Basketball Betting

Big East basketball odds – plenty of parity

Posted on 11/5/2008 4:13:25 PM By Washington Tucker

NCAA basketball betting: sizing up the Big East

• UConn, Notre Dame and Louisville are conference favorites
• Is Georgetown still a factor without Roy Hibbert?
• Can Pittsburgh bounce-back after a terrible regular season?

Big East basketball odds are as popular and wide open as they have been in years coming off of a season in which the Big East sent a conference-record eight teams to the tournament.

Connecticut (+250) leads the way for Big East basketball odds and, with Jim Calhoun still at the head of the program, the Huskies will be expected to win once again. With A.J. Price, Jeff Adrian and Hasheem Thabeet all returning the Huskies are easily the team to beat. Thabeet is the key – he was very raw last year but has the potential to help UConn become a factor in the March Madness odds – even for the championship.

While Connecticut headlines the Big East odds, Pittsburgh (+500) is a sexy pick to potentially unseat the Huskies, though they must prove last season was an aberration, not a trend. The Panthers were expected to be a real threat but endured their worst season in head coach Jamie Dixon’s six years with the program.

But the Panthers, even with a horrendous regular season, managed to win the Big East Championship and look to build on their last-season momentum with a deep squad this year.

There’s a small crew of powerhouses in the Big East, which are factoring in the Big East basketball odds. Connecticut and Pittsburgh headline the group but Louisville and Notre Dame are not far behind. But after this foursome the rest of Big East is a big mixed bag.

Louisville (+250) is always a challenger for Big East Championship odds with Rick Pitino on the bench. Louisville was short on talent last year but still had the best showing in the NCAA Tournament among Big East teams, which is a great sign. Four of five starters return and this is now a veteran team that can do some damage.

Sportsbook odds are making account for Notre Dame (+350) in the Big East odds and they are right in doing so. They lost only one starter and, with Luke Harangody back, anything is possible. Harangody might be the best big man in the conference and quite possibly the Big East Player of the Year when all is said and done.

WASHINGTON’S PICK: Notre Dame isn’t exactly a household brand name to online sports betting minds, which is why it isn’t perceived to be as good as Connecticut and Pittsburgh. But with so much experience and a little bit of value on the betting line, take a chance and bet on Notre Dame to win the conference.

For more unique insight into college basketball betting and analysis of the Big East basketball odds, check out Washington Tucker’s writing in the Betting Edge.

Washington Tucker was practically raised at Rucker Park. Though a freak knee injury cost him a major college basketball scholarship, his “sixth-sense” on the hardwood has translated into a spectacular career in basketball handicapping. Email Comments@BetOnline.com.