The Elon Phoenix University finished the 2004-05 season with a record of 8-23 straight up, which included a Southern Conference record of 5-11 as they finished fourth in the North Division.p
Elon played at a better pace against the college basketball gambling lines as they finished 13-16 against the spread. What was most impressive, however, was that the Phoenix covered eight of their final eleven games against the board, when they were one of the least desirable teams on the board, giving an excellent example of how college basketball betting value can often be found in the most unusual places.
Stumble out of the gate
Elon opened the 2005-06 season with an unlined 78-42 home win over Southeastern College. That was then followed by a 69-81 loss at Georgia Tech as 17 point bargain dogs. But from that cover, the Phoenix proceeded to basically stumble out of the gate.
Elon University next lost at home to NC-Wilmington 51-59 as 4-point home dogs and then lost an unlined home game to Indiana-Purdue 70-82 in overtime. Back on the board at Virginia Commonwealth, Elon University was clobbered 49-69 as 13-point dogs. That was followed by a 59-78 home loss to Wake Forest as 13.5-point dogs.
From there, Elon took three games off from the board and won an unlined 87-63 decision over Guilford. That was followed by a 71-73 unlined home loss to High Point and then a 57-58 unlined loss at Indiana-Purdue. Back on the board at Butler, Elon University scored a 40-86 debacle as 15-point dogs to start off 1-3 ATS.
Bargain values Elon Phoenix
At this point it would be hard to imagine a college basketball team with less overall appeal to the gambling public than Elon University. Not only were they a virtual unknown mid-major team coming off a horrific season, but they began 2005-06 in poor fashion and were not getting the cash. All of this transformed them into bargain values on the board beginning with a 67-68 loss at Buffalo as 14.5-point dogs.
Elon Phoenix then traveled to Wofford and scored a 64-61 win as 5.5-point dogs as they again proved to be excellent value-added pups. Back home against Appalachian State, the Phoenix scored a 65-59 win as 3.5-point home chalks. That was then followed by a 92-74 win at Chattanooga as 4-point dogs for a fifth consecutive payoff.
Receding
Covering five consecutive games against the college basketball gambling lines is about as good as it gets for a team such as Elon, and it didn’t take them long to begin receding starting with a 62-56 win over NC-Greensboro as 6.5-point chalks. That was then followed by an unlined home win over Montreat College.
Back on the board against Western Carolina, the Phoenix scored a 50-48 win as 5.5-point overlays. The bleeding stopped temporarily with an 81-77 overtime home win over Furman as 2-point chalks but then the red ink resumed flowing beginning with a 60-79 loss at Davidson as 12.5-point dogs.
Elon University’s problems continued with a 45-63 loss at Georgia Southern as 6.5-point dogs. That was then followed by a 73-62 home win over the Citadel as 14-point chalks. After a 76-69 home win over Charleston as 2-point dogs the Phoenix scored a 60-71 loss at Appalachian State as 3.5-point dogs.
Back in black Elon Phoenix
Elon Phoenix had covered just two of their last six games against the college basketball gambling lines as they entered the stretch drive of the season with a 69-61 home win over Chattanooga as 4-point chalks. That was then followed by a 78-85 overtime loss at Western Carolina as 4.5-point dogs. The regular season finale was an 87-82 win at NC-Greensboro as 2-point dogs to end back in black. The Phoenix scored a 1-1 SU and 0-0-2 ATS mark in the conference tourney.