The Cleveland State Vikings were coming off a debacle of a 2004-05 season with a record of 9-17 straight up and 8-14 against the college basketball betting lines. The Vikings took the final six games of the season off with an 0-6 mark both straight up and against the spread to end the year in disgrace and as one of the most unappealing teams on the college basketball betting board. Along the way the Vikings had pointspread losing streaks of three, three and then that final six of the season, marking them as one of the worst bets on the board, (unless you opposed them!).
Bargain value potential
As bad as the 2004-05 season was for Cleveland State, the very results were reason for gamblers to think about potential optimism. As a horrific mid major team operating in virtual anonymity, the Vikings would easily be overlooked, if not outright targeted for opposition. Chances were there that Cleveland State would be in games in which they would end up as a value-added team that was getting better odds than what was actually merited.
Typical Start
Cleveland State opened the 2005-06 season with an unlined home loss to Florida A&M by a score of 66-68. That was followed by a 55-112 blowout debacle at defending national champion North Carolina as an 18.5-point dog. It was a typical start for Cleveland State of 0-2 straight up and 0-1 against the spread.
Brief burst
Cleveland State next scored their first straight up win of the season with an unlined 76-43 home win over Rochester College. That was followed by a 56-43 win over Central Michigan as 3.5-point chalks for their first payoff of the season. Next was a 68-83 win at Kent State as 16-point dogs followed by a discouraging unlined home loss to Albany 65-78. Cleveland State then got back on track with a nice 75-83 loss/cover at Michigan State as 26.5-point dogs for a brief burst in which they earned three straight payoffs against the sportsbooks.
Cleveland State Vikings Brief dip
Cleveland State was off the board for their next two games, both straight up home wins over Utah Valley State, (70-69 in overtime), and John Carroll, (84-53).
Back on the board at home against Loyola Chicago, the Vikings lost 60-77 as 5-point home dogs. After a 68-75 loss/cover at Wisconsin Milwaukee as 21.5-point dogs, Cleveland State failed again to get the cash with a 55-58 home loss to Wright State as 2-point dogs for a brief dip against the board of 1-2.
Back in black
As earlier outlined in this review, teams that become as unappealing as Cleveland State can often be transformed into bargain values, which is what happened to the Vikings starting with a 59-53 overtime home win over Detroit as 3.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 63-50 win at Youngstown State as 7.5-point dogs.
After a brief slip up at home against Akron in a 50-62 loss as 8.5-point dogs, the Vikings got back on track with an 87-83 win at Illinois Chicago as 9-point dogs. That was followed by a 66-63 win at Wisconsin Green Bay as 4.5-point dogs and then a 51-55 home loss to Butler as 5-point dogs for a fifth payoff in six games.
Cleveland State Vikings Depleted value
The strong run against the board caused Cleveland State to suffer from depleted value, however, as more gamblers wanted a piece of the action.
The Vikings problems began with a 63-68 home loss to Youngstown State as 4-point chalks which was followed by a 73-84 loss at Detroit as 7.5-point dogs. After a brief respite in the form of a 75-81 loss/cover at Loyola Chicago as 9-point dogs, the Vikings lost their next two games SU&ATS at Bulter and at home to UW Milwaukee. They ended the regular season with back-to-back SU&ATS wins at Wright State and at home over Delaware before losing two consecutive SU&ATS at home vs. Illinois Chicago and UW Green Bay before losing in the tourney SU&ATS to Detroit.