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03/18/2010 - San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year, the Butler Bulldogs kick off first-round action of the 72nd annual event this afternoon against the Miners of Texas-El Paso at HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.
The good news for the Bulldogs is that they have all five starters back from last year's team which fell in the first round of the tourney against LSU, 75-71. Butler is playing in the event for the 10th time overall and is hoping to at least even its record in the tourney because as it stands now the squad is 8-9 since making its first appearance back in 1962.
The fifth-seeded Bulldogs ripped through the Horizon League yet again this season with a perfect record of 18-0 and are enjoying the longest win streak in the nation at a staggering 20 games. The most recent loss for the squad came back on December 22nd against UAB, another Conference USA program, by a score of 67-57 on the road.
As for the 12th-seeded Miners, the 1966 NCAA Champions back when they were known as Texas Western, they too are trying to even their record in the tourney (14-15) in this, their 17th appearance. UTEP won its first outright conference title in 23 years during 2009-10 as it finished an impressive 15-1 in Conference USA action and set a school record for the most wins in league play as a result.
The winner of this first-ever meeting will head to the second round of the tourney to face the winner of the Murray State/Vanderbilt contest on Saturday.
Under the direction of Tony Barbee, the 2010 C-USA Coach of the Year, the Miners not only put together one of the best offenses in the league, they also took care of opponents with a stingy defense that allowed foes to shoot just 39 percent from the field and tally 64.2 ppg. Randy Culpepper, the Conference USA Player of the Year who is now fourth on the school's all-time scoring list, knocked down a school-best 80 three-pointers on his way to posting 18.0 ppg. Derrick Caracter, an All-C-USA Second-Team selection, handled the action on the inside for the group with his 8.0 rpg and 13.8 ppg, shooting an impressive 55.6 percent from the floor when he wasn't sitting on the bench because of foul trouble. Jeremy Williams and Arnett Moultrie accounted for 10.1 ppg each, combining for better than 11 rebounds per contest, while Julyan Stone (6.1 ppg) sacrificed his own offense to set up teammates with his 173 assists in 32 starts.
Like the Miners, Butler is also big on defense, having limited opponents to just 60.0 ppg on 41.4 percent shooting from the floor and 30.9 percent beyond the arc this season. The squad is permitting just over 10 assists per contest, which means foes have had to create a lot of one-on-one play in order to get quality looks at the basket. Gordon Hayward is one of four players scoring in double figures with his 15.4 ppg, adding a team-best 8.5 rpg for a team that has managed to top the opposition on the glass by more than three rebounds per game this season. Shelvin Mack (13.9 ppg), Matt Howard (12.3 ppg) and Willie Veasley (10.3 ppg) have all been crucial pieces to a Butler puzzle that has generated 70.1 ppg. Hayward, a finalist for the Wooden Award this year, and Mack could have some inside information on one of the key players for the Miners, seeing as how they both played with Moultrie on the USA Men's Team at the FIBA U-19 World Championships last summer, but that also goes both ways because Moultrie can also use that relationship to his advantage as well.
<< Bears and Bearkats collide in South Regional action
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Playing in their second NCAA Tournament in
the last three seasons, the Baylor Bears will tangle with the Sam Houston
State Bearkats in first round action of the South Region at New Orleans Arena
this afternoon
<< Second-seeded Villanova takes on Robert Morris in first-round action
Providence, RI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 15th-seeded Robert Morris Colonials will
have a tough task this afternoon in the South Region, as they take on the
second-seeded Villanova Wildcats in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at
the Dunkin' D
<< Washington and Marquette meet in first round of 2010 NCAA Tournament
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The sixth-seeded Marquette Golden Eagles and
the 11th-seeded Washington Huskies will meet in the first round of the NCAA
Tournament's East Region.
Up next for the winner of this contest is a second-round clash
<< Wake Forest and Texas do battle in 2010 NCAA Tournament
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The East Region of the 2010 NCAA Tournament
features a first-round matchup between the eighth-seeded Texas Longhorns and
the ninth-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Awaiting the winner of this tilt is a sec
Slumping Sharks try to bounce back against Canucks >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While the San Jose Sharks are coming off their most
lopsided defeat of the season, the Vancouver Canucks are dealing with the loss
of one of their biggest weapons.
