Posted on 3/21/2008 3:04:01 PM

March Madness Wagering - Vanderbilt vs. Siena

By Charles Jay

BetUS NCAA basketball betting odds: Vanderbilt -6.5, Total 154

The Saints of Siena (22-10 SU, 18-12 ATS), the champions of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and an upset-minded team, will try to shock the crowd at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa on Friday when they take on the Vanderbilt Commodores (26-7 SU, 16-16 ATS) in a first-round game in the NCAA's Midwest Regional. Game time is 7:20 PM ET.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Vanderbilt is listed as a 6.5-point favorite, with a total of 154 points.

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

* SIE has covered four of its last six games

* SIE has won its last six games SU

* SIE has played its last four games UNDER the total

* VANDY has won nine of its last 12 games SU

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

Siena really has its work cut out for it. Vanderbilt has a shooter in Shan Foster (21 ppg, 47% threes) who can carry a team. And A.J. Ogilvy, the 6'11" freshman center, scores 16.7 ppg, bangs the boards (6.8 rpg) and has a nice touch from the outside. The Saints field a smallish team, with no starter bigger than 6'7". But Siena can beat you with quickness, and they have two players of star quality - guard Kenny Hasbrouck (15.7 ppg) and swingman Edwin Ubiles. Hasbrouck in particular (2.3 steals/game) can cause a problem on defense for a Vanderbilt team that has sometimes been sloppy with its ballhandling (14.5 TO's per game).

By contrast, Siena always takes care of the ball. Its figure of just 11.1 turnovers a game is one of the lowest in the entire country. And you can not forget that in an early-season game when it was faced with a big size disadvantage, Siena scored with a 12-point win over Stanford, who is one of the high seeds in this tournament. Granted, Brook Lopez was not in the lineup for Stanford on that day, but twin brother Robin, another 7-footer, most certainly was.

Siena coach Fran McCaffrey went to the NCAA tournament with Lehigh in 1988. Wouldn't it be interesting if he came back 20 years later and won as an underdog with another low major school? Mindful of the fact that Vandy has not always been at its best when playing away from home (4-7 SU), we will take the points with Siena, the 6.5-point underdog in the BetUS March Madness betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: SIENA

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)