UConn Georgetown Odds – Wednesday, 7:00 PM ET

The Huskies (14-6, 4-4 Big East) were knocked out of the rankings by a 50-48 loss to Notre Dame in Hartford, and some think that UConn’s preseason chances were some sort of BetOnline scam, but the defending national champions are just catching some tough breaks. Jeremy Lamb dropped 16 points, while Andre Drummond added 15 points, 11 boards and four blocks for the Huskies, who shot a miserable 3-of-13 from three-point land. Players that work with price per head bookie software should still have a little faith in UConn, who have a lot of top-end talent led by Lamb and Drummond, but the latter hasn’t lived up to the hype bestowed on him as a freshman, although some still think he could be the No.1 pick in the draft should he decide to leave.

The No.14 Hoyas (16-4, 6-3 Big East) fell 72-60 at Pittsburgh, but even though the Panthers are 2-7 in the Big East, they’re a much better team than that record and Georgetown ran into a team that is finally starting to get healthy. Superbowl betting players would tell you that one bad half can kill you in football, and the same holds true for basketball as the Hoyas were outscored 33-22 in the first half. Otto Porter came off the bench with 14 points and six boards, while Hollis Thompson netted 11 points for the Hoyas, who had a -11 deficit on the boards, they shot 7-of-12 at the foul line and allowed Pitt to shoot 52.1% from the floor, which is a recipe for disaster.

Look for Georgetown to be the home favorites in the nation’s capital, and even though the Hoyas are 3-2 SU in their last five meetings at home with UConn, they’re also 1-4 ATS, with the last three going over the posted total. The Huskies need a win to avoid falling further down the pecking order in the Big East, but they need Drummond to dominate the post as UConn is vulnerable down low. He is coming off a solid game against Notre Dame, and he’ll be the difference on Wednesday as the Huskies score a NCAA basketball betting upset on the road.

Taking their spot at No. 1 is the Kentucky Wildcats, which managed to withstand a tough test from an Alabama Crimson Tide team that pushed them to the wire on Saturday night in an eventual 77-71 win. The Wildcats have now won 11 straight games, and more importantly they have already beaten both the No. 5 Kansas Jayhawks and No. 7 North Carolina Tar Heels this season. Kentucky was the top-ranked team in the country before losing a game at Indiana in mid-December, but with that standing as their only loss to this point it makes sense that the Wildcats are back at No. 1 after capitalizing as the pay head bookies’ favorite through 11-straight. The college basketball betting odds are against Kentucky remaining on top the rest of the way, but with the Orange facing such a tough stretch to close out their Big East schedule, perhaps it is another team that will bump the Wildcats out for top spot.

By keeping pace with Baylor in the Big 12 so far this year, the Missouri Tigers were rewarded with the No. 3 ranking in the latest updates. The Tigers took down the Baylor Bears last week to establish themselves as having the best chance in the conference at knocking off Kansas, with the first of two games between those teams scheduled for next week. Kansas comes in at No. 5 after taking down Baylor themselves, but with three losses already it makes sense that they haven’t moved any higher, even though they are a better team than the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes knocked off No. 8 Indiana on their own floor before blowing away Nebraska, and while they still have a lot to prove with Jared Sullinger leading the way, they may not have the depth for a deep run. There isn’t much in the way of these teams being listed as Betonline underdogs over the next couple of weeks so it is hard to envision a ton of change in the immediate future, but don’t expect this order to hold up long term.

North Carolina Virginia Tech Odds – Thursday, 9:00 PM ET

The No.8 Tar Heels (15-3, 2-1 ACC) were blasted 90-57 in Tallahassee, and even 5Dimes players had to be surprised at how thoroughly North Carolina was handled by Florida State, especially in a second half where they were outscored 54-29. Harrison Barnes was the high man with 15 points, while Tyler Zeller was next with 14 points and 14 boards for the Tar Heels, who shot a miserable 37.3% from the field (including 4-of-21 from three-point land), they were 9-of-20 at the foul line and the Tar Heels turned the ball over; Kendall Marshall had an uncharacteristic seven, and it was an all-around rough day at the office for a team that many think will win the national champion. Those betting on Super Bowl odds can attest to this as they watched Green Bay get ousted, and North Carolina has to improve away from the “Dean Dome”.

