SEC men's basketball conference openers over/unders: Who we like and who we're betting on
SEC men’s basketball teams (all but 4 of them, anyway) begin league play on Wednesday night. There are plenty of intriguing games, including Florida at Auburn, Tennessee at Ole Miss, Kentucky at Missouri, Alabama at Mississippi State and Arkansas at LSU.
It’ll be important for teams to get off to hot starts in league action, so we can expect some tight games and impressive performances.
Over at Underdog, there are ways to get in on the action by making fantasy picks for this Wednesday night’s SEC hoops player over/under stats.
What is Underdog and why should SEC fans care?
Underdog is a new daily fantasy platform backed by investors such as Mark Cuban, Kevin Durant and Adam Schefter.
This isn’t what you might think about fantasy sports though. Through Underdog’s “Pick’em” contests, you can bundle a few selections of player prop picks similar to what you find at sportsbooks, and yes, you can put real money against these picks.
Underdog Fantasy is available in 41 states, so a lot of those southern “SEC” states where sports betting is not yet legal? Yep, you can do Underdog Fantasy picks for real money, as we’re outlining here. It’s really fun.
Underdog Fantasy is not available in the following states: CT, DE, HI, ID, IA, LA, MI, MT, NV.
Underdog is available in these states, but Pick’em contests as we outline here are not available: AZ, CO, MD, MO, NH, NJ, OH, PA, TN, WA, WV.
College sports Pick’em contests are available in these SEC states: AL, FL, GA, KY, SC, TX.
If you want to get started, Underdog will match your first deposit up to $100 by clicking here or using promo code SOUTH.
My picks for SEC opening night
Let’s start with Kentucky at Mizzou, which tips off at 7 p.m. ET in Columbia. The Tigers have been a surprise team, but they don’t play much defense. Meanwhile, Kentucky has perhaps found something special in freshman guard Cason Wallace.
He should have the ball in his hands a lot against Mizzou on Wednesday night, and for that reason, I like the “higher” option for his 19.5 points+rebounds+assists total. Wallace is showing the ability to get into the lane and either finish through contact at the rim or dish the ball out to an open shooter. He’s also a knock-down 3-point shooter in his own right.
Next, let’s discuss another elite SEC freshman. Alabama’s Brandon Miller has established himself as a lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He currently is tied with LSU’s KJ Williams for the SEC lead in points per game, averaging 19.3 points per contest. He’s also tied for third in the SEC with 8.7 rebounds per game.
You add those 2 averages together and you hit 28 points+rebounds per game. Thus, against Mississippi State on Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET, I love Miller’s “higher” option on 27.5 points+rebounds+assists.
Yes, Mississippi State has a great defense, but the Bulldogs haven’t played an opponent anywhere near as good as Alabama yet this season. They could be in for a rude awakening, and Miller should be the one leading that charge for the Tide.
Finally, let’s head to Baton Rouge, where Arkansas is set to play LSU in a battle of teams with 11-1 overall records. Miller is tied for first in the SEC in scoring, but Arkansas’s Ricky Council IV is third with 18.3 points per game.
I like Council’s “higher” option on 22.5 points+rebounds+assists. Against San Diego State’s elite defense, Council’s total was 26. Against Creighton? 30. Against Oklahoma? 33. He rises to the occasion against tough teams, so he should shine once again against LSU.
How many picks should you make?
The more picks you string together, the higher the “multiplier” or payout. Of course, the more you string together, the less likely you are to win because all of the picks have to hit in order for you to win.
A $10 bet on the parlay I assembled above pays out $60 with the 6X multiplier:
If you want to play it a little safer, I’d suggest leaving Miller’s total out and just going with Wallace and Council.
Whatever the case, it’s sure to be an exciting opening night of conference play for SEC men’s hoops squads!
Get started on Underdog by clicking here and make your picks for the SEC Championship Game or other CFB, NFL and NBA games. Using this link means Underdog will match your deposit up to $100. If you deposit $25, you’ll get an extra $25 to start playing right away.
