The Arkansas Little Rock Trojans completed the 2004-05 season with a record of 18-10 straight up, including a Sun Belt Conference mark of 10-4, which was good for a first place finish in the East Division.
The Trojans didn’t fare nearly as well on the board however, as they finished just 11-12 against the college basketball betting lines, as they failed to get the cash in seven of their final ten games of the season. The Trojans lost in the second round of the Sun Belt tournament to South Alabama, as they failed to earn an NIT berth.
Opened in the red
Arkansas Little Rock opened the 2005-06 season with a 65-75 loss at Appalachian State as 9.5-point dogs. They then took three games off from lined action starting with a 61-57 home win over Navy. That was then followed by a 73-54 home win over Texas State and then a 67-62 home win over John Brown.
Back on the board against Michigan State on a neutral court, the Trojans suffered a 67-72 loss but got the cash as value-added 20.5-point dogs. That was then followed by a 49-75 loss at Illinois as 21.5-point dogs and then a 68-60 home win over Bowling Green that the Trojans failed to cover as 8.5-point overlays. The Trojans then took another break from the board and scored a 72-54 unlined home win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
After a 78-63 home win and cover over Appalachian State as 5.5-point chalks, the Trojans went back into the tank beginning with a 42-67 blowout loss at Southern Illinois as 11-point dogs. That was then followed by a 44-76 blowout loss at Utah State as 16-point dogs and then a 73-72 neutral court win over Idaho State as 5-point overlays.
After a 55-53 win at Florida International as 2-point dogs, the Trojans scored a 70-74 home loss to Arkansas State as 4-point overlays as they opened in the red with a mark of 3-7 against the board.
Arkansas Little Rock Trojans Brief bargains
The slow start and rather anonymous status of Arkansas Little Rock helped to enhance their overall board value as Sun Belt Conference play heated up. The college basketball gambling public has proven to have little or no patience for mid-major teams such as the Trojans that cannot get the cash and this often transforms such teams into value-added teams on the board that deliver the cash when they are the least wanted.
Arkansas Little Rock began their run as brief bargains with a 70-74 loss/cover at Western Kentucky as 13-point dogs That was then followed by a 68-66 win at Middle Tennessee State as 7-point dogs for a second straight payoff. Next came a 69-60 home win over North Texas as 3.5-point chalks followed by a 62-52 home win over Denver as 3.5-point favorites and a fourth consecutive payoff.
Unable to sustain success
Just when it looked as if Arkansas Little Rock might begin a serious roll against the board, they proved that they were unable to sustain success or profits starting with a 66-78 loss at Arkansas State as 2-point dogs. That was then followed by a 58-65 home loss to South Alabama as 1-point home chalks. After a 73-66 win and cover at Troy as 5-point dogs, the Trojans problems resumed with a 55-58 home loss to Florida International as 8.5-point chalks for a third loss in four games against the college basketball gambling lines.
Arkansas Little Rock Trojans More of the same
Arkansas Little Rock stopped the bleeding with a 73-74 home loss/cover against Western Kentucky as 3.5-point dogs, but from there it was more of the same as the Trojans couldn’t gain traction against the board. The losses resumed beginning with a 58-68 home defeat at the hands of Middle Tennessee State as 3.5-point chalks. That was followed by a 60-69 loss at New Orleans as 1.5-point dogs and then a 59-69 home loss to Louisiana-Lafayette as 1-point home overlays to end the regular season.
The Trojans got a SU&ATS win over North Texas and then a SU&ATS loss to South Alabama in the Sun Belt tourney.