Bulls charge into D.C. to take on 14th-ranked Hoyas
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
02/04/2012 -
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the postseason rapidly approaching, a
pair of Big East Conference teams hoping to improve their prospects meet in
the nation's capital this morning, as the South Florida Bulls take on the
14th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas.
USF comes in at 13-9 on the year, but the Bulls have charged hard through the
bulk of its conference slate, logging a solid 6-3 mark thus far. The team has
won four of its last five games, including an 81-78 decision at home over
Providence last Sunday. That said, the Bulls have been an entirely different
team in Tampa (11-1) than they've been on the road (2-6, 2-8 when you add in a
pair of neutral-site affairs). They have split their last four road bouts
though, so there is some reason for optimism today.
Georgetown has won 17 of its first 21 games this season, and the team is 7-3
against Big East competition. The Hoyas have won four of their last five as
well, with their most recent victory coming in a 58-44 defensive battle
against visiting Connecticut on Wednesday. Like USF, Georgetown has been
dominant at home, sporting an 11-1 mark to this point, and the club has won
two straight in D.C. following a 68-64 setback versus Cincinnati on January 9.
Georgetown has won seven of the previous 10 meetings in the all-time series
with South Florida, which includes a 61-55 decision in the Sunshine State last
season.
USF had five players score in double figures in the recent win over
Providence, and the Bulls needed every point they could muster. Anthony
Collins and Hugh Robertson scored 15 points apiece to pace the home team,
which got 14 points from Ron Anderson, Jr., 13 from Toarlyn Fitzpatrick and 11
from Augustus Gilchrist. As a team, South Florida shot 50.9 percent from the
field and hit 6-of-13 three-point attempts along the way. Both teams took
exceptional care of the basketball, combining for only 13 turnovers. Gilchrist
(10.7 ppg) is the only active player averaging double digits in the scoring
column, and he is the only current starter netting more than 8.7 ppg. As a
team, the Bulls are putting up just 62.1 ppg on 44.2 percent field goal
efficiency and 70.7 percent from the foul line, while at the same time
allowing a mere 59.0 ppg on typical shooting outputs of 40.7 percent overall
and 30.8 percent from beyond the arc. A +3.2 rebounding margin also helps the
cause.
Hollis Thompson scored 18 points as one of three Hoyas to reach double figures
in the recent win over UConn, as the home team made just 21 baskets in the
game, but permitted the visitors a paltry 18. Thompson added nine rebounds to
his solid stat line, while Henry Sims tallied 13 points despite committing
seven of GU's 15 turnovers, and Jason Clark chipped in with 11 points and five
boards. The Hoyas scored 11 points at the free-throw line compared to just six
for the Huskies, who were simply horrific in going 2-of-20 from beyond the
arc. Clark (15.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 39 steals), Thompson (14.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and
Sims (11.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 34 blocks) have been the most consistent
performers for Georgetown this season, but guys like Otto Porter (8.2 ppg, 6.8
rpg) and Markel Starks (8.0 ppg) have provided additional support when called
upon. Like their counterpart today, and as evidenced in the recent win over
UConn, the Hoyas have played exceptional defense this season in allowing just
59.2 ppg behind shooting efforts that come in at 39.4 percent overall and 27.9
percent from downtown. Offensively, the team nets 70.8 ppg in hitting 46.9
percent of its total shots and 36.2 percent of its three-point launches. Add
favorable margins in both rebounding (+4.8) and turnovers (+1.4), and it's
easy to see why the team is having such a successful season.
<< Minus Howard, Red Wings visit healthy Oilers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings seem to finally be hitting their
stride on the road, but they'll be without the league's leader in wins for the
rest of their swing.
Minus goaltender Jimmy Howard, the Red Wings look for their third s
<< Sharks, Coyotes engage in the desert
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Sharks aim to push their win streak to four
straight games this evening as they begin a tough stretch of road games with a
matchup against the Phoenix Coyotes.
The Sharks halted a three-game slide with a 1-0 w
<< Wild seek to hold off Stars in Dallas
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Wild are coming off one road victory over a team that
is chasing them in the Western Conference standings. Minnesota hopes for
similar results tonight, but to do that it will have to beat the Stars in
Dallas for the first
<< Blues, Preds clash in likely defensive battle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Blues have an All-Star goaltender who might
not even be his club's starter come playoff time.
The Nashville Predators are likely to start a netminder this evening who is on
the longest winning streak in club
<< Lightning wrap season series with Panthers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning could very well be chasing the
Florida Panthers for a playoff spot for the rest of the season, but tonight
will be the final time that they get to help their own cause in this series.
The two Southe
Ward, Hurricanes try to shut down Kings >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Hurricanes may be tied for the fewest points
in the Eastern Conference, but they showed again on Thursday that they can
still hang with the best the NHL has to offer.
Hoping to win two in a row for just the se
Tigers and Bulldogs square off Starkville >>
Starkville, MS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Meeting in the first of two games scheduled
over the next two weeks, the Auburn Tigers and Mississippi State Bulldogs
square off at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville this afternoon for an SEC
tussle.
Auburn i
Bluejays go in search of 12th straight win >>
Cedar Rapids, IA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 13th-ranked Creighton Bluejays take
aim at their 12th straight victory, as they fly into Cedar Rapids for today's
Missouri Valley Conference showdown with the Panthers of Northern Iowa.
Creighton picke
Hoosier State rivals square off in West Lafayette >>
West Lafayette, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of in-state rivals jockeying for
position in the competitive Big Ten Conference meet at Mackey Arena in West
Lafayette this evening, as the 20th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers tangle with the
Purdue Boilerm
Waves hope to crash down on 24th-ranked Bulldogs >>
Malibu, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - West Coast Conference foes meet in Malibu
tonight, as the 24th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs pay a visit to the Pepperdine
Waves.
Gonzaga was recently re-admitted into the AP Top-25 after winning four in a
row from J
MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds
With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.
Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season. Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money.
This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy. A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.
Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:
Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame)
Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma)
Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State)
Michael Bush (RB, Louisville)
Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia)
Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville)
Chris Leak (QB, Florida)
Mike Hart (RB, Michigan)
Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State)
Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame)
Drew Tate (QB, Iowa)
Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal)
Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn)
Chad Henne (QB, Michigan)
Kyle Wright (QB, Miami)
Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State)
Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama)
JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU)
Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State)
Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina)
Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech) |
5-2
7-2
7-1
10-1
10-1
12-1
12-1
18-1
18-1
20-1
30-1
35-1
35-1
40-1
50-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1 |
For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.
Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson
JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
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