College Basketball Picks: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

The Cincinnati Bearcats (13-2) will look to bounce back from their second loss of the 2012-13 NCAA basketball season, as they host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-1) Monday night at Fifth Third Arena, with the opening tip scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Sports bettors will find that the Bearcats are 3.5-point home favorites in the college basketball betting odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total is holding steady at 134.5 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at this Big East Conference showdown from a betting perspective, while offering an against-the-spread (ATS) pick along the way.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have won 11 games in a row, including a 93-74 victory over the Seton Hall Pirates as 10-point home favorites in their Big East Conference opener on Saturday.

Sports bettors will find that the Fighting Irish are 0-4 ATS as road underdogs of 3.5 to 6 points over the last two-plus seasons.

The Cincinnati Bearcats haven't lost three consecutive home games since 2007, as they look to bounce back from a 53-52 defeat to the St. John's Red Storm as 13.5-point favorites on Saturday.

Sports bettors may be turned off in backing the Bearcats due to their 1-5 ATS mark as home favorites of 3.5 to 6 points, but they've won nine of their last 12 games versus ranked opponents. 

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Cincinnati Bearcats as one of their college basketball picks, as I believe they'll win this game on the defensive end. They rank eighth nationally in field-goal percentage defense.

College Basketball Pick: Cincinnati Bearcats -3.5

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