Buckeyes begin Big Ten play at home against Hawkeyes
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
12/31/2008 - Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Big Ten play begins for the 24th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the Iowa Hawkeyes tonight, as they duel at Value City Arena in Columbus.
The Buckeyes enter the tilt looking to rebound from their first loss of the season, as they were handled by West Virginia, 76-48, on Saturday. The setback snapped OSU's 14-game win streak, which had been the longest in the nation, and marked its worst home defeat since dropping a 107-75 decision to Purdue in 1998. OSU, which had won its last 54 games in Columbus against unranked teams, now turns its focus to the Big Ten, where it finished 10-8 a season ago.
As for Iowa, it took care of business in its final tuneup before league play, posting a 58-43 victory over Western Illinois on Saturday. It was the fourth win in the past five outings for the Hawkeyes, who improved to 10-3 on the year. Iowa will now try to carry its success over into Big Ten action after logging just a 6-12 record last season.
The Hawkeyes and Buckeyes split a pair of meetings on the hardwood last season, leaving Iowa with a 75-68 advantage in the head-to-head series.
Iowa clamped down on defense over the weekend, holding Western Illinois to a dismal 34.0 percent shooting effort from the floor in a 58-43 victory. The Hawkeyes made good on 46.2 percent of their field goal tries and they also went a solid 17-of-22 at the foul line. Jermain Davis and Jake Kelly each tallied 13 points in the win, while Matt Gatens notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Anthony Tucker, the team's leading scorer (13.0 ppg) on the year, however, didn't play due to a "coach's decision." Gatens ranks second to Tucker with 10.2 ppg on the season and he is also shooting an efficient 52.5 percent from the long range. As a team, Iowa is hitting on 47.3 percent of its attempts from the floor and 40.2 percent from three-point range for an average of 64.6 ppg.
In a simply dreadful shooting performance, OSU went a horrific 31.0 percent from the floor, including a poor 2-of-18 showing from three-point range, as it was downed by WVU on Saturday. The team didn't fared all that well at the foul line either, converting on just 10-of-19 chances. William Buford and Jeremie Simmons each netted 11 points, and Evan Turner had a double-double of 10 points and 11 boards in the setback. On the season, Turner is the only player for OSU averaging in a double figures, with 16.2 ppg, and he also leads the team with 7.2 rpg and 27 steals. The Buckeyes as a whole, have made their presence felt on defense, limiting foes to just 55.8 ppg and a only 37.7 percent shooting from the floor.
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 16th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs will try to get back on track tonight, as they close out 2008 with a non-conference bout against the Utah Runnin' Utes at the Huntsman Center. The Bulldogs have been idle
<< Toothless Tigers take on ferocious Bears
Waco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 19th-ranked Baylor Bears welcome the lowly
Jackson State Tigers to Waco for a non-conference clash.
Jackson State is a huge underdog heading into this contest, as the club has
lost its last five outings and ow
<< Bruins place Bergeron on IR
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins have placed center Patrice
Bergeron on injured reserve.
Bergeron, who played in only 10 games with Boston last season after suffering
a concussion in a contest against Philadelphia on Oct
<< Pistons shoot for 5th straight win vs. Nets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Pistons will shoot for their fifth straight win
this afternoon when they resume a three-game homestand versus the New Jersey
Nets at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Detroit has won four in a row overall and opened
<< Raptors return home to face Nuggets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets will resume a four-game road trip
Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre.
The Nuggets are 1-1 so far on the trek and had a two-game winning streak
stopped after a 109-91 loss to the A
Durham, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fifth-ranked Duke Blue Devils get a three- game homestand started today, as they welcome the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds to Cameron Indoor Stadium for a non-conference affair. The Blue Devils, who have won 65
Spartans visit Gophers in clash of ranked Big Ten foes >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-ranked Michigan Spartans and the
21st-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers begin Big Ten Conference play this
afternoon in Minneapolis.
Michigan State has played quite well recently, as the squad has wo
Irish open Big East slate against Blue Demons >>
Rosemont, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The seventh-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish
invade Allstate Arena tonight, as they tussle with the DePaul Blue Demons in
the Big East opener for both teams.
The Irish return from their lengthy break and are s
Top-ranked Tar Heels bring act to Reno for clash with Wolf Pack >>
Reno, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Nevada Wolf Pack have the privilege of hosting
the nation's top-ranked team, as the North Carolina Tar Heels arrive in Reno
for tonight's non-conference clash.
North Carolina has won its first 12 games to open
Pitt puts perfect mark on line in Big East opener against Rutgers >>
Piscataway, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - One of the nation's few remaining undefeated
teams will take the court in Piscataway, New Jersey today, as the third-ranked
Pittsburgh Panthers open Big East Conference play against the Rutgers Scarlet
Knights.
Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup
September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com. The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans.
Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to name a few. Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR. They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.
The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer. Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.
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Ryder Cup Odds| Europe Tie USA |
4-5 10-1 6-5 |
Ryder Cup Top US point scorer
| Tiger Woods Jim Furyk Phil Mickelson Chris DiMarco David Toms Stewart Cink Chad Campbell Scott Verplank Zach Johnson Vaughan Taylor JJ Henry Brett Wetterich |
9-4 4-1 5-1 7-1 8-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 25-1 30-1 30-1 50-1 |
Ryder Cup Top European scorer
| Sergio Garcia Luke Donald Padraig Harrington Colin Montgomerie Darren Clarke David Howell Lee Westwood Paul Casey Henrik Stenson Jose Maria Olazabal Paul McGinley Robert Karlsson |
5-1 5-1 6-1 13-2 8-1 9-1 9-1 11-1 12-1 12-1 20-1 25-1 |
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com