College Basketball Betting - Analyzing the Sun Belt Conference

Only four of the Sun Belt Conference's 13 teams had winning records against the spread, a trend college basketball betting followers will be watching this season. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2007/08 season are in parentheses:

EAST DIVISION

MIDDLE TENNESSEE (17-15 SU, 16-12-1 ATS, 11-16-1 O/U): Desmond Yates (16.0 PPG) heads a cast of five returning starters with legitimate Sun Belt title aspirations.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 4-6

Home Underdog: 3-1

Away Favorite: 0-0

Away Underdog: 8-4

Neutral Site: 1-1-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Blue Raiders were 15-7 ATS in conference games last season.

Sports Betting Angle: Middle Tennessee was 11-6-1 as an underdog last season.

SOUTH ALABAMA (26-7 SU, 18-10 ATS, 15-13 O/U): Brandon Davis (10.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG) and Domonic Tilford (12.5 PPG) give the Jags a dependable inside/outside game.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 7-5

Home Underdog: 0-0

Away Favorite: 6-2

Away Underdog: 3-0

Neutral site: 2-3

Sportsbook Buster: The Jaguars were 9-2 ATS on the road.

Sports Betting Angle: South Alabama was 12-2 ATS on two days or less rest.

WESTERN KENTUCKY (29-7 SU, 20-13 ATS, 14-18 O/U): Four starters are gone so don't expect a repeat of last season's Sweet 16 squad.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 5-6

Home Underdog: 0-0

Away Favorite: 6-5

Away Underdog: 0-2

Neutral Site: 9-0

Sportsbook Buster: The Hilltoppers were 9-0 ATS on neutral courts.

Sports Betting Angle: Western Kentucky was 14-6 ATS on three or more days rest.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC (15-18 SU, 12-14 ATS, 12-11-3 O/U): New Head Coach Mike Jarvis has a strong unit, paced by Carlos Monroe (15.4 PPG, 9.5 RPG)

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 4-2

Home Underdog: 2-2

Away Favorite: 0-0

Away Underdog: 6-6

Neutral Site: 0-4

Sportsbook Buster: The Owls were 1-5 ATS in non-conference games.

Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 7-2-1 in Florida Atlantic home games.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL (9-20 SU, 12-13 ATS, 7-17-1 O/U): Alex Galindo (13.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG) and Russell Hicks (12.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG) have FIU looking for a winning season.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 4-2

Home Underdog: 1-5

Away Favorite: 0-0

Away Underdog: 6-6

Neutral Site: 0-0

Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Panthers were 1-5 as a home underdog.

Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 14-4-1 in Florida International conference games.

TROY (12-19 SU, 8-15 ATS, 13-10 O/U): Mississippi State transfer Richard Delk is the best of an undermanned squad.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 2-4

Home Underdog: 2-1

Away Favorite: 0-0

Away Underdog: 4-8

Neutral Site: 0-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Trojans were 7-13 ATS in Sun Belt games.

Sports Betting Angle: Troy was 4-8 as an away underdog.

WEST DIVISION

ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK (20-11 SU, 12-15 ATS, 10-17 O/U): Five starters are back on the first 20-win ALR team in more than a decade.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 5-6

Home Underdog: 0-1

Away Favorite: 3-2

Away Underdog: 3-5

Neutral Site: 1-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Trojans were 3-7 as an underdog.

Sports Betting Angle: Arkansas-Little Rock was 4-10 ATS in games following a pointspread loss.

NORTH TEXAS (20-11 SU, 13-11 ATS, 11-13 O/U): The Mean Green has the division's best backcourt and can shoot the trey with anyone.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 5-4

Home Underdog: 2-1

Away Favorite: 0-4

Away Underdog: 4-1

Neutral Site: 0-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Mean Green was 4-0 ATS in non-conference games.

Sports Betting Angle: North Texas was 7-4 ATS after a pointspread win.

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (15-15 SU, 15-11 ATS, 8-18 O/U): Four regulars are back but none of them averaged in double figures last season.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 4-5

Home Underdog: 1-1

Away Favorite: 1-0

Away Underdog: 7-5

Neutral Site: 2-0

Sportsbook Buster: The Ragin' Cajuns were 12-7 ATS in conference play.

Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 10-0 when UL-Lafayette was a favorite.

DENVER (11-19 SU, 16-12-1 ATS, 12-16-1 O/U): With no seniors and just one junior on the roster, clearly, Denver is building for next season.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 7-2

Home Underdog: 2-1

Away Favorite: 0-0

Away Underdog: 6-8-1

Neutral Site: 1-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Pioneers were 9-3 ATS at home.

Sports Betting Angle: Denver was 10-5 ATS after a pointspread victory.

ARKANSAS STATE (10-20 SU, 10-16 ATS, 15-11 O/U):

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 4-5

Home Underdog: 1-1

Away Favorite: 0-0

Away Underdog: 5-9

Neutral Site: 0-0

Sportsbook Buster: The Indians were 5-9 ATS on the road.

Sports Betting Angle: Arkansas State was 7-12 ATS in conference games.

LOUISIANA-MONROE (10-21 SU, 10-14-1 ATS, 9-15-1 O/U): The Red Wolves have a new coach but the same personnel problems as last season.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 1-3-1

Home Underdog: 0-3

Away Favorite: 0-0

Away Underdog: 8-7

Neutral Site: 1-0

Sportsbook Buster: The Red Wolves were 1-7-1 ATS at home.

Sports Betting Angle: UL-Monroe 5-10-1 ATS after a SU defeat.

NEW ORLEANS (19-13 SU, 12-14 ATS, 16-10 O/U): The return of only one starter and eight newcomers suggest there'll be some growing pains.

By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)

Home Favorite: 2-6

Home Underdog: 0-2

Away Favorite: 0-2

Away Underdog: 8-2

Neutral Site: 2-2

Sportsbook Buster: The Privateers were 2-8 ATS at home.

Sports Betting Angle: New Orleans was 8-2 as an away underdog.