Georgia State Panthers: The Hofstra Pride turned out to be yet another Colonial Athletic Association team that provided superb value to college basketball gamblers. Like many mid-major type programs, Hofstra continued to be overlooked, and underrated by the masses, who tend to focus and concentrate on the more popular “name brand” college basketball teams and conferences. Time and again through the years, many mid-major teams have proven to be outstanding board values as was the case with the Pride in 2005-06 as they were one of the most profitable teams that anyone could find on the college basketball betting board.
Quiet Beginnings
Hofstra started the season with three covers in their first four lined games as they went 4-1 straight up in that span. They got a high profile 64-51 win at St. John’s as a 5-point dog during this Georgia State Panthers segment.
After the hot start, however, Hofstra settled into more quiet beginnings with just one cover in their next three lined games along with three unlined straight up wins.
Emerged as a bargain value Georgia State Panthers
After that quiet interlude Hofstra began to kick their game into high gear both straight up and against the college basketball betting lines.
The streak began with a 71-70 win at La Salle as a 3-point road dog. That was followed by an impressive 87-66 blowout home win over James Madison as a 15.5-point chalk. Next was a 69-53 home win over Georgia State as 15-point home chalks. Hofstra next stubbed their toe with a 91-94 loss at Towson as 7.5-point overlays but got back on track with a pair of wins and covers, first at home over NC Wilmington 92-87 in overtime as 2-point chalks followed by a 76-68 win at Old Dominion as 8.5-point dogs for their fifth cover in six Georgia State Panthers games.
Value dip
Hofstra next suffered a bit of a value dip just as the college basketball betting masses began to check them out for their strong and profitable play in the season’s first half. As the Pride entered the heart of Colonial Athletic Association play they would prove to be over-valued more often than not with much of that being based on their strong start.
Hofstra first went through a stretch of games in which they went 3-1 straight up but just 1-3 against the spread. They lost at Northeastern 73-89 as a 2.5-point dog. Then they beat Towson 82-70 as a 14.5-point home overlay. That was followed by a 76-75 overtime win at Drexel as 4-point dogs and then a 65-63 home win over Old Dominion as 3-point chalks.
Hofstra next split two games against the spread, winning both straight up. The beat Northeastern 89-78 as a 6-point home chalk and then lost at NC Wilmington 68-77 as 7.5-point dogs to complete a stretch in which they went 6-2 straight up but just 3-5 against the spread in a clear demonstration of value depletion.
Lack of value continued Georgia State Panthers
Hofstra next won at Delaware 77-62 as a 3.5-point chalk but failed to get the cash in a 76-70 win at Georgia State as a 6.5-point chalk. This was followed by an 89-78 home win over Northeastern as 6-point chalks and then a 68-77 loss at NC Wilmington as 7.5-point dogs as their lack of value continued.
Bounceback
Hofstra’s inconsistent play against the college basketball betting board had lulled a lot of the gambling masses to sleep, which served to enhance their value at the end of the season.
The bounceback began with three consecutive wins both SU&ATS over Siena, at William & Mary, and George Mason before a regular season finale win over Drexel 70-68 as a 7-point overlay.
The bounceback continued in the post season as Hofstra went 4-2 both straight up and against the spread as they made it to the third round of the NIT before losing to Old Dominion.