Opening SoCon Tournament Odds Favor East Tennessee State Over Furman, UNC-Greensboro

• East Tennessee State is the +125 favorite to win the SoCon men’s basketball tournament
• The Buccaneers were the SoCon regular-season champions. Can any team stop them?
• The SoCon Tournament is slated for March 6-9 in Asheville, NC. All the picks and odds are right here

The East Tennessee State Buccaneers were expected to be the cream of the crop in the SoCon this season. They’ve lived up to that billing.

The Bucs won the SoCon regular season title for the second time in four year. But the top of the SoCon is rich this season with solid squads. In fact, most bracketology experts are predicting in the 2020 National Championship odds that the SoCon could get two bids to March Madness.

That means winning the SoCon tournament won’t be a slam dunk for ETSU.

The Buccaneers (#66), Furman Paladins (#74) and UNC Greensboro Spartans (#87) are all rated among the top 100 schools in the KenPom rankings.

Oddsmakers have established East Tennessee State as the +125 chalk to win the SoCon Tournament. But both Furman (+325) and UNC Greensboro (+425) are also afforded solid chances.

2020 SoCon Tournament Odds

Odds taken Mar. 3rd.

SoCon Tournament Bracket

East Tennessee State a Solid Favorite

The Buccaneers entered the season with a big, athletic roster losing just one starter from last season. Expectations were high and the Buccaneers did not disappoint.

The ETSU program over the past five seasons under coach Steve Forbes is one of the most consistent in the nation. They’ve won at least 24 games each season and a minimum of 13 conference games.

Your 2019-2020 Southern Conference Champions!!!

The Bucs secured their 12th regular season conference championship in program history and head into the conference tournament at 27-4 overall, 16-2 in SoCon play #ETSUTough pic.twitter.com/xUSnl1EJ80

— ETSU Men's Basketball (@ETSU_MBB) March 1, 2020

This season, the Bucs are 27-4 overall and 16-2 in the SoCon, including a win at LSU. They’re defensive dynamos, holding 16 of 18 conference opponents under 70 points. East Tennessee State allowed a conference-low 64.9 points per game. Junior guard Bo Hodges is in the top 10 in the SoCon in rebounding (#8, 6.4 per game), blocked shots (#10, 0.9) and steals (#2, 2.6).

Offensively, eight different players have finished as team scoring leader during a game this season. Six players have recorded 20-point games. That makes the Bucs a handful to defend.

Furman Beat the Bucs

The Paladins can hang their hat on the knowledge that they handed East Tennessee State one of two conference losses this season. Furman beat the Buccaneers 65-56 on Jan. 4th. But in their most recent meeting, the Paladins lost by nine points.

Furman is #3 in the SoCon in offense (75.7 PPG) and defense (68.3 PPG). The Paladins have matched a school record this season with 25 wins.

Spartans Enter SoCon Tourney on Skid

Of the top three contenders, UNC-Greensboro faces the roughest road to the title. In all likelihood, the Spartans will need to take out both the Paladins and the Buccaneers to be champs. They enter the tourney on a two-game losing streak.

With that last made basket James Dickey just passed 1,000 points for a career. Congrats JD! pic.twitter.com/wzqk5N08OC

— UNCG Basketball (@UNCGBasketball) February 29, 2020

They were 1-3 against those teams during regular-season play. The Spartans beat Furman 86-73. However, in the three losses, UNC Greensboro succumbed by an average of 12.7 points.

Catamounts Could Bring Value

Western Carolina (+1300) was sixth during the regular season at 10-8 and 18-11 overall. But the Catamounts are a dangerous foe in a one-and-done format.

Everything is a little blurry with all the Double Vision we have going on this season! Double Doubles, Triple Doubles… You name it we’ve seen it😤 #ItsComing pic.twitter.com/qI8SHQwiJZ

— Western Carolina Basketball (@CatamountMBB) February 28, 2020

Carlos Dotson and Mason Faulkner are both averaging 17.9 PPG. Dotson has 18 double-doubles and Faulkner a pair of triple-doubles. The Cats might not win the tourney but could claw past one of the big three.

Tough to Buck the Bucs

The one seed has reached the final in the past five SoCon tourneys, and won four of them.  In the latest voting to determine the NCAA top 25, East Tennessee State finished 29th.

The Buccaneers already own a school-record 27 wins, including quality Big South foe Winthrop and LSU as previously mentioned.

While we're at it, let's take a look at Patrick Good's 7 3's, putting the team on his back. @patgood00 hit all of them with under 8 minutes left in the game. Clutch work for @ETSU_MBB. @WJHL11 pic.twitter.com/Irw71grBrQ

— Michael Epps (@MichaelEppsTV) March 1, 2020

East Tennessee State can score in bunches, and you never know who will be the player to heat up. In the Bucs’ final regular-season game, guard Patrick Good ignited for 17 points in a four-minute span.

The Buccaneers won’t be denied.

Pick: East Tennessee State (+125)

SBD’s NCAA conference tournament coverage:

• 2020 Big South Tournament Opening Odds: Radford -110 Favorite
• Colgate Team to Beat in Patriot League Tournament Opening Odds
• 2020 NEC Tournament Opening Odds

• Horizon League Tournament Opening Odds Favor Wright State (-115) and Northern Kentucky (+170)

• 2020 Atlantic Sun Tournament Opening Odds

• San Diego State a -175 Favorite in Mountain West Tournament Opening Odds

• Gonzaga a -220 Favorite in WCC Tournament Opening Odds