Top-25 foes tangle in Tallahassee
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
02/04/2012 - Tallahassee, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of top-25 teams meet up in Tallahassee this afternoon, as the 21st-ranked Florida State Seminoles and 16th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers take care of some ACC business at the Donald L. Tucker Center.
Leonard Hamilton's Seminoles are one of the hottest teams in the conference right now, sporting a six-game win streak. FSU has served notice to the usual suspects atop the league standings with wins over both North Carolina and Duke during the stretch. Florida State kept the winning going this week, moving to 6-1 in conference play with a 68-54 win over Georgia Tech.
Tony Bennett came to Charlottesville and instilled a tough defensive approach to doing things. The players have bought in from day one and the team is now seeing the fruit of its labor. Virginia enters this contest following three straight wins, including a 65-61 home win over Clemson this week. The victory kept the Cavs in striking distance in the conference standings at 5-2.
FSU holds a slim 19-17 lead in the series with Virginia thanks to wins in five straight and eight of the last nine meetings overall. In addition, FSU has won eight straight over the Cavaliers at the Tucker Center.
The Cavs' stifling defensive play is what has driven the team towards the upper echelon in the ACC this year. Virginia is allowing a meager 51.1 ppg (second nationally), holding foes to just .389 shooting overall and .270 from behind the arc. The team doesn't put up gaudy offensive numbers (64.3 ppg), but still enjoys a comfortable +13.2 scoring margin. The Cavaliers have also done a nice job on the glass, outrebounding opponents by just over six caroms per game. Virginia relies heavily on the play of veteran forward Mike Scott, who leads the way in both scoring (17.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg). Joe Harris (12.6 ppg) and Sammy Zeglinski (8.9 ppg) provide perimeter balance. The two guards have combined for 74 of the team's 106 three-pointers thus far.
It was efficiency at the offensive end that led the Cavs to the four-point win over Clemson this week. Virginia managed a modest 65 points, but did so on 55.8 percent shooting, including a 6-of-14 effort from behind the arc. Scott was once again strong down low, posting a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Harris poured in 19 points in support, hitting 5-of-6 from behind the arc.
The Seminoles have maneuvered through the ACC in similar fashion, using strong defensive skills to frustrate the opposition. FSU is allowing just 61.6 ppg this year, as foes have struggled from all over the floor, converting just 37 percent overall and 28.3 percent from three-point range. Guard Michael Snaer headlines three Seminoles in double figures. Snaer is netting 14.1 ppg, fueled by a 40.6-percent showing from long range. Bernard James complements with his play inside, shooting .590 from the floor and averaging 10.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Ian Miller is a catalyst for the team off the bench, averaging 10.1 ppg, while playing just over 23 minutes per game.
Snaer scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the second half, leading the Seminoles to their school-record sixth straight ACC victory. James tacked on 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Okaro White came off the bench with 11 points. Florida State. which shot a mere .348 from the floor in the first half, found its range after the break, nailing 61.5 percent over the final 20 minutes of play to earn the win. The Seminoles forced Georgia Tech into a whopping 24 turnovers, scoring 25 points off those miscues.
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-ranked Syracuse Orange square off with the St. John's Red Storm this afternoon in a Big East Conference clash from New York's famed Madison Square Garden. Syracuse has won 22 of its first 23 games t
<< Rebels and Pokes duke it out in Mountain West showdown
Laramie, WY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tied with San Diego State atop the Mountain
West Conference standings, the 11th-ranked UNLV Runnin' Rebels are again out
on the road this afternoon as they tangle with the Wyoming Cowboys at Arena
Auditorium in La
<< TCU seeks upset of No. 17 San Diego State
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sharing the top spot in the Mountain West
Conference standings with 11th-ranked UNLV, the 17th-ranked San Diego State
Aztecs try to keep moving in the right direction tonight as they host the TCU
Horned Frogs at
<< OVC action features 10th-ranked Racers at Skyhawks
Martin, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-ranked Murray State Racers will try to
remain the only unbeaten team in Division I as they head to Skyhawk Arena for
an Ohio Valley Conference battle with the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks.
This will be the
<< Top-ranked Wildcats collide with Gamecocks in Columbia
Columbia, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two teams at opposite ends of the SEC spectrum
meet up in Columbia this evening, as the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats take on
the South Carolina Gamecocks at the Colonial Life Center.
John Calipari's Wildcats h
Gainesville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-25 foes collide in Gainesville this afternoon, as the 12th-ranked Florida Gators play host to the 25th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores in an SEC affair at the O'Connell Center. Billy Donovan's Gators are p
Flyers host Devils in Atlantic Division matchup >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of Atlantic Division rivals will collide this
afternoon in Philadelphia, as the Flyers welcome the New Jersey Devils for a
battle at the Wells Fargo Center.
This marks the fourth of six scheduled tilts between the c
Bulls continue long trip in Milwaukee >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bulls are in the midst of a nine-game road trip
and will continue the lengthy trek tonight against the Central Division-rival
Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center.
The Bulls improved to 2-2 thus far on th
Timberwolves host Rockets in Twin Cities >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Timberwolves aim to reach the .500 mark
tonight versus the Houston Rockets at the Target Center.
Minnesota is 11-12 on the season and has won seven of its last 11 games,
including Friday's 108-1
Pistons welcome Hornets to The Palace >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of also-rans get together tonight at The Palace of
Auburn Hills, where the Detroit Pistons will host the New Orleans Hornets.
The Hornets have lost four in a row and 13 of their last 14 games, including
Thursday
MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook that aims to keep betting fun. The company sees itself as a premier provider of a top-shelf gambling entertainment experience. MySportsbook knows that this can not be accomplished if gamblers are struggling through the betting process, so the emphasis is put on simplicity and ease of use.
Established in 1997, MySportsbook was the first sportsbook to offer the Instant eCheck method, and has since continued on to be one of the most innovate and fastest growing internet sportsbooks the industry has seen. A player doesn’t have to look very far before coming across one of the many sportsbooks that have cloned MySportsbook’s written policies, web pages and advertising campaign, hoping to bottle some of MySportsbook’s magic.
Although MySportsbook’s growth is largely attributed to their talented in-house marketing team, every successful bookmaker will agree that bringing the players in is only half of the battle. In a time when most internet sportsbook were nickel-and-diming players, MySportsbook was creating ways to make bonuses automatic and absent of fine print, while offering all payouts free of charge. This sportsbook also accepts Visa & Mastercard sportsbook.
Almost everything on the online sportsbook site is set in the model of simplicity, making the CS clerk’s job easy as well. Each account action made online results in an automated email sent to the client. When calling MySportsbook, the player feels as if his call is in the united states as no accents can be heard through a state of the art telecommunications system. Few online sportsbooks can compete with My Sportsbook when it comes to offering a fun and hassle-free experience to the small to moderate sized gambler.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs.
Football Betting
NFL Football Betting OnlineThe San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.
Thursday, August 21
NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37
NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road
In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games
Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.
Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.
Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.
That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.
Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.
CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
The 2008 NFL betting lines season is almost upon us! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The sportsbook has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well. Join sportbook today and we'll help guide you right through to Super Bowl XLIII and beyond!
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .