Texas A&M vs. Auburn Odds
| Texas A&M Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -115 | 148.5 -110o / -110u | OFF |
| Auburn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -105 | 148.5 -110o / -110u | OFF |
In SEC country, it just means more, they say. So, let's break down a game between the Auburn Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies.
Here's Texas A&M vs. Auburn odds and a pick, including an NCAAB betting guide for Tuesday, Jan. 9.
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M brought back nearly its entire team from last year, when it won a share of the SEC regular season title.
The fortune has changed so far, though, as the Aggies enter this contest at 9-5 following a brutal loss against LSU on Saturday.
So, what's the Aggies' problem?
A&M ranks 77th in Defensive Efficiency — which is 30 spots worse than last year — and it shoots an impossibly awful 26% from 3-point range.
The foundation of A&M roster is built upon defensive success. You can live with inefficient shooting if the defense performs, but that's not happening. Right now, I don't see enough effort from this experienced roster, and that's a major problem.
I never expected this Aggies roster to be an elite shooting team, but they shoot the ball more from 3 this season and have worse options. Wade Taylor IV is shooting only 27% from deep, and Jace Carter — a transfer from UIC — is 12-of-50 from downtown.
The team has nearly no shooting options if Taylor isn't connecting. Plus, Tyrece Radford is only 8-of-32 from 3. That's never been Radford's strong suit, but he shot 32% from deep last year and isn't even a threat anymore.
The roster features too many guys with similar skill sets. Like, there's not a seismic difference between Carter, Eli Lawrence, Solomon Washington or Manny Obaseki. None of them can shoot and all are athletic wings. The roster is just very flawed.
That won't fix itself overnight.
Auburn Tigers
It's a totally different story for Auburn, which is quickly turning into KenPom's darling.
The Tigers now rank fifth in KenPom after a 32-point shellacking in Fayetteville against Arkansas. That marks Auburn's seventh consecutive victory since falling to App State in Boone in a sneaky non-conference game.
You want to know the wildest stat during the streak? Auburn won all of the seven games by 15 or more points. It's one thing to beat teams, it's another to blow all of them out.
Bruce Pearl's team is complete on both ends of the floor, ranking top-10 in both Offensive and Defensive Efficiency. Also, the Tigers limit opponents to an effective field goal percentage of 43%.
One of the reasons for Auburn's elite rim-protection defense is the interior tandem of Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams. The two star forwards are Auburn's top two scorers, and both provide elite defense up front.
Broome is such a valuable player with his scoring ability and shot-blocking prowess. He's averaging 15.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and two blocks per game, en route to an All-SEC first-team selection.
The one player worth monitoring is point guard Aden Holloway, who doesn't look like your typical freshman guard. He's shooting only 33% from the floor and a solid 36% from deep. Most of his mistakes come on ill-advised shots rather than terrible passes, so he looks advanced compared to most players in his class.
Auburn is fifth in KenPom with Holloway shooting 33%. What happens if Holloway starts hitting shots 40% of the time? That's a scary notion for opposing SEC squads.
Texas A&M vs. Auburn
Betting Pick & Prediction
KenPom's line projects Auburn as a 10-point favorite. I wouldn't lay double digits against a formidable but overrated A&M team. I'm comfortable laying nine if the line jumps, which it probably will based on both teams' recent performances.
The home environment — plus Auburn's elite frontcourt — should cause serious problems for the Aggies.
I absolutely love Auburn's potential. The defensive versatility, upside of Holloway and strong depth make the Tigers worthy of Final Four consideration.
Pick: Auburn -7.5 (Play to -9)
ESPN BET is now online and you can use Action’s ESPN BET promo code TANBONUS for a new user welcome.
