in NCAA B Articles

Memphis friendly to bettors

It’s almost time to ring in the New Year, which means the “real” college basketball season is nearly upon us. No more cushy matchups against Div. II opponents that have been paid handsomely to get steamrolled by a high-profile team.

The non-conference portion of the basketball schedule can be frustrating for handicappers. Many games end up being played without betting lines attached. For those that do get on the board, how much does it really tell you about, say, the Michigan Wolverines that they only beat Miami-Ohio by seven points instead of covering the 10 ½-point spread?

Fortunately, some college programs take their non-con games more seriously than others. Some teams have already made a handsome pile of money for their supporters by playing quality opponents on a regular basis in preparation for conference action. Here’s a look at the Top 3 teams against the spread as we get ready for 2006.

1. Memphis Tigers (10-1 SU, 8-1 ATS)

The No. 4 Tigers made a big splash at the NIT preseason tournament in New York, dusting off the No. 16 UCLA Bruins and barely losing to the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils. It’s been full steam ahead since then, with notable victories over Cincinnati and No. 8 Gonzaga. The only ATS blemish was a 97-89 road win over Providence where Memphis was favored by 9 ½.

The Tigers have another tough non-con game Monday against the No. 15 Texas Longhorns, who have disappointed at 3-3-1 ATS. Memphis is the only ranked team in Conference USA, so there will actually be a drop-off in talent once the Tigers tip off their C-USA schedule on Jan. 11 against East Carolina.

2. San Diego Toreros (9-3 SU, 8-1 ATS)

Gonzaga may still be the class of the West Coast Conference, but the Bulldogs aren’t scaring anyone after losing to UConn, Washington and Memphis on the way to a 5-7 ATS record. The Toreros, meanwhile, picked up back-to-back upset wins over San Diego State and Furman and nearly took down Santa Barbara as a 9 ½-point road underdog.

The Toreros weren’t expected to make much noise this season, but they’ve managed to add a surprising scoring punch to their consistent defensive pressure. Senior center Nick Lewis leads the way with 19.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He’s been nearly unstoppable at both ends of the floor, and his ability to knock down the occasional open 3-pointer drives defenses crazy. This team is still under the radar thanks to Gonzaga, so there may be more ATS success to come.

3. Florida Gators (11-0 SU, 7-1 ATS)

Rounding out the ATS podium are the Gators, who picked off Wake Forest and Syracuse at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in November and have yet to taste defeat straight up. Florida, like Memphis, came within a bucket of running the table ATS, beating Florida State 74-66 as a 9 ½-point chalk.

Coach Billy Donovan has something special going on in Gainesville. Despite having to replace three starters, the Gators are deep and talented and should make plenty of noise in the tough SEC for the next few years. Sophomore swingman Corey Brewer is worth special attention – the former McDonald's All-American earned Florida’s first ever triple-double when he dropped 15 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists on Jacksonville. The Gators begin conference play with a bang at 9-3 Georgia on Jan. 7.

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