The SEC is known as a football conference but a lot of college basketball pundits are paying very close attention to it on the hardwood this year as well. It’s not so much of a surprise now that Kentucky is back.

The glory has been restored for the Wildcats program and all it took was finding the right head coach. Coach John Calipari came over from Memphis and there was literally no growing pains involved. Calipari and his squad hit the ground running right away and they have been tearing up not only the SEC but also the nation overall.

The Wildcats are ranked No. 2 overall and have lost just one contest all year long. Forgive them for losing on the road in South Carolina. But outside of that, the Wildcats have been a very tough customer. They are young but they are talented as it gets and they have won 27 of 28 games this season.

In SEC play, the Wildcats are 12-1 and one of those 12 wins was a victory over Tennessee earlier in the year. On Saturday, they’ll try to get the season sweep at Rocky Top.

No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats @ No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers

5Dimes Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Kentucky -2

The college basketball betting community will have their eyes squarely on their TV sets when Kentucky and Tennessee clash on CBS this Saturday.

Kentucky has been tearing up the SEC and one more win gets them the regular season title, although that’s just a formality. They’ll get it whether it happens on Saturday or not.

The Wildcats topped Tennessee 73-62 earlier this month but a change in venue might produce a change in result.  In normal circumstances, that might be the cases but Tennessee just isn’t fully healthy right now.

Star forward Wayne Chism was visibly in pain in the team’s last contest.

Overall, the Vols have been fading a little bit of late and that’s not a good sign when hosting a team like Kentucky. They have lost three of their last five games, although all of those losses came on the road.

The Wildcats are just hot right now and the Vols are at the other end of the spectrum. While home court advantage is on their side, they just aren’t playing well enough to upend Kentucky this Saturday.

NCAA Basketball Odds Pick: Kentucky -2

Online betting players have no idea how to handicap the Big East, which is by far the toughest conference in the country and should have at least two No.1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament after three last season. A recent hot streak has Pitt in the thick of the battle for the conference title, but they have to be careful when they head to explosive Notre Dame on Wednesday.

Pitt vs Notre Dame odds – Wednesday, February 24, 7:00 PM ET

The No.12 Panthers (21-6, 10-4) made some clutch free throws late in a 70-65 win over Villanova to tighten the race atop the Big East, and they lived at the charity stripe, going 26-of-34 from the foul line while the Wildcats were just 11-of-16. Ashton Gibbs led the way with 21 points and was 9-of-12 from the line, while Gilbert Brown came off the bench to add 16 points. Jermaine Dixon had a tough 3-of-15 day from the floor, but he added six boards, three assists, three steals and three blocks, and summed up this year’s Pitt team perfectly: they are willing to do the dirty things a team needs to do to win.

The Fighting Irish (17-10, 6-8) is one the teams that proves that the Big East is like a super casino, as they’re one of eight teams in the conference between five and eight wins. Notre Dame came up just short in a 91-89 double-overtime thriller at Louisville, and they played their second straight game with preseason All-American forward Luke Harangody, who is out with a knee bruise. Tim Abromaitis tried to pick up the slack with 29 points, while Ben Hansbrough added 21 points for the Fighting Irish, who were 10-of-24 from beyond the arc, but they made 12 fewer free throws than the Cardinals, which was the difference in a very tight game.

Notre Dame should be the sportsbook favorites at home, as they’re 15-3 at the Joyce Center. The Panthers have won six of their last seven against the Fighting Irish, and Notre Dame just isn’t the same with  Harangody in the lineup. His presence in the post gives the perimeter shooters more time to get prepared for their shots, and they were playing a defensively undisciplined team in Louisville. There will be no such luck against the Panthers, who are one of the best teams in the nation at that end of the floor, and the trio of Gibbs, Brown and Dixon will smother the Notre Dame shooters without Harangody in the lineup. Look for the Panthers to slow the pace of the contest and make it a game of minimal possessions to swing it in their favor.

College basketball betting pick: Pitt



As the regular season winds down in college basketball this year, there are a few key matchups that will decide conference titles as well as seeding for conference tournaments coming up. Most importantly, we will get to see which teams will be contenders and which will be pretenders when the NCAA tournament starts. This Saturday the top two teams in the SEC square off with the regular season crown up for grabs.

