Delaware Blue Hens

College Basketball Betting Lines

2005 Stats

2005 Season Summary

Like many other teams in the Colonial Athletic Association the Delaware Blue Hens would start off with a nondescript preseason schedule in the hopes of building up their record and confidence heading into the heart of the Colonial Athletic Association schedule.

Alarming start

Delaware began the season with a 77-57 neutral court win over the Citadel as 6.5-point chalks. This was followed by an unlined win, also on a neutral court, over Stetson. But from there, the 20 Blue Hens would suffer an alarming start that would turn off their fans and gamblers alike, as they gushed red ink.

Delaware’s problems began with a 72-99 loss at Georgia State as 2-point chalks. That was followed by a 48-64 loss at Marist as 3.5-point dogs. The alarm bells really began to ring in Delaware’s next game, an 84-85 unlined loss at MD Baltimore.

Back on the board, the Blue Hens fared no better as they lost 65-79 at Hofstra as 12-point dogs and then suffered an 84-89 loss at Rider as 4-point dogs for their fourth consecutive loss against the board.

At this point the Blue Hens had succeeded in turning off the college basketball gambling public, which would serve to enhance their value on the board since they were unwanted. The first signs of their value were revealed in an 89-77 win over NC Greensboro as 5-point home chalks. This was followed by an unlined home win over Central Connecticut State.

Just when one may have started to believe in Delaware again, however, they dropped back to back games both straight up and against the spread to Loyola-Maryland and NC Wilmington to extend their overall streak of six losses against the spread in their last seven games.

Bargain Values

Few college basketball teams had less appeal with the gambling public than Delaware, which of course meant that few teams were more valuable on the board. In fact, Delaware was actually more of a “go against” team that the public was quick to wager against due to their poor start. And as is always the case in sports gambling, when the public doesn’t want something bargain hunters will take those extra points and increased value.

Colonial Athletic Association play was not in full swing and the Blue Hens covered two straight games, both of which were straight up losses, at George Mason and at Northeastern, which was a clear indicator of their status as bargain values.

After a 92-96 home loss to Towson in then role of a 6-point chalk, Delaware got the cash again in a 95-68 win over James Madison as 9-point chalks. The Blue Hens next covered two more games as dogs in straight up losses at Drexel and at home against Virginia Commonwealth.

They next scored an upset win and cover at Towson 76-61 as 2.5-point dogs and then covered a 52-57 loss at home to George Mason as 9-point dogs for their fifth consecutive cover and seventh in eight games.

Secret was out

Delaware had now reached a point in which more and more gamblers had discovered their board value and their ability to cover the number as a dog. This served to increasingly deplete their value as the secret was out.

The Blue Hens dropped three straight games both straight up and against the spread against Hofstra, at James Madison, and at NC Wilmington.

They stopped the bleeding temporarily with back to back surprise/upset wins and covers at home over Drexel and at William & Mary. The regular season ended, however, with three consecutive losses both SU&ATS at Cleveland State and then at home against Northeastern and Old Dominion.

Riding a 2-6 run ATS heading into the CAA tourney, the Blue Hens scored an upset win and cover over Drexel before a loss/cover vs. NC Wilmington.