Irish set sights on Golden Eagles
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
02/04/2012 - South Bend, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 15th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles continue their push towards the top of the Big East standings, as the begin a two-game road trip this afternoon, taking on a dangerous Notre Dame team at the Joyce Center.
Buzz Williams' Golden Eagles are soaring right now, winning seven straight games after losing back-to-back decisions to Georgetown and Syracuse in early January. The team is now sitting behind only the Orange (9-1) in the Big East standings at 8-2. Marquette's winning ways continued on Tuesday with a 66-59 win over Seton Hall.
Mike Brey's Irish have fought through some adversity this season with the loss of their top player (Tim Abromaitis), but have weathered the storm to remain in the hunt in conference play. The Irish are tied for fourth in the Big East at 6-3 and have won three straight games entering this contest, knocking off Syracuse, Seton Hall and most recently Connecticut (50-48).
The Irish hold a commanding 79-36 lead in the all-time series with the Golden Eagles, but Marquette has won six of the 10 meetings since joining the Big East in 2005.
Jae Crowder was the driving force in leading Marquette to its seventh straight win, as he tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds in the seven-point win over Seton Hall this week. Crowder, who was 6-of-11 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, got double-digit help from guards Vander Blue and Darius Johnson-Odom, who finished with 16 and 14 points, respectively.
One of the reasons for Marquette's win streak is its improved shooting of late. The number have improved the team's overall output, as the Golden Eagles are now averaging 76.1 ppg on a healthy .456 shooting. Johnson-Odum and Crowder are a potent one-two punch. Johnson-Odom ranks third in the Big East in scoring at 18.3 ppg. Crowder is seventh in the league at 16.6 ppg and leads Marquette in rebounding (7.6 rpg). The two present problems for the opposition out beyond the arc, combining for 95 of the team's 139 three-pointers to date. No one else is averaging double figures at this time, but Davante Gardner (9.8 ppg) and Todd Mayo (9.0 ppg) aren't far off the mark.
With Abromaitis going down early on, the Irish have had to scramble at the offensive end. There isn't a true go-to-guy now, but Brey has done a nice job getting the right players on the floor. Eric Atkins leads the team in scoring at 12.9 ppg and is actually shooting better from three-point range (.408) than overall (.400). Jerian Grant runs the offense and is both a solid scorer (12.7 ppg) and deft distributor (4.8 apg). Jack Cooley provides balance with his strong play down low. The 6-9 junior is averaging 10.7 ppg on nearly 60 percent shooting (.594) and leads the team and ranks seventh in the league in rebounding at 8.4 caroms per contest.
The Irish trailed by three points at the half against the defending national champs, but did what was needed after the break to scratch out a win in a low- scoring game. Notre Dame didn't shoot the ball particularly well at a mere .362 clip, but did knock down seven three-pointers compared to three for the Huskies. Atkins led the way with 13 points in the win. Grant finished with 11 points and six assists, with just one turnover in 38 minutes of work. Scott Martin chipped in with 10.
Columbia, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The most anticipated game in the Big 12 has finally arrived, as top-10 foes Kansas and Missouri collide in Columbia, with positioning atop the conference standings at stake. The eighth-ranked Jayhawks lead the
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Stillwater, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The sixth-ranked Baylor Bears will attempt
to stay within striking distance in the Big 12 Conference, as they invade
Stillwater this afternoon for a conference matchup with the Oklahoma State
Cowboys at Gallagh
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tonight, as the 24th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs pay a visit to the Pepperdine
Waves.
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the South Carolina Gamecocks at the Colonial Life Center.
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OVC action features 10th-ranked Racers at Skyhawks >>
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an Ohio Valley Conference battle with the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks.
This will be the
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Conference standings with 11th-ranked UNLV, the 17th-ranked San Diego State
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on the road this afternoon as they tangle with the Wyoming Cowboys at Arena
Auditorium in La
2007 NFL Football Betting Preview
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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