Kentucky Wildcats (25-1, 10-1 1^st in SEC) @ Vanderbilt Commodores (20-5, 9-2 2^nd in SEC)

Bookmaker Review: (*note lines are approximations as lines have not been posted at the time of writing)

NCAA Basketball Odds

Spread: Kentucky -2

Total: 141

Money Line: Kentucky -140, Vanderbilt +115

Why Kentucky will win

The Wildcats have shown extreme resilience this season when faced with a challenge. Winning in every way imaginable and losing only once all season, Kentucky has become one of the favorites for the NCAA title. PG John Wall has emerged from the pack of players and is the likely number one pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Wall is averaging 17 points, 4 rebounds and 6.5 assists a game for the SEC leading Wildcats.  His speed, athleticism and finishing ability is far and above that of guards in the college game this year. Wall often finds a welcome home to his slick passes in the hands of fellow Freshman DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins is a 6-10 man-child with post moves and a nose for the basketball averaging over 16 points and 10 rebounds a game. Rounding out the talented crew is G Eric Bledsoe, another solid guard with speed and scoring ability (10 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists a game) and junior F Patrick Patterson (14.8 points, 7.4 rebounds per game). First year Coach John Calipari will try to take his third team to the final four and has the most stacked, talent-wise, roster in NCAA hoops this year.

Why Vanderbilt will win

The Commodores have not lost a home game since early December, and that was a tournament game in early December that wasn’t on their home court. Led by senior guard Jermaine Beal and junior center A.J. Ogilvy, the Commodores have beaten all of the competition in the SEC this season save for one team, the Kentucky Wildcats. Vanderbilt has some legitimate talent in their young players with sophomore G/F Jeffery Taylor having four 20+ point efforts and freshman G John Jenkins has shot 45% from three point land this year while averaging over 10 points a game. The Commodores will have their best shot at revenge for a loss at Kentucky last month Saturday night in front of the Commodore faithful.

Prediction

This is a key game to keep an eye on for a couple of reasons. First of all, it is important to see how the young Wildcats can handle a hostile environment late in the year. Secondly, if Vanderbilt is for real this season, they will have to either win this game or knock off Kentucky in the SEC tournament.

Sports betting tip: This looks like a team that can win a couple of the games in the tournament, but not much more. A good showing against Kentucky is the only thing that can change my opinion. Kentucky will show Vanderbilt why they are the class of the SEC in this game as Vanderbilt will fall to the Wildcats in a close one.

Final: Kentucky 76 – Vanderbilt 72. Take Kentucky and the over.

The Purdue Boilermakers started out their Big Ten campaign with just two wins in their first five conference games. Since then, they have been significantly better, though, racking up a crisp and clean seven-game winning streak.

In that time, Purdue has topped a few quality outfits, including a recent two-point win at the Breslin Center over a Top 25 team in Michigan State.

While Purdue’s shooting seems to come and go, mostly depending on whether they are at home or on the road, one thing that remains constant is their defense. In their most recent two games against Michigan State and Iowa, the Boilermakers held their competition to just 31% shooting from the field and just 12-of-43 from three-point range.

While the Boilermakers have been hot, they will still be looking to avenge a previous loss from earlier this year on Wednesday. The Boilermakers lost 70-66 at home to Ohio State earlier in the year, which dropped them to 2-2 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers blew a 13-point lead with seven minutes remaining only to lose by four.

Blowing big leads has been an issue for Purdue and they’ll have to play much better to beat Ohio State on the road.

Purdue Boilermakers @ Ohio State Buckeyes

BetPhoenix Odds (BetPhoenix Reviews): Ohio State -2

Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue all have just three losses in the Big Ten but both Ohio State and Michigan State have one more win than Purdue. Sports handicapping players know that the Boilermakers can get a leg up if they win on Wednesday because they’ll hold the tiebreaker with Michigan State and they’ll have an extra win over Ohio State.

This will be a very tall order for Purdue, which has not won in Columbus, Ohio in 12 years.

The good news is that the Boilermakers have recently ended two other long road losing streaks in Indiana and Michigan State.

The Buckeyes are in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten and they are coming off a huge win over Illinois. They crushed the Illini 72-53 on Valentine’s Day and are very confident right now.

Purdue may be the better team overall but they are on the road and it will be tough for them to scratch out another win. Look for Ohio State to get bye and put themselves in good shape for a Big Ten title.

Bet College Basketball Pick: Ohio State -2

This weekend marks one of the biggest two-day spans in NCAA college basketball. With each league closing in on the playoffs and March Madness rapidly approaching, People who bet on sports odds know that March Madness is the upcoming focus of the basketball world. On Saturday, the number 2 ranked Kentucky Wildcats battle the number 12 ranked Tennessee Volunteers in what promises to be one of the premier games of the year.

