-1-1
Away Underdog:4-3
Neutral Site:4-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulldogs were 14-6 ATS in conference play.
Sports Betting Angle: MSU was 9-5-1 ATS at home.
MISSISSIPPI (16-15 SU, 16-11 ATS, 12-15 O/U): The Rebels have a superior backcourt led by Chris Warren (19.6 PPG) but will have to prove they have the muscle in the paint.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-3
Home Underdog:4-1
Away Favorite:1-0
Away Underdog:6-3
Neutral Site:1-4
Sportsbook Buster: The Rebels were 11-6 ATS in SEC play.
Sports Betting Angle: Ole Miss was 11-6 as an underdog.
LSU (27-8 SU, 14-12-1 ATS, 16-9-2 O/U): The return of Tasmin Mitchell (16.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG) will help ease the departure of scorer Marcus Thornton (21.1 PPG).
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:7-5-1
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:2-1
Away Underdog:2-3
Neutral Site:2-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Tigers are 5-13 ATS versus non-conference foes the last two years.
Sports Betting Angle: LSU was 8-4 ATS on three or more days rest.
ALABAMA (18-14 SU, 13-13-1 ATS, 17-9-1 O/U): First year Coach Anthony Grant boasts a talented big man in JaMychal Green (10.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG) but ‘Bama needs to find a point guard.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-6
Home Underdog:1-1-1
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:6-3
Neutral Site:2-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Crimson Tide was 3-6 ATS on two or more days rest.
Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 10-5-1 in Alabama SEC games.
AUBURN (24-12 SU, 21-8 ATS, 11-18 O/U): The Tigers won't be able to overcome the loss of three starters and will slide from league contention this season.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:10-3
Home Underdog:1-1
Away Favorite:1-1
Away Underdog:7-1
Neutral Site:2-2
Sportsbook Buster: The War Eagles were 13-5 ATS in conference play.
Sports Betting Angle: Auburn was 13-2 ATS on two or more days rest.
ARKANSAS (14-16 SU, 10-13-1 ATS, 13-11 O/U): All five starters are back but it's the same bunch that helped produce a 2-14 record in the SEC last season.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:3-4
Home Underdog:4-1
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:2-7-1
Neutral Site:1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Razorbacks are 2-12-1 as away underdogs the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Arkansas was 5-11 ATS in SEC games.
This is the fifth of 11 NCAA basketball betting previews.
