College Basketball Betting: Analyzing the Ivy League
January 12, 2009
Students of college basketball betting will have to crack open a book before testing their wagering skills on the Ivy League. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2007/08 season are in parentheses:
CORNELL (22-6 SU, 10-8-1 ATS, 7-12 O/U): A quartet of first and second team All-Ivy selections return to team that went undefeated in the league last season and should repeat.
By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)
Home Favorite:3-4
Home Underdog:1-0
Away Favorite:1-2-1
Away Underdog:4-1
Neutral Site:0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Big Red was 6-3-1 ATS on the road last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Cornell was 4-1-1 ATS in the second game of back-to-back games last season.
PENNSYLVANIA (13-18 SU, 10-14-2 ATS, 13-13 O/U): The Quakers are very young and very good but next season is when Penn should really thrive.
By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)
Home Favorite:3-2-1
Home Underdog:4-2-1
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:4-6
Neutral Site:0-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Quakers were 2-8-2 ATS outside the Ivy League.
Sports Betting Angle: Penn was 6-11-1 ATS as an underdog.
HARVARD (8-22 SU, 7-14 ATS, 10-11 O/U): The Crimson is the only Ivy team returning all five starters and should move up the League ladder.
By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)
Home Favorite:3-1
Home Underdog:2-3
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:1-8
Neutral Site:1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Crimson was 1-9 ATS on the road.
Sports Betting Angle: Harvard was 4-12 as an underdog.
BROWN (19-10 SU, 13-10 ATS, 11-11-1 O/U): A strong frontcourt should ease the transition to new first year coach Jesse Agel.
By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)
Home Favorite:5-3
Home Underdog: 0-1
Away Favorite:2-2
Away Underdog:6-4
Neutral Site:0-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Bears were 10-3 ATS on three or more days rest.
Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 8-5-1 when Brown was on the road.
DARTMOUTH (10-18 SU, 10-10 ATS, 6-14 O/U): All-Leaguer Alex Barnett (15.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG) is a one-man show…and that's been the problem.
By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)
Home Favorite:0-1
Home Underdog:4-3
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:5-5
Neutral Site:1-0
Sportsbook Buster: The "under" was 14-4 when the Big Green was an underdog.
Sports Betting Angle: When Dartmouth had three or more days rest, the "under" was 10-1.
YALE (13-15 SU, 8-12 ATS, 10-10 O/U): Only one starter returns, threatening Yale's string of eight straight League winning seasons.
By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)
Home Favorite:3-4
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:2-2
Away Underdog:3-5
Neutral site:0-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulldogs were 4-10 ATS in the Ivy League.
Sports Betting Angle: Yale was 3-8 ATS in games after a pointspread loss.
PRINCETON (6-23 SU, 11-12-1 ATS, 14-10 O/U): The Tigers can look for improvement on the road, where they were a dismal 0-16 last season.
By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)
Home Favorite:3-3
Home Underdog:1-2-1
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:6-5
Neutral Site:1-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Tigers were 7-11 ATS after a SU defeat.
Sports Betting Angle: The "over" was 8-4 in Princeton away games.
COLUMBIA (14-15 SU, 12-6 ATS, 5-13 O/U): The Lions, who lost four starters, will begin the rebuilding process with six freshmen.
By the Numbers (2007/08 Season)
Home Favorite:3-4
Home Underdog:0-1
Away Favorite:1-0
Away Underdog:7-1
Neutral Site:1-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Lions were 8-1 ATS in road games.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 9-0 when Columbia was a favorite.
