NCAA Basketball Sports Betting Arizona @ California

BetUS NCAA Basketball Sports Betting Odds: CALIFORNIA -3.5

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

* ARIZ has covered five of its last seven games

* ARIZ has won four of its last five games SU

* ARIZ has lost its last five road games SU

* ARIZ has covered one of its last five road games

* ARIZ has played four of its last five road games OVER the total

* CAL has won its last five games SU

* CAL has covered six of its last eight games

* CAL has played three of its last four games UNDER the total

* CAL has won its last nine home games SU

Also...

* ARIZ has won 18 of the last 20 meetings SU

* ARIZ has covered 11 of the last 16 meetings

* Four of the last five meetings have gone OVER the total

* ARIZ has covered five of the last seven meetings as the road team

* ARIZ has won seven of the last nine meetings SU as the road team

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

* CAL has made more three-pointers in four of the last six meetings

Arizona has already been through a non-conference schedule where it has faced good programs and good players, including Robert Vaden and UAB, Wink Adams and UNLV, that whole Gonzaga crew, and defending national champion Kansas. Undoubtedly the wins over the 'Zags and Jayhawks are a signal that this Wildcat bunch has very dangerous potential when the post-season rolls around. The road tests against Texas A&M and UNLV have not been passed, however, and that is a concern here.

The Bears are getting their marching orders from former Stanford and Golden State Warriors coach Mike Montgomery, which ought to present an interesting situation when his team visits the Maples Pavilion on January 17. Cal has disposed of UNLV, DePaul, Utah and WAC contender Nevada, which is all a pretty good warmup for the Pac-10 schedule.

Montgomery has a team that doesn't mind pushing the pace (78.8 ppg) and they are taking reasonably good care of the ball (12.2 TO's per contest). What sticks out about this California squad, however, is that they can really stick the trey. Right now the Bears lead the nation with 50.6% accuracy beyond the arc, and the major threats are Jerome Randle (56%, 19.5 ppg) and Theo Robertson (61.5%, 12.1 ppg). They'll stretch the Arizona defense out.

Jordan Hill, who has been the guy giving 'Zona such good inside play (18.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg), has been hampered by a lower leg injury, unable to play or practice with the tam, but he will probably be pressed into service tonight. Hill has to play and be sharp to draw Cal inside and open things up for the likes of Chase Budinger, who is 50% from the three-point line.

In terms of the technical numbers, Arizona has owned this series, winning 18 of the last 21 meetings. We can not say that we trust them on the road, though, and we are also concerned about their overall discipline as this program has gone through the hands of Lute Olson, Kevin O'Neill, back to Olson and to current interim coach Russ Pernell in a little over a year. We're looking for Cal to avenge last season's sweep, and we will lay the 3.5 points in the BetUS NCAA college basketball sports betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: CALIFORNIA -3.5 ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay doesn't play any defense, but he makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)