Posted on 2/16/2008 12:34:29 AM

NCAA Basketball Betting - UCLA at USC

By Charles Jay

BetUS college basketball bettors will have the pleasure of witnessing the best cross-town rivalry in college basketball on Sunday night when the UCLA Bruins (21-3 SU, 15-7-1 ATS) take on the USC Torjans (15-8 SU, 13-7-1 ATS) in a rematch of the earlier meeting, a USC victory. The game, which emanates from the Galen Center, will begin at 10 PM ET.

Here are some of the NCAA basketball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* UCLA has won and covered five of its last six games SU

* UCLA has played seven of its last eight games OVER the total

* UCLA has won six of its last seven road games SU

* UCLA has covered six of its last seven road games

* UCLA has played four of its last six road games OVER the total

* USC has won six of its last eight games SU

* USC has covered six of its last eight games

* USC has won five of its last seven home games SU

* USC has covered the last four meetings

* UCLA has won five of the last seven meetings SU

* The home team has covered four of the last six meetings

* USC has had the shooting edge in each of the last four meetings

* UCLA has had the rebounding edge in each of the last seven meetings

It's obvious that USC's program gets up for these matches against the Bruins. They've covered each of the last four meetings - that includes a 72-63 win at Pauley Pavilion on January 19, pretty heady stuff for a team that is dominated by freshmen and sophomores.

Can they do it again? Well, USC has shot 50% or better in four of its last five games. But the Trojans sometimes suffer from difficulties at the line (only 68%) and in the turnover department as well. USC has coughed it up 14.6 times a game, and that problem may become exacerbated with the absence of sophomore guard Daniel Hackett, a solid all-around contributor who has a spinal fracture. Meanwhile, UCLA gains something with the likely return of strong forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who had an ankle injury. Frosh center Kevin Love is stepping things up, with 20 or more points in three of his last six games.

Revenge works here. We'll lay it with the Bruins, the favorite in the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds.

JAY'S PREDICTION: UCLA BY 10

Go to the BetUS.com online sportsbook today to bet on NCAA basketball. We have the most current NCAA basketball odds and lines, as well as player and game props. Join BetUS.com to experience the best in online sports betting action!

(Charles Jay of www.eBookies.com gives it the old college try as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)