Tennessee Volunteers @ Kentucky Wildcats

Saturday, February 13, 9PM (ET)

College Basketball Betting Odds: NO LINE YET

Saturday marks a meeting between two of college basketball’s biggest rivals, the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky, currently ranked #2 in the nation is sitting first overall in the SEC with an 8-1 conference record and a 23-1 record overall. Tennessee who is sitting two games back of the Wildcats in the SEC are 6-3 in conference play and 18-5 overall. This game does have upset potential for the 12^th ranked Tennessee Volunteers, although the Kentucky Wildcats look poised to be March Madness contenders in the NCAA tourney.

What the Tennessee Volunteers need to do to win

Shut down John Wall and Demarcus Cousins

Both Demarcus Cousins and John Wall are slated as potential top 10 drafts picks in the upcoming NBA draft, with Wall the likely first overall selection. If Tennessee even has a hope of beating the Kentucky Wildcats, they must effectively minimize the impact of these players. Cousins and Wall offer an unparalleled 1-2 punch in the NCAA this season. Cousins has been pulling down more than 10 rebounds per game and over 16 points per game. Wall similarly has been hitting nearly 17 points per game from guard and is also one of the nations best passers. What makes these stats even more impressive is that both players are only freshman. Tennessee must play solid defence, steal rebounds from Cousins and keep pressure on Wall if they hope to have success. If the Volunteers can accomplish these goals, this game could be one of the season’s biggest upsets.

Stay focused on the road: There is no home crowd in college basketball that is more intimidating to play in front of than the crowd in Kentucky. The Wildcats are a perfect 16-0 at home this season and seem to be fuelled by their home crowd. Tennessee must remain calm and stick to head coach Bruce Pearl’s game plan even if the Wildcats come out with an early lead.

What the Kentucky Wildcats need to do to win

Simply put, the Kentucky Wildcats are favoured to win this game. Demarcus Cousins and John Wall have been dominating games this season. Tennessee however, also features a two-pack of talented players that the Wildcats can’t ignore. Wayne Chism and Scotty Hopson are both averaging over 13 points per game and play solid defensive games.

Kentucky will likely rely on their firepower to control this game, but the Tennessee Volunteers present a balanced attack that can’t be ignored.

For those interested in College Basketball Betting , this weekends match up between Tennessee and Kentucky is a can’t miss game. With two of the top teams in the nation clashing, this game could either be a one sided route, or an upset for the ages.

When the East All Stars and West All Stars meet in the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, it should be a very close game. Those who bet on sports know that The Dallas Mavericks will be the official host of the game even though it will be played in the new stadium of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and not America Airlines Center.

East vs West

BetEd Odds (BetEd Reviews): West -1.5

Offensive Breakdown

Lebron James and Dwyane Wade will head up an Eastern Conference team that is the strongest that it has been in recent years. Gerald Wallace will be the first ever representative from the Charlotte Bobcats while Derrick Rose is the first Chicago Bull to make the team since Michael Jordan. The absence of Allen Iverson is actually a blessing in disguise for the East as he has not played to the level that he is capable of this year and will most likely be replaced in the starting line-up by Rajon Rondo who is one of the best young point guards in the league.

While they do have a large amount of weapons, those who follow sportsbook will know the West will be hindered by the injuries to three of their best guards. Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Brandon Roy will all miss the game due to injuries and it will be up to replacements Chauncey Billups, Chris Kaman and Jason Kidd to pick up the slack. While they are very good players, it is unlikely that they will be able to play at the level that Paul and Bryant, two MVP candidates from last season, are capable of.

Edge: East

Defensive Breakdown

The All Star game is notorious for lack of defence until the fourth quarter but when it comes down to the end of the game, the East should have an edge as they have reigning defensive player of the year Dwight Howard anchoring a very active and athletic team. Having a combo of Kevin Garnett and Chris Bosh at the four will pretty much put an end to any hopes of a big game by a Western power forward; with the exception of Dirk Nowitzki who can step outside and hit the three.

The West will not be pushovers on defence either as Tim Duncan and Carmelo Anthony are very good when they put their minds into stopping someone. While they will miss the tenacity of Paul guarding the point, they do have capable replacements that can do a solid job. They are however weak in depth at the swing positions as Anthony and Kevin Durant are the only two players on the roster who regularly play shooting guard or small forward, meaning the team will be giving up size or athleticism when they go to their bench.

Edge: East

Injury Breakdown

East: Allen Iverson will not play in the game due to the illness of one of his children and will be replaced by David Lee.

West: Kobe Bryant will not play to rest his broken finger and bruised hip and will be replaced by Jason Kidd. Chris Paul is out because of a knee injury and will be replaced by Chauncey Billups. Brandon Roy is out and will be replaced by Chris Kaman

Edge: East

Prediction

In a game that boasts nine first-time All Stars, this game should be closer than any of the games in recent years. Those doing NBA betting should realize that the Western All Stars have key members of their team who are lost due to injury and that will ultimately be their downfall. As good as they are, the replacements are not equal to Kobe and CP3 and the team should lose because of it.

