The Memphis Tigers have earned three straight NCAA Tournament bids, and they are coming off of a solid 31-5 season were they won the Conference USA Tournament. The Tigers went on to be eliminated in the round of 32 by the Michigan State Spartans in a matchup that they were never competitive in. Memphis will start the 2013-14 men’s college basketball season in the American Athletic Conference, where they will probably be the favorite to win the 10-team conference and earn another bid into the postseason tournament.

Memphis’ championship hopes are certainly alive this season as the school continues to recruit well and add solid talent to the team. However, they are not entering the season considered a powerhouse or a live bet to win a championship. There are too many other talented schools in the nation in what will be one of the most competitive NCAA basketball seasons in recent memory. Let’s have a look at the Memphis Tigers’ futures odds and figure out just how good they will be this season.

Title odds:

Memphis Tigers: +6500

The Tigers were ranked 13th in the preseason coaches polls and are receiving the 15th-best championship odds in the nation. Both the oddsmakers and the coaches seem to be on the same page with Memphis and consider them a good team but not a powerhouse by any means. This season head coach Josh Pastner hopes the team can make a more of an impact in the postseason and, at minimum, reach the Sweet 16. Over the last three years the Tigers only made it past the first round once, and they have not played in an extended postseason since 2009.

The offseason was a tough one for the school as they lost seven players—six to graduation and one to the NBA. The Tigers still have plenty of talent on their roster, which begins with senior point guard Joe Jackson. The reigning Conference USA Player of the Year is expected to lead the team this season, and many experts believe that the offseason may have done wonders for his leadership ability and confidence. Jackson will have a pair of excellent scorers to help him in the backcourt with returning senior Chris Crawford and new added freshmen Markel Crawford.

Memphis’ roster will feature five Top-100 high school recruits coming off of the bench, including Nick King, Kuran Iverson, Markel Crawford and RaShawn Powell. Iverson is perhaps the team’s most interesting recruit. The 6-foot-10 forward is athletic and can play multiple positions. However, the freshman will be suspended during the season opener for playing in an unauthorized summer league game. Iverson was supposed to ask permission to play in the game, which was being held in his hometown of Hartford, Connecticut.

The Tigers will have a tough nonconference game early in the season when they face the Top-10-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys 10 days into the year. Last season Memphis had a 16-17 ATS record and where the unfortunate beneficiary of large spreads throughout the year. The team is probably headed for another poor ATS year as they are a well-known school that will have multiple freshmen receiving a solid amount of playing time. Memphis might be one of those teams that bettors should stay away from betting on a regular basis.

Read more articles by George Monroy