Ranked foes meet in Big Ten battle
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
02/09/2010 -
East Lansing, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans
will try to keep their slim hold on the top spot in the Big Ten tonight, as
they host the sixth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena.
After opening their Big Ten slate with nine consecutive wins, MSU was in
complete control and on its ways to a second straight Big Ten regular-season
crown. However, the Spartans were defeated in both of their outings last week,
including a 78-73 setback at Illinois on Saturday, and are now only one game
up in the standings. MSU is still a healthy 19-5 overall, including a perfect
13-0 at home, but there is no longer any margin for error.
One of the teams nipping at the heels of MSU is Purdue, which is 7-3 in
conference play. Since losing three straight, the Boilermakers have run off
five wins in a row, including a 78-75 besting of Indiana on Thursday. Purdue
is now a hardy 19-3 overall and is on its way to a fourth straight 20-win
campaign.
Purdue leads the all-time series with MSU, 62-44, and has taken three of the
past five meetings, although the Boilermakers haven't won in East Lansing
since 1998.
The Boilermakers knocked down 46.4 percent of their attempts from the floor
and 20-of-28 at the foul line, as they slipped past Indiana last week. Robbie
Hummel and JaJuan Johnson each scored 21 points in the win and they combined
for 16 rebounds and a 16-of-21 showing at the foul line. E'Twaun Moore tacked
on 14 points, as he remains the team's leading scorer on the season, averaging
17.2 ppg. Hummel adds 16.5 ppg and a team-best 7.2 rpg to the mix, while
Johnson contributes 14.4 ppg and 6.9 rpg.
The Spartans shot a sound 54.7 percent from the floor, but that still wasn't
enough to overcome 18 turnovers in an 78-73 loss at Illinois on Saturday.
Draymond Green paced the team in defeat with a double-double of 17 points and
16 rebounds, while Chris Allen had 15 points. The Spartans played their second
straight game without Kalin Lucas, as he continues to nurse a sprained right
ankle. Lucas, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, leads the team in both
scoring (15.6 ppg) and assists (4.0 apg), but is listed as questionable for
tonight. Durrell Summers and Raymar Morgan are both tied for second in scoring
at 10.8 ppg and they are also combining for 10.6 rpg. Green, a jack-of-all-
trades, adds 10.5 ppg to go along with 3.0 apg and a team-high 8.3 rpg.
<< Illini and Badgers square off in Big Ten brawl
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Illinois Fighting Illini carry a four-game
win streak into tonight's Big Ten Conference battle with the 11th-ranked
Wisconsin Badgers, who are tough to beat in Madison.
Illinois has quietly gotten itself in
<< Alabama visits Kentucky in SEC action
Lexington, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Alabama Crimson Tide invade Rupp Arena
this evening for an SEC clash with the third-ranked Kentucky Wildcats.
Alabama is a respectable 13-10 overall, but that record is overshadowed by a
3-6 mark versus l
<< Hoyas head north to battle Friars
Providence, RI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fresh off a statement victory, the
Georgetown Hoyas are slated to collide with the Providence Friars this evening
in a Big East Conference affair.
Georgetown had lost two of its previous three games heading
<< Berdych, Dent victorious in San Jose
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fifth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych and unseeded
American Taylor Dent were first-round winners Monday at the $600,000 SAP Open.
Dent topped fellow countryman Alex Bogomolov Jr, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) on the indoor
hardco
<< Mavs send Warriors to ninth straight loss; Ellis hurts knee
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Terry made 6-of-9 three-point tries,
finishing with a season-high 36 points, along with nine assists and six
rebounds, as Dallas took control in the fourth quarter in a 127-117 victory
over Go
Vols and 'Dores duke it out in pivotal SEC clash >>
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 12th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers will
take on the 22nd-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores this evening with an SEC battle
and state bragging rights on the line.
Tennessee has won its last three games to move to
Pacers, Bulls clash at Conseco Fieldhouse >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A Chicago Bulls squad that's struggled on the road for much
of this season will try to turn around its historic lack of success at
Indianapolis' Conseco Fieldhouse in tonight's Central Division clash with the
Indiana Pacers.