Pick: East 152, West 139

If you’re following US sportsbook odds (US sportsbook reviews) in college basketball, Syracuse would be a solid bet for the Final Four as the Orangemen have won 10 in a row and may be the most complete team in the nation. The Orangemen will host a slumping Connecticut squad on Wednesday.

UConn vs Syracuse odds – Wednesday, February 10, 7:00 PM ET

The Huskies (14-9, 4-6) snapped a three-game skid with a 64-57 win over DePaul at home, and UConn is now 3-3 without coach Jim Calhoun, who has been out with a medical condition. Jerome Dyson led the way with 20 points, but the Huskies weren’t very convincing, shooting 41.3% from the field, including 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. The Huskies won this game at the foul line, as they were 25-of-35 from the charity stripe, while DePaul was only 1-of-6.

The No.2 Orangemen (23-1, 10-1) rolled to a 71-54 win at Cincinnati, but this game was close until Syracuse went on a three-point flurry in the second half. Andy Rautins paced the team with 20 points, and the Syracuse bench outplayed their Cincinnati counterparts, outscoring them 28-11. The Orangemen shot 51.1% from the field, including 8-of-16 from three-point land, but they had problems at the foul line, making 15 of their 26 attempts. Syracuse had to play with leading scorer Wesley Johnson not at his best. Johnson fell and hurt his back against Providence and although he played 26 minutes, he had just five points and three boards.

Syracuse should be favored in your sportsbook at home, as they are 14-1 at the Carrier Dome this season. This will be UConn’s first trip to the Carrier Dome since 2008, when they beat the Orangemen 63-61. UConn hasn’t been the same without Calhoun on the sidelines, and while George Blaney has done a decent job, he’s not the motivator that Calhoun is. The Orangemen now have a big edge in the coaching department as Jim Boeheim has the Orangemen playing as well as anyone in the country. The Orangemen could use Johnson back in the lineup, as this would be a great game for the Huskies’ Stanley Robinson to get his act together. The Huskies could miss the NCAA Tournament, but they’re not playing with the urgency that a big-time program like them should have at this point in the season, similar to North Carolina. Also, the Huskies are a miserable 0-5 away from home, and Syracuse has been a monster at home. Even if Johnson doesn’t play, the Orangemen can confuse the Huskies with their 2-3 zone.

Bet college basketball: Syracuse

Super Bowl MVP odds are probably the best prop bet on play during the big game on Sunday, and this year’s list is headed by the most important players in the game, the quarterbacks. The men under center have won this award on 22 occasions, including this year’s favorite.

Super Bowl MVP odds – Sunday, February 7, 6:20 PM ET

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis (-180)

Manning won this award four years ago when he led the Colts to a Super Bowl win over Chicago, and another win would put him up there with the all-time greats of the game. No one has control over their offense the way Manning does, and his pre-snap reads make him a danger no matter how much time on the clock, and no matter where the Colts are on the field.

Drew Brees, New Orleans (+260)

Brees finished second to Manning in the regular-season MVP race, but he was the spark of the No.1 offense in the league all season. Brees is the leader of this team, and even though he’s not a physical monster like Manning, Brees may be the most accurate quarterback in the league, and he can go deep, or work the underneath route. Also, his footwork in the pocket is very underrated.

Reggie Bush, New Orleans (+950)

Saints fans would love to see the Bush that was a one-man wrecking crew against Arizona in the NFC divisional round, as he broke two big runs for touchdowns, including a punt return late to seal the deal. Bush is probably the most electrifying player on either team, and his open-field ability is second to none, but he has to be more consistent if his Saints are going to overcome these bookmaker odds (bookmaker reviews).

Pierre Garcon, Indianapolis (+1500)

Garcon broke out in the AFC championship game against the New York Jets, catching a record 11 passes for 151 yards and a score. The Jets decided that they were going to take away Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, which left Garcon and Austin Collie to run wild through the secondary. If the Saints try a similar gameplan, Manning now has faith in his young receivers.

Darren Sharper, New Orleans (+2500)

The darkhorse of this race, Sharper tied for the league lead with nine picks, returning three for touchdowns, and then he’s been a force in the playoffs, recovering a fumble against Arizona, and making a team-high 11 tackles against Minnesota, along with countless blitzes of Brett Favre. He’ll have a big hand in their gameplan against Manning.

Super Bowl betting pick: The Colts should be able to come away with the win, and if they do, Manning will be the man to take them there.