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03/09/2010 - Hot Springs, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The top-seeded Troy Trojans and the second- seeded North Texas Mean Green have advanced to the championship game of the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Tournament, and they will compete for an automatic bid to the "Big Dance" this evening.
North Texas squeaked by 10th-seeded UL-Monroe in the quarterfinal round by three points, and the Mean Green defeated Denver in the semifinals on Monday by a 63-56 final. That victory was the 10th in a row for the squad, which has improved to 23-8 overall. North Texas won its lone Sun Belt Conference championship in 2007.
As for Troy, it is riding a seven-game win streak that has enabled it to move to 20-11 overall, including 4-0 in neutral-site affairs. After a 12-point win over South Alabama in the quarterfinals, the Trojans managed to defeat Western Kentucky last night, 54-48. They are relative newcomers to the conference and failed to win the title in their previous four Sun Belt Tournament appearances.
The Mean Green beat the Trojans in a 75-72 final on the road in the only regular-season meeting between the two teams, and UNT owns a 5-2 advantage in the all-time series.
There are four double-digit scorers on the North Texas roster, and the team is averaging 74.5 ppg while permitting 69.6 ppg to opponents. Josh White leads the Mean Green with 15.0 ppg on 40.4 percent shooting from three-point range, and he has dished out 111 assists. Tristan Thompson provides 14.2 ppg on 41 percent accuracy from behind the arc, and Eric Tramiel checks in with 12.7 ppg. Rounding out the foursome is George Odufuwa with 11.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg, and he is a 61.4 percent shooter from the field. In last night's win over Denver, North Texas earned a 20-8 edge in points from the foul line and a 36-27 advantage on the boards. The Mean Green played tremendous defense, limiting the Pioneers to 38.9 percent shooting from the field.
Troy is generating 75.5 ppg this season while allowing 71.9 ppg to opponents. Brandon Hazzard leads the Trojans with 16.6 ppg, and Richard Delk provides 12.5 ppg. Michael Vogler brings 11.8 ppg to the mix, and Yamene Coleman rounds out the foursome of double-digit scorers with 10.1 ppg and 7.9 rpg. Vogler has dished out 170 assists to go along with 57 steals, and all four players mentioned have started every game this season. The same goes for Antywan Jones (8.8 ppg), and it is rare to see a team make it this far into the season with the exact same starting unit. Against Western Kentucky yesterday, Hazzard scored 17 points to lead a shaky offensive effort in which Troy shot just 37.5 percent from the floor. Fortunately, the Trojans were able to limit the Hilltoppers to 35.7 percent shooting.
<< Sixers, Pacers clash in Indy
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers finally got off the schneid with a
big win at Toronto this weekend, and hope that carries over into Tuesday's
road bout against the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Philadelphia was able to snap
<< Streaking Magic hope to make Clippers disappear
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The acquisition of Vince Carter has paid off so far for
Eastern Conference power Orlando, which will shoot for its sixth straight win
tonight versus the Los Angeles Clippers in the second test of a three-game
homestand at Amw
<< Rockets take fading playoff push to Washington
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The chances of the Houston Rockets making the playoffs are
fading like a flattop. Tonight they'll have to get past the Washington Wizards
at the Verizon Center and hope for some help around the league.
Houston is 4 1/2 gam
<< 2010 Conference USA Tournament Preview
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the first time in five years, someone
other than Memphis is the top seed in the Conference USA Tournament, as the
Texas-El Paso Miners won the regular-season title with a 15-1 finish. Winners
of 14 straig
IUPUI and Oakland collide for Summit League title >>
Sioux Falls, SD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The IUPUI Jaguars and the Oakland Golden
Grizzlies will battle tonight in the championship game of the Summit League
Tournament. The prize for the winner is an automatic bid to the NCAA
Tournament.
IUPUI,
Heat visit Bobcats in key Eastern Conference showdown >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dwyane Wade is doing everything he can to keep the Miami
Heat in playoff contention. But, first he has to figure out a way to beat the
Charlotte Bobcats when the two teams collide Tuesday in the Tar Heel State.
The Bobcats
Bruins hope to bolster playoff chances vs. Maple Leafs >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins will try to bolster their playoff hopes
when they visit the last-place Toronto Maple Leafs for tonight's clash between
Original Six clubs at Air Canada Centre.
The Bruins are currently holding onto the ei
2010 Big West Conference Tournament Preview >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 35th annual Big West Conference
Tournament will once again take place at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena
for a tenth straight season. The bottom four seeds of the eight-team field
will take part in fi
Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
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Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch
Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.
Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.
"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."
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