Posted on 3/18/2008 12:37:43 PM

College Basketball Invitational Betting - Rider at Old Dominion

By Charles Jay

BetUS NCAA basketball betting odds: Old Dominion -5.5

The Broncs of Rider (23-10 SU, 15-14 ATS), looking to improve their national profile, will travel to Norfolk on Tuesday night to take on the Monarchs of Old Dominion (17-15 SU, 13-16 ATS) in first-round action in the new College Basketball Invitational (CBI) which is set to get underway at 7 PM ET at the Ted Constant Center.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Old Dominion is listed as a 5.5-point favorite.

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

* RID has covered three of its last ten games

* RID has won five of its last six games SU

* RID has played four of its last five games OVER the total

* RID has won nine of it slats 13 road games SU

* RID has played five of its last seven road games UNDER the total

* ODU has won six of its last eight games SU

* ODU has won five of its last six home games SU

* ODU has played four of its last five home games OVER the total

* ODU has covered three of its last eight home games

Old Dominion didn't face too shabby a non-conference slate, as North Carolina, Louisville, Georgetown, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Winthrop all appeared on the schedule. There is experience that comes from three straight appearances in the post-season; in fact, ODU went to the NCAA tournament last year and lost to Butler.

Aside from Gerald Lee, the Monarchs don't have a go-to guy, but there is balance, with six players averaging between six and nine points per game. And Brandon Johnson is a certified defensive stopper at guard.

Rider scored a win over Siena, but lost out to that same team in the Saints in the Metro Atlantic tourney. The Broncs beat Penn State when the Nittany Lions had Geary Claxton and then was competitive with Kansas State and its player of the year candidate, Michael Beasley.

Putting his best foot forward in that one was Rider's own dominant big man, Jason Thompson, who has been a 20-10 man two years running, and who netted 24 points against Beasley and the Wildcats. Thompson, a 6'11", 250-pound senior who shot 56%, is probably going to be in the NBA next season. His brother Ryan, a 6'6" guard, chipped in with 14.7 ppg this year.

It's not likely that ODU is going to corral the elder Thompson, who has thrown 20 points through the hoop on twenty different occasions. We'll take the points with Rider, the 5.5-point underdog in the BetUS NCAAB betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: RIDER

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 http://www.eBookies.com gives it the old college try as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)