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November 2007
Southern Miss was a can't-miss for college basketball betting fans last year but it's a new season in Conference USA. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2006/07 season are in parentheses:
MEMPHIS (33-4 SU, 17-17-1 ATS, 12-23 O/U): All five starters return, as well as heralded recruit Derrick Rose, making the Tigers a legitimate contender for the national title.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 8-9
Home Underdog: 0-0
Away Favorite: 5-4-1
Away Underdog: 0-1
Neutral site: 4-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Tigers were 10-6-1 ATS on three or more days rest last season.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 21-11 when Memphis was the favorite during the 2006/07 campaign.
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI (20-11 SU, 17-4-1 ATS, 12-10 O/U): The pointspread champions return everyone and even add a few new elements to this very capable team.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 8-1
Home Underdog: 0-0-1
Away Favorite: 10-0
Away Underdog: 5-3
Neutral Site: 3-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Eagles were 10-1 ATS as favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: Southern Miss was 13-4-1 ATS in conference play.
ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM (15-16 SU, 12-16-1 ATS, 11-17-1 O/U): A trio of returning starters, an equal number of well-regarded transfers and a hot-shot freshman should have the Blazers making a big move.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 6-5
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite: 2-1
Away Underdog: 2-1-1
Neutral Site: 1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Blazers were just 3-9-1 ATS as underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 11-5-1 when UAB was favored.
HOUSTON (18-15 SU, 15-14-1 ATS, 11-17-2 O/U): G Robert McKiver (19.2 PPG) leads a guard oriented team that needs to improve its defense.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 4-5-1
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite: 2-1
Away Underdog: 7-4
Neutral Site: 2-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Cougars were 9-5 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: Houston was 8-4-1 ATS following a SU loss.
TULSA (20-11 SU, 13-11 ATS, 8-16 O/U): Plenty of backcourt talent to play an up-tempo game but Tulsa needs to develop an inside game, too.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 5-5
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite: 0-1
Away Underdog: 6-2
Neutral Site: 1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Hurricane was 6-2 as an away underdog.
Sports Betting Angle: Tulsa was 5-1 ATS in non-conference games.
TULANE (17-13 SU, 16-10 ATS, 17-19 O/U): Four starters return but the Green Wave still needs to find perimeter shooters to stretch defenses.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 7-3
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite: 1-0
Away Underdog: 6-5
Neutral Site: 2-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Green Wave was 8-3 as a favorite.
Sports Betting Angle: Tulane was 8-2 ATS after a SU defeat.
CENTRAL FLORIDA (22-9 SU, 12-11 ATS, 12-11 O/U): There's reliability in the backcourt but a lack of muscle in the paint could have the Knights sliding back in the conference this season.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 4-4
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite: 1-1
Away Underdog: 5-3
Neutral Site: 2-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Knights were 7-2 ATS after a pointspread loss.
Sports Betting Angle: UCF was 6-1 ATS following a SU defeat.
UTEP (14-17 SU, 12-14-1 ATS, 16-10-1 O/U): Stefon Jackson (18.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG) needs help from a solid freshman class if the Miners are to dig themselves out of the division's bottom half.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 7-4
Home Underdog: 1-1
Away Favorite: 0-2
Away Underdog: 3-4-1
Neutral Site: 1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Miners were 7-4 ATS as a home favorite
Sports Betting Angle: UTEP was 6-10-1 ATS in conference play.
MARSHALL (13-19 SU, 16-15 ATS, 14-16-1 O/U): First year Head Coach Donnie Jones inherits a team without much outside shooting prowess.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 2-6
Home Underdog: 4-1
Away Favorite: 0-1
Away Underdog: 6-6
Neutral Site: 3-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Thundering Herd was 2-8 ATS as a favorite.
Sports Betting Angle: Marshall was 13-7 ATS as an underdog.
SMU (14-17 SU, 9-15 ATS, 9-15 O/U): Seven newcomers join a team that has talent in the backcourt but still appears a year or two away from real contention.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 3-6
Home Underdog: 1-0
Away Favorite: 0-1
Away Underdog: 4-6
Neutral Site: 1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Mustangs were 5-12 ATS in conference play.
Sports Betting Angle: SMU was 3-10 ATS following an SU defeat.
RICE (16-16 SU, 15-12-1 ATS, 12-16 O/U): Morris Almond (26.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 45.6% 3-pt.), who did everything for the Owls, is gone.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 3-3-1
Home Underdog: 3-1
Away Favorite: 0-0
Away Underdog: 4-7
Neutral Site: 5-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Owls were 5-1 on no or one days rest.
Sports Betting Angle: Rice was a surprising 11-7-1 ATS versus Conference USA opponents.
EAST CAROLINA (6-24 SU, 8-14-1 ATS, 9-14 O/U): Four returning starters should lead to more than one conference win this year but the Pirates don't frighten anyone.
College Basketball Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 0-2
Home Underdog: 3-4
Away Favorite: 0-0
Away Underdog: 5-7-1
Neutral Site: 0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Pirates were 5-11-1 ATS in conference play.
Sports Betting Angle: ECU was 4-9 ATS on three or more days rest.
This is the eighth of 22 NCAA college basketball betting previews.
Next: Handicapping the Mountain West Conference.
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