San Jose will try to halt a three-game slide this evening
Battered Blackhawks pay a visit to Kings >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When you are one of the top teams in the NHL, you tend to
have a target on your back. That term has taken a literal meaning for the
Chicago Blackhawks as of late.
Chicago will try to snap a three-game losing streak and rec
Reynolds, Fisher held out of Villanova starting lineup >>
Providence, RI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Villanova guards Scottie Reynolds and Corey
Fisher were not in the starting lineup for Thursday's NCAA Tournament opener
against Robert Morris.
CBS Sports reported that head coach Jay Wright called it a
Crew bounced from Champions League >>
Toluca, Mexico (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Crew were bounced out of the
CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday night after a 3-2 loss in Mexico vs.
Toluca.
Toluca, which advances with a 5-4 aggregate score, faces fellow Mexican s
2007 Academy Award Betting : Oscars odds
The 79th Annual Academy Awards odds , which will air February 25th, is sparking an interest throughout the nation with the announcement of its nominees. As the public chooses their favorites, sportsbooks are creating odds for one of the biggest entertainment betting nights of the year.
Whether its at a “Oscar Party” or in an on line sportsbook, entertainment gambling on award shows represent a huge increase in betting. As the public speculation mounts, MySportsbook.com, the largest and most respected sportsbook on the web, posted odds on who is going home with a “Golden Best Friend.”
“ We see a majority of our entertainment wagers come from the Academy Awards,” said MySportsbook.com spokesperson, Tim Dalton. “This is a competition that applies to everyone. These are the people that entertain us on a daily basis and you want to see them win.”
MySportsbook.com posted the following odds for Academy Awards:
Odds to win the Achievement in Directing:
Alejandro González Iñárritu "Babel": 8/1
Martin Scorsese "The Departed": 2/17
Clint Eastwood "Letters From Iwo Jima: 4/1
Stephen Frears "The Queen": 12/1
Paul Greengrass "United 93": 15/1
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond": 11/1
Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson": 20/1
Peter O’Toole in "Venus": 16/5
Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness": 16/1
Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland": 1/11
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Penélope Cruz in "Volver": 18/1
Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal": 15/1
Helen Mirren in "The Queen": 1/50
Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada": 10/1
Kate Winslet in "Little Children": 20/1
Best Animated Feature Film:
"Cars": 1/3
"Happy Feet": 2/1
"Monster House": 20/1
Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year:
"Water" – Canada: 22/1
"The Lives of Others" – Germany: 7/2
"After the Wedding" - Denmark: 24/1
"Days of Glory (Indigenes)" – Algeria: 23/1
"Pan's Labyrinth" - Mexico: 1/10
Odds to win the Best Live-Action Short Film:
"Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)": 6/5
"Eramos Pocos (One Too Many)": 7/2
"Helmer & Son": 5/2
"The Saviour": 6/1
"West Bank Story": 7/2
Odds to win the Best Original Screenplay:
"Babel": 7/4
"Letters From Iwo Jima": 3/1
"Little Miss Sunshine": 21/20
"Pan's Labyrinth": 11/4
"The Queen": 5/4
Best Motion Picture of the Year:
"Babel": 11/4
"The Departed": 1/2
"Letters from Iwo Jima": 15/2
"Little Miss Sunshine": 17/10
"The Queen": 20/1
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:
Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 11/10
Jackie Earle Haley in "Little Children": 10/1
Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond": 9/1
Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls": 2/5
Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed": 5/1
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Adriana Barraza in "Babel": 14/1
Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal": 11/1
Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 2/1
Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls": 1/8
Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel": 11/1
Film To Win Most Oscars:
Dreamgirls: 2/3
Pans Labyrinth: 6/5
The Departed: 6/1
The Queen: 11/1
Babel: 15/1
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: 11/1
Little Miss Sunshine: 15/1
Additional sports and entertainment odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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