Posted on 1/30/2008 3:45:45 PM

Bet On NCAA Basketball - Making Money Big East Style

By Robby Maddux

Two teams ranked in the top-25 among the Big East will suit up this evening and lurking is your NCAA basketball betting selection for both games, as conference-leading No. 6 Georgetown Hoyas invades Madison Square Garden face the struggling St. John's Red Storm, and the No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers plays hosts to the Villanova Wildcats at the Petersen Events Center.

No. 6 Georgetown will be looking for back-to-back road wins after beating West Virginia 58-57 on Saturday. Patrick Ewing Jr. saved the game for Georgetown in that contest with a last-second blocked shot, which the Mountaineer's fans contended was goaltending.

The Hoyas trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half and shot just 4-of-17 from 3-point range, but Jessie Sapp's 3-pointer fell with just 6 seconds left as Georgetown won its third straight overall and became the first visiting team to win on West Virginia's court this season.

Georgetown got the cash making win as the 3½-point underdogs to the Mountaineers. But Georgetown hasn't been able to recently post back-to-back money-making outings, as the Hoyas are 0-7 ATS (against the spread) in their last seven games following a cover win.

Georgetown has won three straight and four of five against St. John's but Ewing Jr. has struggled on the Red Storm's floor, averaging just 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in four games there last season, the first of which was a 72-48 Georgetown blowout of St. John's.

Ewing Jr. has struggled since losing his starting spot, averaging just 5.6 points in eight games coming off the bench.

As a team, the Hoyas have won four in a row and seven of eight at the Garden, including last season's Big East title. The Hoyas are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 road games overall. Conference play has yielded Georgetown investors a profit, going 16-6-2 ATS in their last 24 against Big East foes.

The Hoyas have won eight of their last nine, never allowing 70 points in a game over that span, and opponents shoot just 35.8 percent against them, which is the best defensive field-goal percentage in the nation.

Roy Hibbert, who had 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots against West Virginia has played a large roll in the defense. Offensively, the 7'2'' center leads the team in scoring with 13.1 ppg.

The Hoyas are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games versus teams playing under .400 ball. Humpday has been kind to Hoya supporters as they've covered the spread in six of their last seven games with a push on Wednesday contests.

St. John's comes into this contest with the second-worst shooting percentage in the Big East, shooting just 42.2 percent this season. They're making just 37.1 percent from the field during their current five-game losing streak.

The Red Storm are at the bottom of the Big East at 1-6 and 7-11 overall. At home, they're just 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.

The Red Storm lost 67-57 at Louisville on Saturday but covered the number as the 16-point puppies, shooting just 32.1 percent from the field despite 7-of-11 3-point shooting from Anthony Mason Jr., the son of another former Knick. However, they are just 2-8 ATS in their last ten games following a ATS win.

Mason had 29 points for the second straight game, and is shooting 10-of-15 (66.7 percent) from 3-point range in the last two games.

NCAA basketball odds list Georgetown the favorites at -10 with a game total of 123.

- Hoyas are 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17 games as a favorite of 7.0-12.5.

- Hoyas are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a road favorite of 7.0-12.5.

- Red Storm are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 7.0-12.5.

- Red Storm are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a home underdog of 7.0-12.5.

Analysis: Ewing Jr. should draw inspiration from playing in the building where his father's No. 33 is retired from 15 seasons with the Knicks. Expect him to have a good game, making daddy and Hoya supporters proud, and Hibbert should have his way under the hoop en route to a cover victory.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Georgetown Hoyas -10

Villanova Wildcats vs. No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers

The Panthers have won five straight at home against Villanova dating back to Feb. 12, 1997. They come into tonight's game at 16-4 overall and 4-3 in the Big East. Pittsburgh is 5-1 ATS in their last six home games and play well in front of the home folks.

Since Pittsburgh moved to the Petersen Events Center in the 2002-03 season, it had gone 91-8. But in the Panthers' 100th contest in the arena, they were outscored 45-25 in the second half on Saturday en route to a 77-64 loss to lowly Rutgers as the hefty 18-point chalk.

The margin tied the Panthers' 66-53 loss to Louisville on Feb. 12 as their most lopsided defeat in the building, and ended their home winning streak at 13 games.

The Panthers have had good success following a loss SU (straight up) or ATS. They are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a SU loss and 5-1 ATS in their last six following an ATS loss.

Pittsburgh went 4-1, highlighted by a win over then-No. 5 Georgetown, in January after losing Mike Cook and Levance Fields to injuries. However, the Panthers have lost two of their last three games, including a 62-59 defeat at Cincinnati on Jan. 19.

Cook and Fields were accounting for 22.3 points and 8.0 assists per game, and it's uncertain if either starter will be able to return this season.

The Panthers have been led all season by Sam Young, one of the Big East's top five scorers at 18.3 points per game. The junior forward is averaging 11.1 points more than he did in 2006-07.

Pittsburgh's frontcourt has been solid with Young and freshman DeJuan Blair. Blair is averaging 11.9 points and is among the conference's best rebounders with 9.3 per game.

- Panthers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. Big East.

- Panthers are 21-8 ATS in their last 29 Wednesday games.

- Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

- Panthers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.

- Panthers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games overall.

The Wildcats and the Panthers have met once this season, in Philadelphia on Jan. 6. Young had 16 points and Blair added 12 points and 15 rebounds for Pittsburgh, but Villanova won 64-63 on Dante Cunningham's two free throws with 10 seconds left. Pittsburgh took the cash in that meeting as the 3-point underdogs.

At that point, the Wildcats were 11-2 and ranked No. 19 in the country, but like Pittsburgh, they have hit a rough stretch. They've lost three of five since that win and have dropped two straight, including a 90-80 home loss to Notre Dame on Saturday as the slight 2½-points favorites.

The 90 points were the most allowed by the Wildcats since a 91-87 defeat to West Virginia on Jan. 8, 2006. The Wildcats are 13-5 SU overall and 3-4 in conference play.

- Wildcats are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a double-digit loss at home.

- Wildcats are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a SU loss.

- Wildcats are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.

- Wildcats are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 vs. Big East.

- Wildcats are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games overall.

Villanova is led by sophomore guard Scottie Reynolds, who's averaging 17.2 points, had four points on 1-of-6 shooting against Pittsburgh on Jan. 6.

Reynolds has struggled shooting in the Wildcats' last two games. He made just 1-of-14 from 3-point range and shot 31.3 percent overall during the two-game span. But prior to that he shot 49.0 percent and averaged 26.0 points over a three-game stretch.

NCAA basketball odds list Pittsburgh the favorites at -7½ with a game total of 144½.

- Panthers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite.

- Wildcats are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog of 7.0-12.5.

- Wildcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog of 7.0-12.5.

Analysis: The home team is 7-3 ATS in the last ten meetings in this series, and when these two collide it's been low-scoring affairs with the under cashing in the last four consecutive games.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: UNDER 144½

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