SEC Basketball Tournament: Kentucky vs. Alabama headline opening round

Thursday, 08 March 2007

The defending National Champions Florida Gators earned a bye into Friday’s quarterfinal round of the SEC Basketball Tournament as did Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, however the remaining eight schools will battle it out in Thursday’s opening round beginning with number-four seed (E) Kentucky (20-10) playing fifth-seed (W) Alabama (20-10) at 1 p.m. EST. at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

The Wildcats are 10-2 all-time against Alabama in the SEC Tournament , with their most recent meeting coming in last year’s tournament quarterfinals. Kentucky won that matchup 68-61. The Wildcats, losers of the only regular season meeting between the schools, is a slight -1.0 point favorite in their game against the Crimson Tide according to offshore sportsbook BetUS.com. This game is a must win for Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith. Its almost a certainty the Wildcats need to make it to the NCAA tournament in order for Smith to keep his job. Both Kentucky and Alabama are considered NCAA Tournament bubble teams.

In the second game of the afternoon, third-seed (W) Arkansas plays sixth-seed (E) South Carolina at approximately 3:15 p.m. The Hogs lost to the Gamecocks in their only meeting of the regular season 66-60 as a -6.0 road favorite on Jan. 24. In today’s game, oddsmakers like the Razorbacks again installing them with another -6.0 chalk with the total set at 124. In the previous game the UNDER (127 ½) cashed on the total. Like Tubby Smith at Kentucky, Arkansas coach Stan Heath is on the hot seat and is facing a must win game in order to keep his job. The Hogs are slightly below the NCAA bubble and need to make at least the semi-finals before being considered an NCAA Tournament team.

In game three, tipping off at 7:30 p.m., five-seed (E) Georgia is a -3.0 favorite in its game with Auburn with a 144 total. The Bulldogs hosted the Tigers as a -10 ½ home favorite in a regular season game on Feb. 17 and won straight up 86-79 but came up short against the spread. The OVER 143 cashed in the game in totals betting.

Third-seed (E) Tennessee is a 3 ½ point favorite against LSU in the nightcap tipping off at 9:45 p.m. with a 140 ½ total. The Volunteers beat LSU SU 70-67 but failed to cover the -4.0 home chalk ATS. The UNDER cashed on the 144 point total.

All lines and totals on the SEC Tournament can be found at BetUS.com.