Top-seeded Duke takes on California in South Regional play
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
03/21/2010 - Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After breezing through their first-round game, the top-seeded Duke Blue Devils will face more of a challenge this evening when they battle the eighth-seeded California Golden Bears in second round action in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.
The Golden Bears posted their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2003 with a 77-62 decision over Louisville in the first round on Friday. It was the largest win for Cal in the "Big Dance" since 1960 when the Golden Bears pounded Oregon, 70-49. The Golden Bears, who claimed their first Pac-10 regular-season championship in 50 years, are now 24-10 on the season, and pushed their all-time ledger in this event to a respectable 19-15.
The Blue Devils had no trouble in their first-round matchup, as they pounded the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, 73-44. The Blue Devils are no strangers to playing as a number one seed, as this will be the 11th time in the school's history and the ninth in the last 13 tournaments. As a number one seed the Blue Devils are 38-8 and all-time in this event the team is now an outstanding 89-30 overall. Duke, which claimed the ACC regular season and tournament titles, has now posted its 11th 30-win campaign in school history.
The Golden Bears own a slim 2-0 edge over Duke in the all-time series, and that includes an 82-77 victory over the Blue Devils in the second round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Bears were solid offensively in their first-round victory over Louisville, as Cal shot 51.0 percent in its 15-point victory. The Golden Bears also finished 8-of-15 from behind the arc and 17-of-22 from the charity stripe. Jerome Randle and Theo Robertson both tallied 21 points in the victory, while Patrick Christopher added 17 points, to go along with eight rebounds. Throughout the season California has flourished offensively, as the team is producing 77.9 ppg, behind a 47.8 percent shooting effort. Randle, who was selected as the Pac-10 Player of the Year, comes into this matchup averaging 18.8 ppg, to go along with a team-best 149 assists. Randle has also done a tremendous job from behind the arc, connecting on 40.5 percent of his three-point attempts. Christopher and Robertson are contributing 16.0 and 14.4 ppg, respectively, while Jamal Boykin is netting 11.9 ppg, to go along with a team-high 6.6 rpg.
The Blue Devils were not challenged in their first-round matchup, as the team dismantled Arkansas-Pine Bluff with relative ease. Duke, which won by a 29- point margin, shot 51.1 percent from the field and finished with a respectable 6-of-13 showing from the floor. Kyle Singler's double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds led the way for Duke, wile Jon Scheyer added 13 points. Lance Thomas and Nolan Smith finished with 12 and 10 points apiece, respectively. Duke has been dangerous at the offensive end of the court throughout the season, as the team is averaging 77.8 ppg, behind a 44.2 percent shooting effort. The team as a whole is connecting on 38.4 percent of its three-point attempts, and an even better 76.0 percent on its shots from the foul line. Scheyer is currently the team's best option, as the guard is netting 18.4 ppg, to go along with a team-high 172 assists. Singler however, has also been outstanding for the Blue Devils, posting 17.7 ppg, to go along with 7.0 rpg. Smith has also been a huge help for Duke, as the guard is posting 17.1 ppg.
Spokane, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The ACC meets the Big Ten in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament today, as the fifth-seeded Maryland Terrapins battle the fourth-seeded Michigan State Spartans at Spokane Memorial Arena. The winner of thi
<< Yellow Jackets and Buckeyes collide in second-round affair
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes and
10th-seeded Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets come together today in the second
round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. The
winner of this Midwes
<< Nathan to have season-ending surgery
Fort Myers, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan will
reportedly have reconstructive elbow surgery and will miss the 2010 season.
Nathan tried to throw Sunday morning in Florida after allowing his elbow to
rest f
<< Wildcats claw their way into second round
Louisville, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A'dia Mathies poured in 32 points to lead
the fourth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats to an 83-77 victory over the 13th-seeded
Liberty Flames in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Freedom Hall.
Victoria
<< Onuaku to miss Syracuse's second-round matchup vs. Gonzaga
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Syracuse center Arinze Onuaku will sit out
Sunday's NCAA Tournament second-round matchup against eighth-seeded Gonzaga
with a right quadriceps injury.
Onuaku suffered the injury in the team's loss to Georgetown
Spokane, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-Round action in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament will take place at Spokane Memorial Arena when the fourth- seeded Purdue Boilermakers take on the fifth-seeded Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies pus
Upset-minded Big Red sets sights on Badgers >>
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 12th-seeded Cornell Big Red earned the
first NCAA Tournament win in program history two days ago, and they will
attempt to upset the fourth-seeded Wisconsin Badgers in the second round of
the East Regiona
Mountaineers attempt to tame Tigers in East Regional matchup >>
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers
and the 10th-seeded Missouri Tigers will collide in the second round of the
NCAA Tournament this afternoon.
The winner of this East Regional matchup will advance to
West Regional action pits Panthers against Musketeers >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - One of only two active teams capable of
making it to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year, the Xavier
Musketeers must first get by the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second round of
the 72nd annual NCAA Tourn
Top-seeded Syracuse and Gonzaga clash in West Region >>
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The first-ever meeting between powers from
opposite coasts takes place this afternoon at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York
as the Gonzaga Bulldogs clash with the Syracuse Orange in the second round of
the 72nd annua
MySportsbook.com favors Bears, Bengals, Chargers and Colts to remain perfect
LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.
Of the three remaining undefeated teams, only one, New Orleans, enters this week's game as an underdog. Despite an emotional and resounding win over Atlanta on Monday night, the Saints are a 7.5 point underdog against the struggling Carolina Panthers. Indianapolis looks to stay perfect when they face the New York Jets as a 9 point road favorite while the Cincinnati Bengals are a 6 point favorite at home to the New England Patriots.
Six teams enter the week still looking for their first win, with a seventh, Tampa Bay, on a bye week. The prospect of dropping another game would not bode well for a potential playoff run. Since 1990, just three teams -- the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills -- have overcome losing their first three games of the season to earn a postseason berth. And only the Chargers managed to accomplish the feat after starting 0-4.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
Problem with Bears?
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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