Despite it reputation as the nation's deepest and toughest conference, Big East teams were nine games under .500 ATS versus non conference foes last season, a statistic that college basketball betting fans will be eyeing this year. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2008/09 season are in parentheses:
VILLANOVA (30-8 SU, 19-15 ATS, 17-16-1 O/U): Strong guards and a top five recruiting class have the Wildcats eyeing a return to the Final Four this season.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:7-5
Home Underdog:1-0
Away Favorite:4-2
Away Underdog:3-2
Neutral Site:4-6
Sportsbook Buster: The Wildcats were 7-4 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 14-6-1 in Villanova conference games.
LOUISVILLE (31-6 SU, 22-15 ATS, 18-19 O/U): The Cardinals can shoot the trey and have an emerging star in the paint in Samardo Samuels (11.8 PPG).
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:10-8
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:5-1
Away Underdog:3-0
Neutral site:4-6
Sportsbook Buster: The Cardinals are 19-3 ATS on the road the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Louisville was 16-5 ATS in conference games.
WEST VIRGINIA (23-12 SU, 15-17 ATS, 12-20 O/U): Da'Sean Butler (17.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG) and Devn Ebanks (10.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG) give the Mountaineers two of the league's top two players.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:6-5
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:3-4
Away Underdog:2-2
Neutral Site:3-5
Sportsbook Buster: The Mountaineers were 4-7 ATS in non-conference games.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 15-6 in UWV conference games.
CONNECTICUT (31-5 SU, 17-15 ATS, 12-19-1 O/U): The Huskies lost a lot but still have a lot with all-star candidates Stanley Robinson (8.5 PPG), Kemba Walker (8.9 PPG) and Jerome Dyson (13.2 PPG).
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-8
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:3-3
Away Underdog:3-1
Neutral Site:7-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Huskies were 4-8 ATS at home.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 13-6 in UConn conference games.
NOTRE DAME (21-15 SU, 12-19 ATS, 12-18 O/U): Luke Harangody (23.3 PPG, 11.8 RPG) and the Irish will be back in the tournament if the 3-point shooters do their job.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-6
Home Underdog:1-2
Away Favorite:1-3
Away Underdog:2-5
Neutral Site:3-4
Sportsbook Buster: The Irish were 3-8 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: Notre Dame was 7-13 ATS in conference play.
GEORGETOWN (16-15 SU, 9-17-1 ATS, 13-14 O/U): Greg Monroe (12.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG), Chris Wright (12.5 PPG) and Austin Freeman (11.4 PPG) give the Hoyas a solid nucleus.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-7
Home Underdog:0-1
Away Favorite:1-3
Away Underdog:3-3-1
Neutral Site:1-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Hoyas were 4-15 ATS in Big East games.
Sports Betting Angle: Georgetown was 2-10-1 ATS on two or fewer days rest.
PITTSBURGH (31-5 SU, 17-13 ATS, 15-15 O/U): The three best players from last season's elite eight team are gone so expect the Panthers to take a step back this year.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:9-4
Home Underdog:3-3
Away Favorite:3-3
Away Underdog:2-1
Neutral Site:2-5
Sportsbook Buster: The Panthers are 16-8 ATS at home the last two years.
Sports Betting Angle: Pittsburgh was 3-1 ATS in games after a SU loss.
SYRACUSE (28-10 SU, 19-15 ATS, 22-12 O/U): The Orange has some bangers in the paint but quality guard play is a concern for this pre-season bubble team.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:7-7
Home Underdog:2-0
Away Favorite:2-1
Away Underdog:2-5
Neutral Site:6-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Orange was 9-2 ATS in tournament play.
Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 15-7 in Syracuse's Big East games.
SETON HALL (17-15 SU, 17-10 ATS, 12-14 O/U): The Pirates have the guns in Jeremy Hazell (22.7 PPG) and Robert Mitchell (14.6 PPG) but need to show cohesiveness to improve.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:3-2
Home Underdog:3-3
Away Favorite:1-1
Away Underdog:6-2
Neutral Site:4-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Pirates were 11-7 as underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: Seton Hall was 13-7 ATS in Big East games.
MARQUETTE (25-10 SU, 14-15-1 ATS, 15-15 O/U): The loss of a trio of guards who averaged over 49 points per game last season could have the Golden Eagles scrapping for wins.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-7-1
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:3-2
Away Underdog:3-3
Neutral Site:3-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Eagles were 2-6-1 ATS in games after a SU loss.
Sports Betting Angle: Marquette was 3-6-1 ATS in non-conference games.
CINCINNATI (18-14 SU, 11-15 ATS, 14-11-1 O/U): Deonata Vaughn (15.3 PPG) and a deep roster should give the Bearcats a shot at a 20-win season.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-3
Home Underdog:3-3
Away Favorite:1-1
Away Underdog:2-6
Neutral Site:1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Bearcats were 3-7 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 9-3-1 when Cincinnati played at home.
ST. JOHN'S (16-18 SU, 13-15-1 ATS, 13-15-1 O/U): All five starters return but are they good enough for the Red Storm to sneak into the upper half of the conference?
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:5-2-1
Home Underdog:4-3
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:2-9
Neutral Site:2-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Red Storm was 9-5-1 ATS at home but 2-9 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: St. John's was 7-13 as an underdog.
RUTGERS (11-21 SU, 13-13 ATS, 9-15 O/U): Mike Rosario (16.2 PPG as a frosh) is a comer but the Scarlet Knights will have to improve just to reach .500.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:2-4
Home Underdog:2-4
Away Favorite:1-0
Away Underdog:7-4
Neutral Site:1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Scarlet Knights are 3-10 as favorites the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 12-7 in Rutgers conference games.
SOUTH FLORIDA (9-22 SU, 16-14 ATS, 13-17 O/U): Guard Dominique Jones (18.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG) is the best player you don't know but he doesn't have much help.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-1
Home Underdog:3-5
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:8-4
Neutral Site:1-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulls were 8-4 as away underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: SFU was 6-3 ATS in games after a SU victory.
PROVIDENCE (19-14 SU, 11-18 ATS, 16-13 O/U): With six freshmen and just two seniors on the roster, The Friars are starting over…again.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-7
Home Underdog:1-2
Away Favorite:3-0
Away Underdog:2-5
Neutral Site:3-6
Sportsbook Buster: The Friars were 3-10 as underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: Providence was 4-9 ATS on three or more days rest.
DE PAUL (9-24 SU, 10-18 ATS, 14-12-2 O/U): The Blue Demons were 0-18 in the conference last season and this year doesn't look much better.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:0-4
Home Underdog:1-6
Away Favorite:1-0
Away Underdog:8-3
Neutral Site:1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Blue Demons are 2-11 as home underdogs the past two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: DePaul was 7-3 ATS in games after a SU win.
This is the fourth of 11 NCAA basketball betting previews.
