posted February 25, 2008 at 19:28 EST in NCAA B Free Picks

BetUS NCAA basketball betting odds: WISC-MILWAUKEE -3, Total 138.5

The Crusaders of Valparaiso (16-12 SU, 11-12-1 ATS), still hopeful of a title in their first Horizon League season, will travel to Milwaukee on Monday night to take on the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (13-13 SU, 11-12 ATS) in a game that is slated to begin at 9 PM ET at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

In the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds, Wisconsin-Milwaukee is listed as a three-point favorite, with a total of 138.5 points.

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

* VALPO has lost six of its last eight games SU

* VALPO is 2-8-1 ATS in its last 11 games

* VALPO has lost seven of its last eight road games SU

* VALPO has lost its last five road games ATS

* VALPO has played five of its last seven games OVER the total

* WM has lost five of its last six games SU

* WM has covered two of its last six games

* WM has won six of its last seven home games SU

* WM has played five of its last seven home games OVER the total

* WM has won four of the last six meetings

* VALPO has had the shooting edge in four of the last five meetings

* WM has had the rebounding edge in each of the last four meetings

Wisconsin-Milwaukee is hopeful of getting a #4 or #5 seed in the Horizon League tournament, which is configured in such a way that its games are played not at a neutral site, but on the home courts of the higher-rated teams. The Panthers have some obstacles to overcome; for one thing, they have not been a good shooting team, hitting less than 41% for the season. And Paige Paulsen, who has been their top three-point marksman for most of the year, has been bothered by a thumb injury, and in fact has shot just 31% from beyond the three-point line in his last six games (had been 46% previously). Since three-point shooting needs to be UWM's equalizer, this is a tough break.

Valpo, which will probably find itself on the lower rung of the Horizon tourney, can make up ground with its own three-point marksmanship (9.4 threes per game, which ties it for fourth nationally), something that helped them stay in a game earlier in the season with Vanderbilt. They bring some confidence into this game as well, having won their "bracket-buster" game over the weekend over Miami-Ohio.

This year's edition of the Crusaders is a far cry from those teams that made it to seven NCAA tournaments under Homer Drew and got to the Sweet Sixteen in 1998. But the high-energy offense is still there, and with Milwaukee not shooting on all cylinders (Ricky Franklin is also slowed by an ankle injury), the Panthers may be hard-pressed to achieve the season sweep (beat Valpo on January 10 by 71-69 score).

We'll take the points with Valparaiso, the three-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: VALPARAISO

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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)