The Hokies (11-6, 0-3 ACC) are still looking for their first win in conference play after a 61-59 loss at Boston College, shooting just 36.2% from the field and posting six assists on their 17 field goals. Victor Davila hit 14 points, while Dorenzo Hudson netted 13 points for the Hokies, who got a pair of poor games from freshmen Dorian Finney-Smith (no points, eight boards, 0-of-4 from the field) and Marquis Rankin (0-of-8, four points, four assists). Players that work with price per head sports odds will tell you that freshmen are a risky wager because they can be inconsistent, and Virginia Tech’s starting frosh definitely struggled on the road.

North Carolina should still be the favorites on the road despite their woes, although they’re just 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS in their last five at Virginia Tech, with three of five games going under the posted total. The Tar Heels have now lost in a game that was basically a home affair for UNLV, they lost at Kentucky and then the fiasco at Florida State. They have to prove that they can win away from home and the Tar Heels should have little problem with a Virginia Tech team that doesn’t match up with them anywhere on the floor. It may be close for the first half, but look for North Carolina to pull away and eventually cover the NCAA basketball betting spread.

One year after sending more teams to the NCAA national title tournament than any other conference, the Big East looks to be just as strong again this year. Any talk about that group begins and ends with the top-ranked Syracuse Orange, which have somehow managed to overcome all of the controversy surrounding the program in order to open the year with 17 straight wins. Syracuse has executed at both ends of the floor, and even in cases where they have been pushed to the limit this season, the Orange have come through with big wins under Jim Boeheim.

While they may not have the same overall strength and depth that the Orange boast the No. 11 Georgetown Hoyas have managed to keep pace behind Syracuse at the top of the conference. The Hoyas were exposed at their own end of the floor in consecutive losses to West Virginia Mountaineers and Cincinnati, but if they can stop their slide and get back on track as betonline favorites against Saint John’s they should be fine. Consistency and keeping a level outlook will be among the biggest factors in the outcome of Georgetown’s season, and if they are going to have any chance at making this season one to remember they will need to be able to win in tough environments.

While the Mountaineers’ win over the Hoyas exposed their opposition, it also strengthened their outlook in the Big East. West Virginia followed that win up with a tough loss at Connecticut, but that will be part of navigating through such a tough conference. Home games against Rutgers and Marshall should help the Mountaineers get back on track regardless of their status according to the pay head bookies.

Rounding out the contenders from the Big East, one of the most interesting stories has to be Seton Hall, as the Pirates have won three straight since their loss to Syracuse. Seton Hall has the type of underdog feel that can make them serious threats when it counts the most, and unlike last year where the Big East was so dominant during the regular season, this year it seems as though they have teams that are better built for when the college basketball betting madness begins in March, beginning at the top with the Orange.

Marquette Georgetown Odds – Wednesday, 7:00 PM ET

The No.20 Golden Eagles (12-2, 1-0 Big East) bounced back from a disappointing blowout at home to Vanderbilt (another team that has fallen far down the Bet Online ranks) by holding on for an 81-77 win at home over Villanova on New Year’s Day. Darius Johnson-Odom poured in 24 points and grabbed six boards, while Davonte Gardner came off the bench with 13 points, 10 boards and three steals for the Golden Eagles, who forced 16 turnovers on the day. Marquette is one of the best in the country at creating turnovers (22nd in steals), and players that use a price per head service know that will keep you in games, especially in the hard-nosed Big East. After losses at LSU and to Vanderbilt, the Golden Eagles need to get back on track.

The No.9 Hoyas (12-1, 2-0 Big East) have now won 10 in a row after a scrappy 49-40 win over Providence at home on New Year’s Eve, and even though they shot a miserable 30.5% from the field, they held Providence to 25.3%. Jason Clark showed his veteran leadership by stepping up when the rest of the team was struggling, notching 16 points and eight boards, while Henry Sims added 11 points, seven boards and four swats for the Hoyas, who were also added by Providence shooting 11-of-20 from the foul line. A number of players that uses pay head services didn’t have Georgetown in their top 25 at the beginning the season, but the Hoyas have lost only to Kansas (on a neutral court), they beat Memphis and have won at Alabama and Louisville. This is a team to watch in the Big East.

Look for Georgetown to be the home favorites in this contest as they’re 2-1 SU and ATS in their last three in Washington, D.C. against the Golden Eagles, with two games going over the posted total. This will be a matchup of tempo and the Golden Eagles will want to get it up and down the floor, while the Hoyas will want to slow it down and that is where Clark comes into play. The Hoyas also have to win the battle on the boards because Marquette hits the glass as a team, but Georgetown will have enough in the tank to post an NCAA basketball betting victory.

