The new college basketball season is closing in on the one-month mark, and the Big East has already made a pretty big splash in the national rankings with teams such as Villanova, Butler and St. Johns all making their way into the AP's current Top 25.

The cream of the crop so far has been the No. 7 Wildcats, who are off to a perfect 8-0 start straight up with a profitable 6-2 record against the spread on 5Dimes' closing betting odds for the games. They have also been a solid bet on the betting odds for the total with six of the eight games staying "under" the closing betting line.

Experience and balance have been the two keys to Villanova's early success. It has six players averaging eight or more points per game, led by Dylan Ennis's 12.9 points average. He is shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 46.5 percent from three-point range. The team, as a whole, is averaging 75.1 points a game while hitting 47.6 percent of its shots. The one area of concern could be under the boards with an average of just 35.6 rebounds a game.

Next up for the Wildcats is a Philadelphia Big 5 showdown against the AAC's Temple Owls this Sunday afternoon at home. They will then play host to the ACC's Syracuse Orange on Saturday, Dec. 20. The Owls are off to a 5-3 start SU, but they are just 1-6 this season ATS. The Orange have posted five SU wins in their first eight games, and they are an even 3-3 ATS.

The No. 15 Butler Bulldogs are making some early noise with a SU 8-1 start in their first nine games, and they are also a profitable 6-2 ATS on the year. Butler is 2-1 ATS as an underdog this season, including a big 64-58 victory over Georgetown as a 3.5-point road underdog in a rare early-season Big East conference matchup.

Kellen Dunham has been the big gun for the Bulldogs with a team-high 16.3 points a game. Both Roosevelt Jones and Kelan Martin are averaging above 10 points a game, and Kameron Woods leads the team in rebounds with 8.3 a game. Butler is scoring 74.2 points while shooting a respectable 46.7 percent from the floor.

The Bulldogs will be back in action on Sunday with a road game against the SEC's Tennessee Volunteers, who are off to a 3-3 SU start with a costly 0-5-1 record ATS.

St. John's rounds out the top three in the Big East at No. 24 with a 6-1 SU record in its first seven outings this year. The Red Storm are just 2-2-1 ATS in the five games that 5Dimes posted betting odds for, and the total has stayed under in three of the five games. Twice this season St. John's has failed to cover as a favorite in three tries.

The lone SU loss on the year came in a stunning 70-57 setback to Niagara earlier this month as a heavy 17-point home favorite. The Red Storm immediately bounced back with an impressive 69-57 victory over Syracuse as 6.5-point underdogs on the road. They are averaging 73.1 points while hitting a very pedestrian 42.9 percent from the floor, but St. John's is ranked 14^th in the nation in rebounds with 42.9 a game. Chris Obeka has led the way in that department with 9.6 boards a game.

If you are looking for a solid team to wager on in this conference, then take a closer look at the 7-1 Seton Hall Pirates. They are coming off their first SU loss of the season in a 77-68 setback to Wichita State on the road this past Tuesday, but after covering as 12.5-point underdogs, the Pirates improved to a perfect 7-0 ATS on the year. Xavier is another team that has provided a good return ATS at 6-3 while going 7-2 SU. The Musketeers are another Big East team that has been a good play on the total with six of eight games with posted betting odds going "over" the closing line.

Read more articles by Dave Schwab