Monday College Basketball Betting – Two Bids Up for Grabs

Two of the better mid-major leagues will grab the spotlight on ESPN tonight as college basketball betting matchups between the Colonial Athletic Association and West Coast Conference’s top teams will decide the league titles.

In the CAA, Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth will go at it for 40 minutes to decide the conference winner, while in the WCC, perennial powers St. Mary’s and Gonzaga will face off.

Old Dominion and Gonzaga (as well as St. Mary’s) might have a chance to each grab an at-large bid even with a loss, but it’s going to be a razor-thin margin should it come down to that.

With so much at stake in both games, it’s the perfect time for college basketball fans to become officially indoctrinated into the Madness of 2011.

Who will come out on top tonight?

Gonzaga vs. St. Mary’s, 9 pm ET, ESPN:

Gonzaga is favored by -1 in this one over the defending champ St. Mary’s; the Gaels of course made an impressive run in last year’s tournament led by now-departed star center Omar Samhan.

But St. Mary’s still has star and leading scorer Mickey McConnell and other contributors from last year’s team and they finished first in the WCC, tied with the Bulldogs (or Zags depending on what you want to call them).

However, St. Mary’s lost 3 of their last 5 heading into the league tournament including overtime defeat to Gonzaga at home.

Meanwhile, Gonzaga was won 10 of 11 overall including the win over St. Mary’s and they are the more explosive team.

This will be another dogfight but Gonzaga has the momentum on their side in a close matchup between two high-octane offenses.

College basketball betting pick: Gonzaga

Virginia Commonwealth vs. Old Dominion, 7 pm ET, ESPN:

ODU, led by double-double machine Frank Hassell, is one of the better at-large mid-major teams with a record of 26-6 but they might have to win this game to get into the big dance.

Taking on an upstart VCU team with nothing to lose will be difficult to say the least for the #2 seed ODU, but the #4 seed Rams will be at a major, major disadvantage on the glass in this one.

ODU is favored by 4 ½ points going in and Hassell is a big reason why. Look for him to have a huge game and for the Monarchs to return to the dance, where they could be a deep sleeper team.

The Rams have a good backcourt led by Joey Rodriguez that has gotten hot at the right time, but the balance and cohesiveness of a superior ODU team will end their tourney run tonight.

College basketball betting pick: ODU