Cleveland State at Youngstown – Battle of Ohio

BetOnline NCAA Basketball Betting Odds: CLEVELAND STATE -10

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

* CSU has won eight of its last 11 games SU

* CSU has covered seven of its last ten games

* CSU has played its last four games OVER the total

* CSU has lost three of its last four road games SU

* CSU has covered six of its last nine road games

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

* YST has lost four of its last five games SU

* YST has played six of its last nine games OVER the total

* YST has lost four of its last six home games SU

* YST has played four of its last six home games UNDER the total

Also…

* CSU has won six of the last eight meetings SU

* CSU has covered five of the last six meetings

* CSU has played five of the last six meetings UNDER the total

* CSU has had the shooting edge in six of the last eight meetings

* CSU has had the rebounding edge in five of the last six meetings

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

Cleveland State either isn’t as good as advertised or is taking a while to get its engines revved up. The Vikings are coming off a disappointing week, where they lost to both Wisconsin-Green Bay and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in which they gave up 157 points; however, we know that this team was good enough to beat Syracuse in the Carrier Dome earlier in the season.

Cedric Jackson, who made the big game-winning shot against the ‘Cuse, has nonetheless had his offensive difficulties. The St. John’s transfer is averaging only 9.8 points and is shooting less than 35%; but he is doing a pretty good of leading this team on the floor (5.6 assists/game) and is averaging 2.8 steals. Jackson heads up four different CSU players who have registered at least one steal per contest.

Norris Cole, who didn’t play a lot last season, has picked up some of the offensive slack in the backcourt, and in a game like this, J’Nathan Bullock, who has averaged almost 19 points over the last six games, is going to come in handy. Youngstown State comes with no serious shot-blocking threat on the front line, nor with anyone in the starting lineup who is taller than 6’7".

There is a big difference in defense between these teams. Cleveland State is one of the best defensive teams in the conference, allowing opposing clubs to shoot just 39%. Youngstown State, on the other hand, has been wide open, surrendering 47% to opponents, and the Penguins have been taking some bad shots, hitting 27% and 33% in their own recent swing through Wisconsin.

We still have some faith in Cleveland State, whose record is a little deceiving with losses to Washington, Butler, Kansas State and West Virginia. Let’s lay the points with the Vikings, the 10-point favorite in the BetOnline NCAA basketball betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: CLEVELAND STATE -10 **

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetOnline Locker Room)