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posted February 27, 2008 at 19:50 in NCAA B Free Picks

BetUS NCAA basketball betting odds: KENTUCKY -7, Total 141.5

The Rebels of Ole Miss (18-8 SU, 8-13 ATS) looked real good at the season's outset, but things have become very difficult for them lately. On the other hand, the Kentucky Wildcats (15-10 SU, 12-8-2 ATS), who lost to Gardner-Webb and San Diego among others early in the campaign, is on a strong run for NCAA consideration. the two teams meet on Wednesday night at 8 PM ET at the legendary Rupp Arena in Lexington.

In the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds, Kentucky is listed as a seven-point favorite, with a total of 141.5 points.

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

* MISS has covered two of its last seven games

* MISS has lost its last six road games SU

* MISS is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games

* KY is 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine games

* KY has won eight of its last nine games SU

* KY has played six of its last seven games UNDER the total

* KY is 5-0-1 ATS in its last six home games

* KY has won its last five home games SU

* KY has played five of its last six home games UNDER the total

* KY has covered six of the last eight meetings

* KY has won the last seven meetings SU

* Three of the last four meetings have gone UNDER the total

* KY has won the last five meetings SU as the home team

* KY has covered four of the last six meetings as the home team

* KY has had the shooting edge in six of the last seven meetings

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

* KY has made more three-pointers in five of the last seven meetings

Here we have a situation where two teams are going in different directions, and going there relatively quickly. Ole Miss has lost seven of ten games, and one of their three wins during that time was over provisional Division I entrant Presbyterian. Losing by 20 points to LSU was particularly devastating, and maybe revealing. The Rebels were strangled on the offensive end, held to just 27% shooting.

Meanwhile, as soon as Kentucky got healthy things started to really fly. And you knew the Wildcats were going to get used to Billy Gillespie's way sooner or later. Kentucky has been cutting a swath through the SEC with a string of nine wins in ten, and that includes a 72-66 win over Tennessee. At this point you would have to consider the 'Cats a contender for an NCAA bid, regardless of how they do in the SEC tournament.

Ole Miss' woes at the free throw line are well-known, and a real burden (63.7%). And the Rebels are below 60% in three of its last four games. With only two wins in Lexington under their belt - ever - let's look for the recent troubles of Mississippi to continue.

We'll lay the points with Kentucky, the seven-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: KENTUCKY

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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)