The Auburn Tigers host the LSU Tigers in a battle of the SEC’s elite on Wednesday.
With only one loss and 23 wins between them, bettors should be expecting fireworks as the likes of Jabari Smith and Tari Eason hit the floor.
College basketball odds have Auburn favored by four points to extend their winning streak.
Game: LSU Tigers (12-0) at Auburn Tigers (11-1)
Location: Auburn Arena
Day/Time: Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. ET
LSU Tigers vs Auburn Tigers
LSU are Spread Machines
It’s one thing to be unbeaten in college basketball when you haven’t faced strong opposition, but the LSU Tigers have been money-making machines for bettors.
The Tigers are 10-2 against the spread, and the losses came by only two and 3½ points, so they could have easily been undefeated ATS. They haven’t played a high standard of opposition, but given their off-court transgressions last season, it has been a fine bounce-back from LSU.
It comes off a 95-60 win over Lipscomb, but it’s not the offense which has stood out. LSU’s defense ranks second in points scored and first in field goal percentage, so Auburn will need to knock down their open shots.
Allowing just 54.1 points per game is seriously good defense, which is the hallmark of the Tigers. They are an economical outfit and it’s no wonder they’re being respected at the sportsbook
It’s the first time in their last 10 games they have been underdogs. However, facing Auburn kicks off a tough stretch for LSU, which faces Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida in its next three games.
Unbeaten teams are always attractive to bettors and LSU is the real deal, but with it being its first real test, we’re unsure how it handles the pressure.
Auburn Back on Track
Playing UConn was always going to be a tough game for Auburn, and despite the 115-109 overtime loss, it has bounced back as only a good team does.
The Tigers have rattled off eight consecutive wins, including a gritty 89-68 win over Syracuse and a 99-68 win over Nebraska.
They have one of the best offenses in college basketball, which ranks 28th in points scored. They are led by Jabari Smith, who looks set for the NBA with a few more games under his belt.
Smith leads with 16.2 PPG and the depth of Auburn’s roster makes it tough for the opposition to keep up. However, Auburn needs to shoot at a better field goal percentage against the stout LSU defense.
“When we go to our bench, we don’t drop off,” head coach Bruce Pearl told ESPN. “That’s the key. We develop that bench and count on that bench. As long as the guys don’t care about their individual numbers … we’ll be fine.”
Auburn shoots at 44.5%, which ranks outside the top 170. It’s not the best statistic, but hasn’t stopped it from going 8-4 ATS.
Betting online markets are giving Auburn plenty of respect despite having a loss on the record. The loss to UConn might help the Tigers as they’re not worried about protecting the unbeaten record late in the second half.
Auburn’s Run to Continue
It’s a tough game to call, but the Auburn Tigers have our backing. They have the advantage of playing at home where they are 6-0, so a big task awaits LSU.
Unbeaten teams have struggled on the road over the last few weeks and this is an ideal opportunity for Auburn to put a big win on the board.
LSU’s depth will be called into question, so take Auburn to win and cover the -4 spread.
