Posted on 3/21/2008 2:56:05 PM

March Madness Point Spreads - Arkansas vs. Indiana

By Charles Jay

BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds: Indiana -2, Total 138.5

The Indiana Hoosiers (25-7 SU, 13-16 ATS) will have to get their game back together in a hurry of they want to stay alive in the NCAA tournament. On Friday night they'll begin their play in the East Regional when they take on the Arkansas Razorbacks (22-11 SU, 12-16-1 ATS) at the RBC Center in Raleigh, with a tip-off time of 9:40 PM ET.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Indiana is listed as a two-point favorite, with a total of 138.5 points.

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

* ARK is 2-5-1 ATS in its last eight games

* ARK has won four of its last six games SU

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

* IND has covered one of its last six games

* IND has lost three of its last four games SU

* IND has played six of its last nine games OVER the total

Indiana is just 1-5 against the number since the departure of Kelvin Sampson. And there have been disastrous moments along the way, like the 103-74 loss at Michigan State. the best moment was a win over Minnesota, but then the Hoosiers turned around and lost to the Gophers in the Big Ten tourney. The fact is, this team is just not right, and some of it perhaps can be traced to the fact that the team, by and large, did not want Dan Dakich to take over as the interim coach, instead preferring assistant Ray McCallum. Now there are a number of names being circulated as a candidate to take over on a full-time basis, including New Mexico's Steve Alford, a former Indiana player who previously coached in the Big Ten with Iowa.

Indiana has a pair of stars that is probably unequaled in the Big Ten. D.J. White (10.4 rpg, 60% FG's) was the conference player of the year, and freshman Eric Gordon, likely a one-and-done guy, tallied 21.3 ppg. But there is a major concern, in that over the course of the last seven games, Gordon is only 34% from the field.

And now here comes Arkansas, which is defensively-potent (yielding just 41% shooting) and loaded with the kind of height that can take away White's inside game. With 6'10" Darian Townes and 7'0" Steven Hill, there is shot-blocking power. And the Hogs also put pressure on opposing offenses with do-everything swingman Sonny Weems.

The Razorbacks started to really come around in the SEC tournament, clipping both Vanderbilt and Tennessee before running into a Georgia team that was on a magic carpet ride. They are the team headed in a much more positive direction right now. And so we'll take the points with Arkansas, the two-point underdog in the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: ARKANSAS

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)