posted February 25, 2008 at 19:53 in NCAA B Free Picks

BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds: SAINT MARY'S -12, Total 128

The Saint Mary's Gaels (23-4 SU, 15-9 ATS) will try to get revenge for one of their more painful nights of the season on Monday night when they play host to the San Diego Toreros (16-12 SU, 16-8 ATS) in West Coast Conference action that is set to get underway at 10:05 PM ET at McKeon Pavilion.

In the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds, Saint Mary's is listed as a 12-point favorite, with a total of 128 points.

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

* SD has covered six of its last seven games

* SD has won eight of its last nine games SU

* SD has played six of its last nine games UNDER the total

* SD has covered five of its last six road games

* SD has won its last five road games SU

* SM has won six of its last seven games SU

* SM has covered five of its last seven games

* SM has played four of its last five games UNDER the total

* SM has covered four of its last five home games

* SM has won 18 of its last 19 home games SU

* SM has played six of its last eight home games UNDER the total

* SM has won six of the last nine meetings SU

* Six of the last seven meetings have gone OVER the total

* SD has covered the last five meetings as the road team

* SD has won six of the last nine meetings SU as the road team

* SM has had the shooting edge in six of the last nine meetings

* SM has had the rebounding edge in three of the last four meetings

We realize that Saint Mary's is looking for some very serious payback after they were slowed to a crawl in a 63-55 defeat on January 28. In that game they were held to under 40% shooting. There is no question that Saint Mary's is the better side here, but San Diego's style of play is going to often make things difficult for teams that seem to have superior talent. The Toreros started the season with an upset of Hawaii, repeated that one later, and added wins over Kentucky, Santa Clara and of course, the Gaels.

Along the way they have also been very competitive with some of the opponents who may find themselves in the Big Dance, including USC (lost by 10), UNLV (lost by 11), San Diego State (lost by five), Boise State (lost by six), New Mexico (lost by ten) and Gonzaga (lost by four). In fact, in San Diego's 12 losses, only three of them have come by more than the posted number in this game.

That doesn't necessarily say anything in and of itself, but the fact is that USD can often bring things down to their level as far as pace is concerned; no opponent in the last nine games have scored more than 62 points.

Saint Mary's will get its win back, but we don't think it's going to be an easy one by any means. The Gaels are agitated over a loss to Kent State in this past weekend's "bracket-buster" matchup, but San Diego is tough enough to take this one deep into the second half. We'll take the points with the Toreros, the 12-point underdog in the BetUS NCAAB betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: SAN DIEGO

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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)