2005 Stats
College Basketball Betting Lines
| Straight up | 8-20 overall, 4-10 conference, 5th Sun Belt East
|
| Against the spread | 10-14 (4-6 home, 6-7 away)
|
| Over/Under | 15-9 (5-5 home, 9-4 away)
|
| Offensive Rank | 306th
|
| Defensive Rank | 185th
|
2005 Season Summary
The Florida International Golden Panthers finished the 2004-05 season with a record of 13-17 straight up, which included a Sun Belt Conference record of 4-10, placing them in fifth and last place in the East Division of the league.
Against the spread, however, the Golden Panthers fared far better as they went 14-11 against the board, as they got the cash in five of their final eight games. The Golden Panthers made the third round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament before losing to Louisiana-Lafayette 69-80 as 10-point dogs to end their run.
Florida International was something of a college basketball “expansion team” that had just recently graduated to the division 1-A level, which was one of the reasons why their performance on the board exceeded their performance on the hardwood as they were unknown by the college basketball gambling masses and not respected much by those who did have a familiarity with them.
The open question as Florida International entered the 2005-06 season was whether or not they would retain board value as an anonymous value or if they would begin to lose traction and value against the board.
A difficult read early on
Florida International opened the 2005-06 season with a 51-64 loss at Hofstra as 12.5-point dogs. That was then followed by a pair of unlined games starting with a 71-61 home win over Central Connecticut State, which was then followed by a 56-69 loss at Florida A&M.
Back on the board at home against South Florida, the Golden Panthers scored a 69-64 overtime win and cover as 3-point chalks. That was then followed by another unlined home game, which was a 72-54 Golden Panther win over Florida Tech as Florida International was a difficult read early on for gamblers as they stood at 3-2 straight up and 1-1 against the college basketball gambling lines.
Red ink began to flow
The college basketball gambling public would begin to get a better read on Florida International beginning with their 45-70 loss at George Washington as 20.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 47-81 loss at Notre Dame as 15-point dogs and then a 58-85 loss at Michigan State as 22-point dogs as the red ink began to flow.
After a 61-70 overtime loss at La Salle as 14.5-point dogs for a payoff, the Golden Panthers resumed bleeding red ink with a 65-69 overtime home loss to St. Bonaventure as 4.5-point chalks. The Golden Panthers continued to struggle with a 57-74 home loss to Cal State Fullerton as 1.5-point dogs.
After a 60-72 loss cover at DePaul as 15.5-point dogs, the Golden Panthers went back into the tank with a 53-55 home loss to Arkansas-Little Rock as 2-point chalks. That was then followed by a 71-81 home loss to Arkansas State as 2-point chalks. After an 81-90 loss at North Texas as 9.5-point dogs, the Golden Panthers were crushed 55-80 at Denver as 11.5-point dogs for an eighth loss against the board in eleven games.
Unwanted bargain values
Florida Atlantic was one of the least appealing teams on the college basketball betting boards as they entered the heart of Sun Belt Conference play, which enhanced their board value as a result beginning with a 61-52 win at New Orleans as 7-point dogs. That was then followed by a 55-50-home win over Louisiana-Lafayette as 2.5-point dogs. The Golden Panthers remained unwanted bargain values with a 61-66 home loss/cover against Western Kentucky as 7.5-point dogs.
After a brief blip in the form of a 64-66 home loss to Middle Tennessee State as 1.5-point dogs, the Golden Panthers got back on track with three straight covers beginning with a win at Arkansas-Little Rock, an OT loss at Arkansas State, and a home win over Troy, which was their sixth payoff in seven games. From there however, they limped home with a mark of 0-4 both SU&ATS versus South Alabama, at Western Kentucky, at Middle Tennessee State and in the Sun Belt tourney against New Orleans.