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02/22/2012 - Las Vegas, LV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Losers of two straight and three of the last four outings, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels find themselves now ranked 21st in the country as they await the arrival of the Boise State Broncos for a Mountain West Conference showdown at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Just a short time ago it was the Rebels and San Diego State fighting for the top spot in the MWC standings and now both of those squads are trying to catch up to New Mexico, the same New Mexico that throttled UNLV on Saturday in a 65-45 final in Albuquerque. The scoring output by the Rebels was easily the lowest of the season for the squad and was a far cry from the 97 points the team tallied against TCU just four days earlier in a five-point overtime loss. Now tied with the Aztecs for second in the conference standings, UNLV is undefeated at home through 14 games so at least the team has that going in their favor after a difficult couple of weeks.
As for the Broncos, this is their first year in the MWC after making the move over from the Western Athletic Conference and early on the transition was clearly a difficult one for the program. However, since dropping seven in a row to begin conference play, BSU has turned the corner and rattled off three straight victories, the latest of those coming against TCU on Saturday in a thrilling 65-64 final. Even though Boise State is still tied for last place in the conference standings, the team certainly has reason to be encouraged.
UNLV leads the all-time series by a count of 3-1, but the Rebels had to go to overtime to take out Boise State on the road at Taco Bell Arena in the first meeting of the season by a score of 77-72.
Anthony Drmic knocked down a pair of free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining to give the Boise State Broncos a thrilling one-point win over the TCU Horned Frogs in Mountain West Conference action at Taco Bell Arena on Saturday afternoon. Drmic finished the afternoon with 10 points for the Broncos, followed by Derrick Marks who accounted for 13 points and seven rebounds and Kenny Buckner 12 points and six boards for the hosts. BSU survived despite shooting only 4-of-16 behind the three-point line. The epitome of balanced scoring, the Broncos have only one player scoring in double figures this season and still the squad is generating 70.5 ppg. Drmic checks in with 12.3 ppg, although his mere 38.5 percent accuracy from the floor is certainly questionable. Marks (9.2 ppg) and Buckner (9.0 ppg) pick up some of the slack as they convert 51.3 and 60.9 percent from the floor, respectively.
Playing in The Pit is never easy for the competition and the Runnin' Rebels were reminded of that on Saturday as they were crushed by the Lobos. UNLV finished the contest shooting a mere 14-of-45 from the floor and ended up with more turnovers (17) than made baskets. While it would not have made enough of a difference in the outcome, had the Rebels shot better than 11-of-21 at the free-throw line perhaps the visitors could have gone about it another way. Anthony Marshall was the only player in double figures for the Rebels as he dropped in 18 points, adding 10 rebounds to pace the team in that department as well. Completely taken out of his game was Mike Moser who delivered just eight points and four rebounds in 30 minutes of action. Moser is the one who makes this run-and-gun offense move, averaging 14.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, so when he is brought to a halt so is the team. Chace Stanback is responsible for 13.1 ppg as he gives the squad a presence on the perimeter where he is shooting 45.7 percent, but even with the Rebels hitting 62 more three-pointers than the competition running the floor and pushing the ball inside is still what makes this group tick.
<< Williams signs new deal with Union
Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Union announced on Wednesday
that the club has signed defender Sheanon Williams to a new contract.
The 21-year-old joined the club from Harrisburg City Islanders in August 2010
and has gone
<< Avs shoot for season sweep of Kings
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last night, the Kings found the offense they have been so
sorely lacking but it still resulted in a third straight loss.
Los Angeles looks to rebound this evening and avoid a season series sweep at
the hands of the hosting
<< Struggling Sixers invade Space City to take on Rockets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers should consider themselves lucky to
still have a sizable lead atop the Atlantic Division standings since they're
currently mired in a season-high four-game losing streak.
The Sixers look to end their
<< Bucks and Bulls clash in the Second City
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose recently made his return to
the hardwood following a five-game absence due to lower back spasms.
Rose and the Bulls will try to give the Central Division-rival Milwaukee Bucks
a few spasms Wed
Aztecs try to right ship in MWC clash with Cowboys >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Losers of three in a row, the 24th-ranked San
Diego State Aztecs try to regain their footing tonight as they clash with the
Wyoming Cowboys in Mountain West Conference action at Viejas Arena.
The Aztecs, who
Spartans and Gophers mix it up in Big Ten action >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The sixth-ranked Michigan State Spartans
will try to remain in sole possession of the Big Ten Conference's top spot as
they head to Williams Arena for a league bout with the Minnesota Golden
Gophers.
This
Indiana steps out of conference to entertain NC Central >>
Bloomington, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 23rd-ranked Indiana Hoosiers host the
NC Central Eagles tonight to end their non-conference slate at Assembly Hall.
Tonight will be the third encounter between Indiana and the Eagles. The
Hoosiers hold
Rutgers faces tough task in Big East bout with No. 10 Marquette >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will try to stop
the bleeding as they head to the Bradley Center for Big East Conference action
with the 10th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles.
Marquette and Rutgers have met six tim
Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."
When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules.
The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.
The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.
“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”
The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.
“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”
The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.
“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”
Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.
“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."
So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?
“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.
Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.
Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.
Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.
“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.
Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.
The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.
“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.
Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.
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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
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