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.

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.

NorthBet.com 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

If this game was an NFL betting matchup, it would be the New York Jets against the San Diego Chargers: a strong defense looks to shut down a high-powered offense. That will be the scene in Charlotte on Saturday, when the stingy Bobcats host the run-and-gun Phoenix Suns.

Suns vs Bobcats odds – Saturday, January 16, 7:00 PM ET

The Suns had been held under 100 points only five times ahead of Friday’s meeting with Atlanta, and they currently lead the NBA in scoring. Six Suns are averaging at least 10.8 points, led by Amare Stoudamire with 20.9 points. Steve Nash steers the ship with 19.2 points and 11.2 assists, but he’s stepped up his game recently, putting up 24.4 points and 11.2 assists in his last five games. However, the Suns are second-worst in the league in points allowed, and it’s such a mystery as to why Stoudamire, in particular, isn’t a good defensive player. The Suns don’t even seem to care about defense, which is the main reason sportsbook players can’t put much faith in them.

The Bobcats lead the league in points against, and coach Larry Brown has them playing very disciplined. Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton are both averaging over a steal a game, while Tyson Chandler provides a big body in the middle. This makes up for a lack of scoring on the squad as Wallace leads the way with 17.9 points. This will be the fourth of a six-game  homestand for the Bobcats, who were 14-4 at home before Friday’s visit from San Antonio. Charlotte isn’t a very talented team, but they know their limits and play within them, and it may not parlay into a playoff spot, but at least they’re showing improvement.

Bookmaker odds (bookmaker reviews) should favour the Bobcats at home because of how well they play in Charlotte, but they’ll need a big performance to change their fortunes against the Suns. Phoenix has won nine of their last 10 meetings with the Bobcats, including four of five in Charlotte. Both teams will be playing tough teams the night before, but the Bobcats will have a bit of an edge since they don’t have to travel like Phoenix. Even though Atlanta to Charlotte isn’t that far, it’s still a couple of hours rest that the Suns won’t have.

Sports betting picks: Charlotte

Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers

Bookmaker Odds (Bookmaker Review): Lakers -4

The Portland Trail Blazers have closed the gap to one game in the Northwest division and they’ll have a good chance to close it even further on Friday night.

The team their chasing, the Denver Nuggets, will be without Carmelo Anthony as the Cleveland Cavaliers visit. There’s a good chance that the Nuggets will lose without their star forward.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers will be at home to the Los Angeles Lakers, who have struggled at the Rose Garden for a long time. The Lakers have lost eight straight games at the Rose Garden and have had some really bad execution problems in Portland – regardless of the talent disparities.

The Blazers should be able to take advantage of their home court once again as they are 13-6 at home while the Lakers are 8-4 on the road.

The Blazers lost their last home game and they should be ready to bounce back after that loss.

Sports Wager Pick: Trail Blazers +4

Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors

Best Sports Lines: Warriors -4.5

The Sacramento Kings have played a number of tight games recently and they’ll expect another one as they head to Golden State on Friday night. Last year, the two teams played four overtimes.

The Kings are in a serious slump of late and they hope a matchup against a team that has just 10 wins this season will get them back on track. The Kings were 9-8 on December 2^nd after a 110-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Since that time, they have been sliding out of control.

The Kings have won just five times in their last 17 games and just once in their last seven. A number of those contests were close, but close doesn’t count in the NBA.

The Kings average margin of defeat in their latest six losses is 7.8 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Warriors have been trending upwards – sort of – lately and they’ll hope to keep it that way. They have won three of their last six, which is mediocre for most teams, but considering the Warriors won just seven of their first 21 games, this is a good stretch.

Look for the trends to continue as the Warriors get another home win.

Internet Sports Betting Pick: Warriors -4.5