Posted on
3/5/2008 7:56:11 PM
NCAA Basketball Gambling - Pacific vs. Cal-Riverside
By Charles Jay
BetUS NCAA basketball betting odds: PACIFIC -6.5, Total 128.5
The Tigers of the University of the Pacific (20-9 SU, 12-15 ATS) may well find themselves in a tournament of some kind at the end of the season. On Wednesday night they try to solidify those credentials with a visit to the Cal-Riverside Highlanders (7-19 SU, 13-9 ATS) in Big West conference action that is slated to tip off at 10 PM ET at the Student Center in Riverside, CA.
In the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds, Pacific is listed as a 6.5-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:
* PAC has won 12 of its last 17 games SU
* PAC has played four of its last six games OVER the total
* PAC has covered two of its last seven road games
* UCR is covered four of its last five games
* UCR has lost 13 of its last 17 games SU
* UCR has played its last five games OVER the total
* UCR has covered five of its last six home games
* UCR has won four of its last five home games SU
* PAC has covered five of the last six meetings
* PAC has won 12 of the last 13 meetings SU
* Four of the last five meetings have gone OVER the total
* PAC has won the last five meetings SU as the road team
* PAC has had the shooting edge in nine of the last ten meetings
* PAC has had the rebounding edge in six of the last eight meetings
Before getting swamped at UC-Santa Barbara, Cal-Riverside had been putting forth some competitive efforts, including wins over Cal-Irvine and Hawaii. But the Highlanders have suffered from some slipshod ball-handling (16.2 turnovers a game) and have a very hard time putting points on the board (59.2 ppg, 326th in the nation).
Yes, Riverside has been holding tough at home, covering five of its last six. But Pacific sees a door open to grab a first-round bye in the Big West tournament, which promises to be closely contested this season. And the Tigers have been a high-octane crew of late, bombing Cal-Davis by 45 points behind 67% shooting (!) and Cal Poly by 21 (48%) in their last two outings.
Pacific, led by guard Chad Troyer (45% from three-point range) has enough firepower from beyond the arc (7.7 per game) to pull away from poor-shooting Riverside (41.6%), whose explosions against Hawaii (not a road "warrior") and Irvine were out of character.
We sense that Pacific is making every effort to peak at the right time, and this program has not been fazed by traveling to this venue (winning last five here straight-up). We will lay the points with Pacific, the 6.5-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: PACIFIC
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)