posted February 26, 2008 at 20:26 EST in NCAA B Free Picks

BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds: NEW MEXICO -4.5, Total 137

The BYU Cougars (21-6 SU, 12-11 ATS) will be looking for a real big road win on Tuesday night when they travel to the "Pit" in Albuquerque to take on the New Mexico Lobos (22-6 SU, 20-6-1 ATS) in a matchup of two Mountain West Conference schools that are likely headed to the NCAA tournament. Tipoff is 10 PM ET.

In the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds, New Mexico is listed as a 4.5-point favorite, with a total of 137 points.

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

* BYU has covered six of its last eight games
* BYU has won nine of its last 10 games SU
* BYU has played four of its last six games UNDER the total
* BYU has won and covered four of its last five road games
* BYU has played eight of its last ten road games UNDER the total
* NMEX has won and covered its last six games
* NMEX has played eight of its last nine games OVER the total
* NMEX is 15-1 SU at home this season
* NMEX is 12-2-1 ATS at home this season
* BYU has won and covered the last five meetings
* BYU has had the rebounding edge in nine of the last ten meetings

Ouch - BYU thumped New Mexico but good the last time these teams met, scoring an 83-66 win with 13 of 16 shots beyond the arc successful. That was the Cougars' fifth straight win and cover in the series, and BYU has recently snuck into the #25 spot in the USA Today rankings.

But New Mexico may be deserving of that spot as well, considering the Lobos have benefited by the surge of 6'5" senior guard J.R. Giddens, the Kansas transfer who has averaged a shade under 20 points a game in his last seven, and wants badly to make up for a four-point effort on 2-for-8 shooting in the last BYU encounter.

The Lobos have been mighty difficult to beat in the Pit, where they have won 15 of 16 (lost only to San Diego State) and covered 12 of the 15 games that were posted. New Mexico is shooting 49% (with 44% threes) on the home court, while opponents are just 31.6% from beyond the arc in Albuquerque. In other words, don't expect the Cougars to get so hot again in this one.

Steve Alford, an Indiana alum, may or may not consider going back to his alma mater to take over as coach next year. But let's concern ourselves with the here and now; and right here and right now we will lay the points with New Mexico, the 4.5-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY:  NEW MEXICO

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