Posted on
3/11/2008 6:26:42 PM
NCAA Basketball Betting - CLEVELAND STATE at BUTLER
By Charles Jay
BetUS NCAA basketball betting odds: BUTLER -9.5, Total 119.5
It's the rubber match of a three-game set between these two this season, but this one carries the most meaning, as the Cleveland State Vikings (21-11 SU, 18-11 ATS) try to win the rubber match against the Butler Bulldogs (28-3 SU, 15-14-1 ATS), along with the automatic NCAA bid in the Horizon League title game, set to tip off at 9 PM ET at the Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
In the BetUS NCAAB betting odds, Butler is listed as a 9.5-point favorite, with a total of 119.5 points.
Here are some of the NCAAB betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
* CSU has won seven of its last eight games SU
* CSU has covered its last seven games
* CSU has played four of its last six games UNDER the total
* CSU has lost five of its last seven road games SU
* CSU has played its last four road games UNDER the total
* BUT is 6-11-1 ATS in its last 18 games
* BUT has won 12 of its last 13 games SU
* BUT has played four of its last six games UNDER the total
* BUT has covered two of its last six home games
* BUT has won 19 of its last 20 home games SU
* BUT has played six of its last nine home games UNDER the total
* CSU has covered six of the last nine meetings
* BUT has won five of the last six meetings SU
* Five of the last seven meetings have gone UNDER the total
* BUT has won 12 of the last 13 meetings SU as the home team
* BUT has had the shooting edge in five of the last six meetings
* BUT has made more three-pointers in each of the last five meetings
Back on January 17, Cleveland State dealt Butler its second conference loss of the season, as the 56-52 win vaulted the Vikings into first place in the Horizon League. CSU went through a lull later in the season, as guard Cedric Jackson, a transfer from St. John's, hurt his ankle and was slowed considerably. But Gary Waters' team picked an ideal time to come together again, as it has covered seven straight games, and the only loss in the last eight was a 51-46 defeat to Butler on this floor where the Vikes came back from a big deficit to stay in it all the way to the end.
The truth is, with Jackson (14.3 ppg, 5 rpg, 5 apg) playing well, and the emergence of J'Nathan Bullock as a force at the power forward slot, Cleveland State matches up pretty well with Butler. And even though Butler possesses more of a perimeter game (9.3 from beyond the arc per game, as compared with 4.5 for CSU), Jackson provides his team with more versatility in the backcourt.
Butler has not taken care of the number, either big or small, covering just six of its last 18 games. and Cleveland State has the mental toughness necessary under old-school coach Waters to make this a bruiser from start to finish, and they're obviously not bothered a bit when Butler tries to grind it out.
Let's grab the points with Cleveland State, the 9.5-point underdog in the BetUS NCAAB betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: CLEVELAND STATE
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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com gives it the old college try as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)