Faced with their first true road test of the season as they visited the North Carolina State Wolfpack this past Saturday, the Orange rallied as a team to fight through some early adversity before pulling away for another big win by the time that it was over. Head coach Jim Boeheim has to appreciate how well that his team has performed in the midst of the controversy surrounding the program, and while North Carolina State isn’t the toughest test they will face this season, you cannot depreciate a team based on a relatively weak schedule this early on. Winning on the road is something that isn’t easy to do as a couple of other teams in the top-10 have already shown, and Syracuse deserves credit for being at the top of the college basketball betting pyramid.

Perhaps the toughest team behind Syracuse right now is Ohio State, as their loss does have an asterisk beside it considering it came with superstar Jared Sullinger out of the lineup. While the Buckeyes do have other star players in the form of William Buford and Aaron Craft, Sullinger’s presence in the lineup is crucial to the space and time that both of those players need to be successful, which they proved with three straight wins once he returned to the lineup this past week. Unlike in Kentucky where there best player is a freshman, Sullinger has a ton of experience and will not be rattled in high pressure situations. The Wildcats were exactly that when they lost to Indiana last Saturday, and even though they breezed through a relatively weak schedule this week they have not proved that they can stand the pressure of big games and playing on the road. Kentucky will get another tough test when they face the Louisville Cardinals on New Year’s Eve, and if they can handle the pressure of that game then we will back off of our sports betting position that they are not ready to be a top-five team.

The rest of the current top-five in the rankings is rounded out by the North Carolina Tar Heels and Baylor Bears, and while the latter deserves to be there based on their perfect record, we are more impressed with the Tar Heels. North Carolina has a wealth of talent and a strong balance of both veterans and freshman, and after watching them breeze past Texas this past week, they could have the best chance at pushing Syracuse for that No. 1 spot as the favorites according to the pay head bookies.

Texas North Carolina Odds – Wednesday, 7:00 PM ET

The Longhorns (9-2) aren’t among the top teams in the country in terms of Bet Online odds for the national title, but Texas has enough talent to give them all trouble and they’re coming off a 77-65 win at home over Temple, pulling away with a 15-point edge in the second half. J’Covan Brown poured in 23 points, while Myck Kabongo hit 18 points for the Longhorns, who had a massive 46-20 edge on the boards and went 23-of-35 from the foul line, while Temple hit half of their 20 free-throw attempts. This is a Texas team that has been more efficient than recent teams, they are athletic and can be a handful to keep off the glass. Don’t be surprised to see the Longhorns earn some respect among those that use price per head services.

The No.6 Tar Heels (10-2) went to 7-0 at home with a 99-49 romp over Nicholls State, but North Carolina should have won by even more and that may be worrying for the team that is favored to win it all by those who put bookie software to use, and “experts” of the game. Dexter Strickland and James McAdoo had 14 points each for North Carolina, who outrebounded their small opponents 69-33 (including 30-9 on the offensive glass), but they shot just 43.5% from the field and hit 21 of their 41 free-throw attempts. Head coach Roy Williams also wasn’t happy about a lack of defensive intensity and benched his starters for a spell in the second half. If the Tar Heels don’t learn that their offense can’t carry them throughout the season, they’re going to wind up with an embarrassingly early exit in the NCAA Tournament.

North Carolina should be the favorites at home in this non-conference affair, but Texas has owned this series as of late, going 4-0 SU and ATS against the Tar Heels since 1995, and three of those meetings have taken place since 2004. North Carolina ranks third in the country in points scored, while Texas is ranked 18th, so there will be no shortage of points, but the Tar Heels have to impose themselves defensively on this game, which is something they should be able to do with John Henson and Tyler Zeller inside. We just don’t know if they can do that, which is why North Carolina is a good play for an outright win, but the online betting spread is risky.

As far as Xavier and Cincinnati go, Athletic 10 coordinator of officials Reggie Greenwood has endorsed the way that the referees held the game, even though both coaches have argued that technical fouls for trash-talking could have prevented the fallout from what happened. However, with the animosity that had already built up between these two programs before the game even got underway, there were those that felt that this was an inevitable next step, with one blogger that covers the two teams even projecting that the heated rivalry would ignite to blows with the light of a single match. That match was lit with Xavier leading 76-53 with the time clock ticking down late in the fourth, and the fact of the matter is that it could be seen coming from a mile away. The behavior by the players involved, particularly the one that landed that pathetic cheap shot on the guy trying to break up the fight, was absolutely appalling and should merit suspension. The fact that it has gotten to this level with these players calling themselves “gangsters” is an absolute joke and embarrassment to both programs, and it was refreshing to see the coaches address it the way they did after the game. From the perspective of the pay head bookies, this will change a few things in the outlook for both teams following the suspensions, and the truth is that Xavier and Cincinnati should be avoided if possible based on the fact that it is hard to project how both teams will react.

