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
Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
NFL Betting
After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."
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