3 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Auburn at Alabama

The college basketball season is rolling along, giving us plentiful betting options with so many teams in action each day.

Fortunately, we have abundant tools available that can aid our chances of finding good betting value. Bart Torvik and KenPom are excellent sources that give insights into team-level efficiency, and Sports Reference provides a wide range of useful team stats, as well.

We've got a whopper in the SEC on Saturday. It's rare you get these opportunities, but #1 Auburn and #2 Alabama will battle in a showdown of the country's top-two teams. They have two of FanDuel's three best odds to make the Final Four, as well. Here are a look at the traditional markets for Saturday's tilt:

Let's check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds to find the best bets and player props for Auburn-Alabama.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

Auburn at Alabama Betting Picks

Auburn Moneyline (+108)

Though heading into a snake pit of an environment, Auburn is the better team, so plus money of any kind is appealing.

The Tigers are 1st in overall net efficiency and offensive efficiency at KenPom while checking in a reasonable 17th on the defensive end. At 6th, 2nd, and 39th in those categories, respectively, Alabama lags behind in every facet.

Auburn's two setbacks were to fellow top-five teams, Florida and Duke, so it's not as if the Crimson Tide are entirely outmatched. Their 15.2% turnover rate is just quite a bit higher than the nation's top-ranked team (11.5%), and the visitors' net rating (+22.3) squashes Bama's (+14.9). Trust is a word that seems pertinent.

Apples are also met with apples here between the nation's two toughest strengths of schedule, according to KenPom.

Bart Torvik sees this game's spread at exactly 0.0, and Haslametrics sees Auburn as a 3.5-point favorite despite the road venue.

Johni Broome Over 19.5 Points (-122)

Auburn's big man could have a big day.

Johni Broome is on every Wooden Award watchlist you can find during an exceptional season where he's averaging 18.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. However, he's in the midst of a "cold" stretch for him with three straight games under 20 points. That could very well end despite the overall tough draw with Alabama's capable defense.

The Tide are just weaker inside -- rhyme fully intended. During SEC conference play, Alabama is allowing the most points per 40 minutes to "combo bigs" like the 6'10" forward (20.6), and that's come on the second-highest usage rate (16.2%) allowed to the position.

This is mostly due to their pace. Alabama is second in the country in adjusted tempo (74.0).

Regardless, Rotowire has Broome projected for 23.9 median points in Saturday's showdown, which would normally mean closer to -439 odds for 20-plus. His recent skid has left tremendous value on this line.

Mark Sears Under 4.5 Assists (+108)

Betting a talented player like Mark Sears' under is never fun, but I'm not sure this line is right in a pace-down spot.

Sears has posted three or fewer assists in four of his last six games, so this line is definitely baking in him "rising" to the proverbial moment. However, his 32.1% usage rate in SEC play has smashed Alabama's next-best option (Grant Nelson; 26.5%), so scoring might be how he does so.

War Eagle is a brutal opponent for dimes from point guards, too. During SEC play, they've allowed the fourth-fewest assists per 40 minutes to the position (3.2).

This line is pretty easy to understand. Sears is a stud that's averaging 4.9 assists per game overall, and this is Alabama's game of the year. However, Rotowire's projection of 4.6 median assists would sooner put -105 odds on fewer than five if correct. Terrifyingly, there's value in this number.

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Which bets stand out to you across the nation tonight? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.