NBA's best meets worst as Cavs host Nets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The teams with the best and worst records in the NBA this
season will go head-to-head at Quicken Loans Arena tonight, where the
powerhouse Cleveland Cavaliers put an 11-game win streak on the line against
the downtrodden New
Sixers shoot for season-high 5th straight win vs. Wolves >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time Minnesota and Philadelphia got together the
Sixers blew a 20-point lead en route to an overtime loss. The 76ers will try
to maintain any sort of advantage tonight, when they try to extend their
season high winni
Skidding Heat host Rockets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat hope a return to south
Florida will cure their recent woes, as they try to halt a five-game losing
streak Tuesday versus the Houston Rockets at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Miami has fallen into a
MySportsbook.com: New College Football Clock Rules Examined
Coaches and bettors alike are desperate to make sense of the new time-keeping rules on the NCAA gridiron. One of the big stories to come out of the Ohio State-Texas clash last weekend was Texas coach Mack Brown's criticism of the NCAA's new clock rules that are intended to shorten the duration of college football games, therefore affecting college football betting.
"They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything," Brown told ESPN.com. "I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."
Sure, it might be sour grapes; the Buckeyes thoroughly trounced the defending national champion Longhorns 24-7. However, Brown isn't alone in giving the changes their due thought. Bettors are also wondering about them, albeit for a completely different reason. Most experts agree that the changes will result in games being shortened by anywhere from 10 to 20 plays. The obvious consequence is lower scores, with more time rolling off the clock during changes of possession. (The Ohio State-Texas game flew well under the total of 52.)
According to research at the online sportsbook MySportsbook.com, more than 18 plays a game disappeared last weekend into thin air. That's a 10-percent reduction. In 2005, a typical game had 168.58 plays. For 2007 already, it's down to 150.26.
As a result, teams combined to gain an average of about 100 fewer yards a game last weekend versus the 2005 openers. Scoring was also down by about 4.5 points (attention Las Vegas sports lines).
Of course, oddsmakers were able to adjust to the changes before the season started. Proof of that came as the over went a balanced 8-9 at My Sportsbook on Saturday.
Other angles to consider:A shorter game should theoretically result in shorter lines. Whereas Team A might have been a 14-point favorite in a 168-play game (last year), if there are 10 percent less snaps in 2007, the line should also be reduced by 10 percent (to 13 or 12.5). Of course, this is an over-simplification of the matter, but something to keep in mind.
Less possessions means a better chance the game will be decided by three or seven points. For example, what might have been a 20-10 final score in 2005 may end at
17-10 in 2007. Granted, a 24-17 game last year might end at 21-17 these days, but the former - a three- or seven-point advantage being preserved as opposed to created - is the most likely scenario.
*UPDATE* - Sept. 25, 2007
New Clock Rules Boon for online bookmakers
By adjusting the time-keeping rules to shorten the duration of college football games, the NCAA hoped to make its product more enjoyable for the fans. While the NCAA's success in this regard is still up for debate, bookmakers couldn't be happier with the results.
"We are seeing a massive jump in college football betting," noted the MySportsbook.com management team. "With all the early Saturday games (12 a.m. ET) ending before the second wave begins (3:30 p.m. ET) - something that didn't always happen before the changes - bettors are now able to re-invest their winnings from the morning session in the afternoon games."
While not all bettors will choose to roll over their winnings, it doesn't take much for an impact to be seen on the bottom line. "Not all of the millions of dollars in morning payouts get re-bet. In fact, it's probably only 10 to 20 percent," noted the sportsbook management team. "Still, the increased football betting lines window will create a ton of growth for us over the course of the season."
About MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker
Since opening in 1997, MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker has been a leader in Internet wagering, providing single account access for sports and casino play. This sportsbook has a revolutionary payment method, Direct Bank Transfer, gives players a faster and more secure transaction option for both deposits and withdrawals. This Internet Sportsbook takes pride in offering an aggressive VIP rewards program, along with seasonal reduced juice specials and high parlay payout odds. MySportsbook.com has set new standards in the sports betting industry, from their fantastic customer service, industry leading bonuses, extensive selection of wager types and props, to the fastest payouts anywhere... MySportsbook.com is America's Sportsbook! Open an account today at MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker, or call toll-free 1-866-238-6648
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Master Card needs.
|