Surging Irish set sights on Panthers in tournament play
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
03/11/2010 -
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After a surprising regular-season showing, the
16th-ranked and second-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers now begin their run in the
Big East Tournament tonight against the seventh-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden. The victor of this
contest moves on to the semifinals versus Cincinnati or West Virginia on
Friday.
Picked to finish ninth in the Big East preseason poll, Pitt defied all odds
and overcame a lack of experience for a second place showing at 13-5. The
Panthers, who lost a majority of their production from a season ago, also won
24 regular-season games and moved into the Top 25 for the second part of the
campaign. Winners of three straight and eight of their last nine games, the
Panthers are now ready for another successful run in the postseason. Since
2000-01, Pitt has won a conference-high 19 games in the Big East Tournament,
marching its way to seven of the last nine titles games. The team took home
two titles during the stretch, with the most recent coming in 2008.
As for the Irish, they continued their late charge last night with a 68-56
besting of 10th-seeded Seton Hall in second-round play. It was the fifth
straight victory for ND, which may have just locked up a spot in the NCAA
Tournament with last night's performance.
ND's current winning streak start with a 68-53 upset of Pittsburgh on February
24th and that victory tied the all-time series at 27-27 between the programs.
Luke Harangody looked like himself last night, recording a double-double of 20
points and 10 rebounds to lift ND past Seton Hall. Harangody, who missed five
of the last six games of the regular season with a bruised right knee, made 9-
of-15 field goals for the game. ND continued its defensive improvement,
holding Seton Hall to 56 points and a dismal 34.5 percent shooting performance
from the floor. The Irish have now held five straight opponents to 64 points
or fewer and that is remarkable accomplishment for a team that allowed over
71.0 ppg in conference play this season. The newly found stingy defense, mixed
with a healthy Harangody, who averages 23.2 ppg and 9.7 rpg, makes ND a real
threat for the title. Of course the Irish have other players to rely on, as
Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough averaged 17.2 and 12.0 ppg, respectively,
during the regular season.
Pitt's success this season is due in large part to the emergence of Ashton
Gibbs, who earned the Big East's Most Improved Player Award. After averaging
just 4.3 ppg as a freshman last season, Gibbs paced the Panthers with an
average of 16.2 ppg this campaign. A second-team All-Big East selection, Gibbs
is extremely accurate at the foul line (.890 percent) and he also shoots 40.4
percent from three-point range. Brad Wanamaker, a jack of all trades, adds
12.0 ppg and 5.7 rpg, to go along with a team-high 4.7 apg for the Panthers.
Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown tack on 10.7 ppg apiece for Pitt, which has
done a nice job holding foes to 61.7 ppg and 39.8 percent shooting from the
field.
<< Wildcats and Golden Eagles square off in Big East Tourney
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two teams that have a history of playing close
games meet in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Tournament today, as the
fifth-seeded Marquette Golden Eagles battle the fourth-seeded and 10th-ranked
Villanova
<< Orange and Hoyas clash in Big East quarterfinals
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The third-ranked and top-seeded Syracuse
Orange make their much anticipated debut in the Big East Tournament today, as
they lock up with the 22nd-ranked and eighth-seeded Georgetown Hoyas in the
quarterfinals at
<< Mountaineers and Bearcats collide in quarterfinal action
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The third-seeded and seventh-ranked West
Virginia Mountaineers begin their march towards a Big East Tournament title
tonight, as they face off against the 11th-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats in the
quarterfinals at M
<< Cornhuskers battle Red Raiders in Big 12 Tournament action
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 23rd-ranked Texas A&M Aggies are the
fourth-seeded team in the Big 12 Conference Tournament, and they will play a
quarterfinal-round game against the surprising 12th-seeded Nebraska
Cornhuskers today.
<< Vols open SEC Tournament against hapless Tigers
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 15th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers are set
to take on the LSU Tigers in the first round of the 2010 SEC Tournament.
The winner of this contest will move on to face Ole Miss, the West Division's
second seed,
Thrashers try to end slide in Columbus >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Thrashers will be out to halt a poorly-timed
three-game losing streak in tonight's matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets
from Nationwide Arena.
Atlanta had put itself in the Eastern Conference playoff mix with
Report: Roberts out at St. John's >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Norm Roberts is reportedly out as head coach
at St. John's after six seasons with the Red Storm.
The New York Post cited sources within the university as saying Roberts won't
be back for the 2010-11 season.
Habs hope to stay hot against Oilers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens continue their push for a postseason
berth when the surging club continues its current homestand with tonight's
bout against the Edmonton Oilers from the Bell Centre.
Montreal has won its last three
Golf Tidbits: Where has Stuart Appleby's game gone? >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Once the top-ranked Australian in the
world, Stuart Appleby has plummeted in the world rankings as his winless
streak stretches into its fourth season.
Appleby owns eight PGA Tour titles, including three s
Blazers hit the road to Golden State >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hoping to keep their playoff aspirations alive, the
Portland Trail Blazers will hit the road for back-to-back games starting with
tonight's showdown against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena.
Portland is e
NFL Sports Betting
NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North.
Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.
Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.
There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.
Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.
Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.
The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash. NFL Betting
To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).
Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.
A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.
Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.
"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.
De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.
The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.
The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.
De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.
Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.
But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.
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