posted March 20, 2008 at 16:18 in NCAA B Betting Trends

BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds: Texas A&M -1.5, Total 128.5

The Aggies of Texas A&M (24-10 SU, 16-13 ATS) open up play in the NCAA tournament on Thursday night when they face off against the BYU Cougars (27-7 SU, 16-13-1 ATS) in a West Regional contest coming from the Honda Center in Anaheim.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Texas A&M is listed as a 1.5-point favorite, with a total of 128.5 points.

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

* A&M has covered four of its last five games

* A&M has won nine of its last 15 games SU

* A&M has played five of its last six games UNDER the total

* BYU has won 15 of its last 17 games SU

* BYU is 10-4-1 ATS in its last 15 games

* BYU has played six of its last ten games UNDER the total

It has now been 16 years since BYU won a game in the NCAA tournament. That may be about to change. The Cougars, who are best-known for the very long home winning streak they have compiled, may have faltered as the visitor against UNLV in the Mountain West tourney, but they didn't take many more missteps down the stretch. Meanwhile though, Texas A&M, experiencing its first season under new coach Mark Turgeon, the former Kansas assistant, was nothing if not inconsistent, losing rather non-competitive affairs to Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas in the latter part of its schedule, and by a total of 71 points.

While the Aggies were not necessarily sloppy with the ball, they did miss the great point guard Acie Law, and posted just 13.4 assists per game. Sure, Josh Carter and his long-range bombing are still present, as is a talented freshman center in DeAndre Jordan (8.7 ppg). But Jordan, who has been touted as a very early NBA draft choice, is not quite there yet, and in fact had been relegated tot he bench for a while.

BYU has an effective inside-outside combo in this matchup, with Lee Cummard (45% threes) and Trent Plaisted (15.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg) providing consistent work all season long. BYU also defended well, yielding just 38.3% field goals. And one would have to believe the Cougars can be relied on more to put forth a full effort than the schizophrenic Aggies.

Let's take the points with Brigham Young, the 1.5-point underdogs in the BetUS March Madness betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: BYU

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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)