Niagara, in fact, gushed red ink for most of the year after getting the cash in seven of their first eight games as they then went on to lose in ten of their next eleven games.
The Purple Eagles did end up with a rare bid in the NCAA tournament where they lost 67-84 to Oklahoma as 11-point dogs.
Metro fortunes were often fickle
As has been proven time and again, a team’s board value can change rapidly in the Metro Atlantic as there are many worst to first stories through its history, as well as most mid major conference. That fact that metro fortunes were often fickle meant that it was highly possible for Niagara to not have nearly as good of a record on the court but actually do better against the board.
Quick profit
Niagara opened the 2005-06 season with a 71-56 win at Binghamton in an unlined game. That was followed by a 101-88 home win over St. Bonaventure as 10.5-point chalks and then a 61-67 loss/cover at St. John’s as a 9.5-point dog for a quick profit of 2-0 against the college basketball betting board.
More of the same
The Purple Eagles next game was off the board and it was a 63-66 home loss to Bucknell.
From there it was a case of more of the same from last year as Niagara lost at home to Buffalo 59-68 as a 2-point chalk. That was followed by a 75-76 home loss to Siena as an 8.5-point chalk. Next was an 84-87 overtime loss to St. Peter’s as a 6-point chalk and then a 59-80 loss at Notre Dame as 14-point dogs. The bleeding finally stopped with a 79-70 win at Appalachian State as 1.5-point chalks.
Red Ink resumed gushing
Niagara couldn’t sustain success however as they suffered a blowout loss to Troy 71-87 as 6-point neutral court chalks. That was followed by a 70-82 loss at Loyola-Maryland as 3-point dogs as the red ink resumed gushing.
Things got worse at Iona in a 55-73 blowout loss as 9.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 78-73 home loss to Fairfield as 6.5-point chalks. Even wins didn’t pay off for the Purple Eagles as they failed to get the cash in a 75-72 home win over Loyola-Maryland.
Niagara applied a band aid to the cancer with a 93-84 win at Canisius but it couldn’t stop the bleeding as the Purple Eagles next lost at Rider 70-78 as 1-point dogs and then at St. Peter’s 59-79 as 3-point dogs. In all, Niagara had lost eleven of their last thirteen games against the college basketball gambling lines.
Bargain values
It is hard to think of a team more undesirable than Niagara, and with that came the fact that they were to become much more valuable on the board as a result, and would be getting better odds than warranted since the college basketball betting masses would be in opposition to them.
Niagara got a payoff at home against Iona 69-71 as 4.5-point dogs in overtime. Next was an 84-70 home win over Rider as 4.5-point chalks. The Purple Eagles got a third straight payoff with a 67-51 win at Manhattan as 10.5-point dogs for a third straight payoff as bargain values. The streak ended with a 64-68 loss at Fairfield as 3-point dogs. After a 79-72 win/push at home over Canisius the Purple Eagles beat Marist 88-82 as 1.5-point dogs for their final straight up win of the season.
Niagara went 0-4 SU and 1-2-1 ATS to finish the regular season and then went 1-1 both SU and ATS in the MAAC tournament to end the year 6-4-2 ATS.