Boxing Day College Hoops – #5 West Virginia at Seton Hall

The Big East is routinely college basketball’s best conference, and two of the conference’s best teams will kick off another Big East season Saturday, when the No. 5 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers travel to New Jersey to take on the Seton Hall Pirates.

Seton Hall enters this game desperate to prove themselves on a national stage and are looking to make their first NCAA Tournament since the early part of the 2000’s. The Pirates are the second highest scoring team in college basketball, averaging 88.5 points per game. Pretty impressively, they’ve got seven players averaging at least eight points per game. Their best player very well could be New Mexico State transfer Herb Pope, who has averaged 14 points and almost 12 rebounds a game this year. Also, Keon Lawrence, another transfer just became eligible, and is averaging eight points per game. Expect that number to rise as the season goes on.

Here are some NCAA basketball betting trends which may impact this game:

• Seton Hall: 8-1 SU in their last 9 home games
• Seton Hall: The total has gone OVER in their last 5 games against West Virginia
• West Virginia: 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
• West Virginia: 7-0 SU as favorites

And while Seton Hall likes to win by outscoring you, West Virginia is just the opposite, and wins games with great defense. They are currently ranked third in college basketball, holding opponents to just 29 rebounds per game, and rank 16th in scoring defense, allowing just 58 points per game.

Offensively, they are deep, especially in the frontcourt. Da’Sean Butler, Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones all start and all average double figures. Jones and Ebanks are tied for the team lead as both average 7.4 rebounds per game. In the backcourt, Darryl “Truck,” Bryant initiates the offense, and is averaging a team high 3.9 assists.

In this game, expect the team that can best exert their will to win. Will Seton Hall be able to turn this up-tempo, or West Virginia into a half court affair? My guess is, go with West Virginia.

There’s a reason the Mountaineers are ranked No. 5, they’re that good. They’ve already beaten several ranked teams this season, including No. 21 Ole Miss on Wednesday. West Virginia held the Rebels to 66 points, well below their season average of 85.

With a similar team like Seton Hall looking to push tempo, expect West Virginia to put the clamps down. And the combination of Ebanks- a future NBA lottery pick- Jones, and Butler down low, will be too much for the Pirates.

Take West Virginia, in these college basketball betting odds.

Aaron’s Pick: West Virginia by 8