College Basketball Betting: Contenders Pulling Away at the Top of the SEC

The SEC is quickly shaping up to be an intriguing competition for the regular-season title. After entering the campaign with few national title contenders, the SEC now has four teams among KenPom's top 16 squads, and the same four are within the six shortest odds to win the national championship, per FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball national championship odds.

Not only does the SEC look relevant for various futures bets, such as the national title and Final Four, but the league also has several enticing options to win the regular-season conference title. Which squads have the upper hand to win the SEC?

SEC Basketball Odds

Auburn Tigers (+185)

No team in the conference is trending like Auburn is. The Tigers are on an eight-game winning streak and few games have been close, with an average score margin of 23.4 points. This includes multiple Power Six opponents, such as Indiana, USC, Arkansas, and Texas A&M. Auburn has been that good.

Assuming the Tigers emerge victorious from Saturday's duel with LSU, Auburn is in store for a big jump in the AP Top 25 Poll. They currently rank as KenPom's 4th-best team in the nation, compared to sitting at 16th in the AP Poll. The Tigers are also seventh in the NCAA's NET Rankings.

So, how has Auburn thrived? They are led by college basketball's fifth-best defense, one that holds opponents to only 64.9 PPG (88th percentile) and 37.6% shooting from the field (99th percentile).

The frontcourt of Johni Broome (15.3 PPG), Jaylin Williams (12.1 PPG), and Dylan Cardwell (5.4 PPG) have been a fearsome trio. All three players rank among EvanMiya's top nine most valuable players in the SEC.

As they say, get it while it's hot. If the Tigers continue at this rate, their odds to win the conference will likely keep falling.

Tennessee Volunteers (+300)

Tennessee was the preseason favorite to win the league. So far, the Volunteers have mostly lived up to expectations as KenPom's sixth-best team, and they have +2200 odds to win the national championship.

Similar to last season, the Volunteers are spearheaded by an imposing defense (second-best in defensive efficiency). Plus, the offense is slightly better as the nation's 23rd-best unit. This is certainly a big credit to the Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht (15.9 PPG), who has taken the SEC by storm.

While Tennessee is fresh off a disappointing loss against Mississippi State, they could keep improving in the upcoming weeks with guard Zakai Zeigler (10.0 PPG) nearing a full recovery from last season's ACL tear. The third-year guard has averaged 18.6 PPG over his previous five outings.

Kentucky Wildcats (+430)

This is where the list gets rather interesting. Kentucky is 12-2 and should crack the AP Poll's top five teams if they win over Texas A&M on Saturday. Plus, among SEC teams, the Wildcats have the second-shortest odds to win the national championship at +2000 (behind Auburn's +1700).

Yet, UK ranks 16th in KenPom -- the worst mark among the top four favorites to win the SEC. In addition to that, the Wildcats' +430 odds to win the SEC suggest they aren't quite as good as what the AP Poll says.

Kentucky has gone back to their usual identity under coach John Calipari with a group of talented freshmen. Reed Sheppard (11.9 PPG) is the most valuable player in the conference, per EvanMiya. That's a remarkable accomplishment for a guy coming off the bench as a true freshman.

Rob Dillingham (14.4 PPG) and D.J. Wagner (12.4 PPG) have also been excellent freshmen guards who compliment senior guard Antonio Reeves (18.6 PPG). If there's one thing that the Cats absolutely have, it is one of college basketball best backcourts.

UK's streaky defense could decide its fate in the SEC. As the country's 9th-best unit, the offense has been elite, but ranking 48th in adjusted defensive efficiency isn't going to do it.

Alabama Crimson Tide (+470)

Alabama is another intriguing team to keep an eye on. The Crimson Tide are not ranked in the AP Poll but are the eighth-best team overall in KenPom and fifth-best squad in the NET Rankings. How is there this big of a discrepancy?

The Tide were on the losing end of a brutal stretch from December 9 to December 20, which included three straight losses against Purdue, Creighton, and Arizona. None of those were home games, either. At 10-5, Alabama could still be a couple of weeks away from re-entering the AP Top 25 Poll. However, this is a team to watch in the SEC race.

They have the best offense in the country going by KenPom's numbers, averaging 90.6 PPG (third-best) while shooting 49.2% from the field (99th percentile). There's no denying this roster's talent level as Mark Sears (20.2 PPG) and Aaron Estrada (13.5 PPG) rank among the top five most valuable players in the SEC, according to EvanMiya.

Others

Outside of the top four favorites to win the SEC, there is a steep drop off. Mississippi State has the next best odds at +1600; their win over Tennessee on Wednesday has certainly helped boost their case.

Texas A&M (+2500) and Florida (+2900) are tailing the Bulldogs. Both teams have lacked balance, ranking outside the top 60 in adjusted defensive efficiency.

The order of Mississippi State, Texas A&M, and Florida follows KenPom's rankings to a T as the Bulldogs are 25th, the Aggies 34th, and the Gators 44th. Overall, don't hold your breath with these teams as the top four favorites have much more talent and are in the national championship picture.

While Auburn is slowly creating separation at the top with their blistering hot streak, Tennessee is still a mainstay, and Kentucky and Alabama have upside at their longer odds.

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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.