Meanwhile, there were fans that were shocked this past weekend when both the No. 1 and 2 teams listed at the top of the college basketball betting rankings both lost, with the Kentucky Wildcats dropping its first loss to fall two spots to No. 3, while the Ohio State Buckeyes remained at No. 2 despite a loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes. While some were surprised, it’s easy to forget that it is still early on in the year, and really anything can happen when you think about how easily the momentum of a game can sway under the right circumstances. Look for both Ohio State and Kentucky to bounce back with big wins in their next games as both should be listed as big favorites, and looking to prove that this past weekend’s loss was simply an aberration as basketball begins to steal the spotlight before going back under the radar this NCAA football bowl season.

Arizona Florida Odds – Wednesday, 7:00 PM ET

The Wildcats (6-2) didn’t play their best game, but they still came away with a win after a 53-39 victory at home over Northern Arizona and Wagerweb reviews of this game would tell you that it was an ugly encounter. Solomon Hill dropped 15 points and added seven boards for the Wildcats, who shot just 42.2% from the field, but they held the Lumberjacks to 37.2% and Northern Arizona were just 2-of-5 from the foul line, while Arizona was 6-of-10. The Wildcats have a different identity this year and those who use bookie software may not know what to think about them now that Derrick Williams is in the NBA, but Hill is a solid forward for the college hoops game. However, Arizona is hitting just 42.5% of their shots.

The No.15 Gators (5-2) fell 72-68 at then-No.3 Syracuse, and you could say that they lost it at the foul line, where they were only 7-of-11, while the Orangemen were 17-of-21. Kenny Boynton poured in 22 points, while Erving Walker hit 17 points for the Gators, who actually shot a better percentage from the floor than Syracuse, a huge achievement against the 2-3 zone, but Florida was outrebounded 34-27 and they committed 20 turnovers to 14 for the Orangemen. Florida has now lost at Ohio State and Syracuse, two extremely tough places to play, and it can only help them in the long run, according to bookies that use price per head companies.

Florida should be favored at home against the Wildcats, who are 1-1 SU and ATS against the Gators, with both games going under the posted total. Florida lost by four points at home in 2001, but they won by a point in Tucson in 2003, so the home team has had troubles in this series. We expect Florida to break that trend on Wednesday night as they have one of the best backcourts in the country in Boynton and Walker, although they will have to deal with Hill in the post, where Arizona has the biggest advantage. But the Wildcats just aren’t as dangerous without Williams and that means the Gators should be able to press the Arizona guards into making mistakes. You should take the Florida Gators to cover in your college basketball betting picks.

Considering that the Rebels were playing a game that to them was as much about proving they belonged as it was getting the final result in front of their home fans, while for North Carolina this was a stop in Las Vegas that could easily be full of distractions, it becomes a little easier to figure out what happened along the way. The Tar Heels were that team a year ago when they got the chance to beat the conference rival Duke Blue Devils for the chance to move ahead of them late in the ACC season. But now as the favorites with an absolutely loaded team, they allowed themselves to become the hunted rather than remain hunters. UNLV approached this game as though it was the last they would play this year, while the Tar Heels took it as just another insignificant pay head trip.

While the 5 dimes reviews game was significant in terms of the overall rankings, which pushed UNC back to fifth overall while allowing the Kentucky Wildcats to rise up as the undisputed No. 1. However, the Tar Heels won’t have to wait long for their shot at redemption, as they prepare for a showdown at Kentucky this Saturday that will have major implications on their early season outlook. Unlike their loss to UNLV when UNC was caught as the less focused and less prepared team, the Tar Heels can now regroup and get into the mindset of the hunters rather than the hunted.

With Harrison Barnes and John Henson leading the way, North Carolina has the talent to put up points with the best of them, but they need to play focused basketball to have a chance against the top teams in the nation. The Tar Heels rank third in assists per game and fifth in average points, and if they can work hard down low in their own end they should be able to handle the Kentucky offense. This Saturday’s matchup will be one of the early marquee contests, so it will be important for Williams’ squad to get back to the way they were performing when they swept their first five games, if not better as all NCAA basketball betting eyes will be on the Rupp Arena this weekend.