11/17/2008 - Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stephen Curry leads his 20th-ranked Davidson Wildcats into tonight's NIT Season Tip-Off clash with the James Madison Dukes. The winner and loser of this game will take on either Mississippi Valley State or the host team, Oklahoma, on Tuesday.
This contest marks the season opener for James Madison, which went from seven wins in 2006-07 to 13 wins in '07-'08. The Dukes have not had a winning season since 1999-2000, but there are a couple of talented seniors in place who may be able to break the streak.
As for Davidson, it posted a 107-83 decision over Guilford to open the season on Friday. Over the past two seasons, coach Bob McKillop's Davidson squad has been a dominating force in the SoCon, winning 37 of their last 38 league games, in addition to the last three conference tournaments. Last season, the Wildcats made a run all the way to the Sweet 16 before falling to eventual NCAA Champion Kansas. Although three starters from last year's Cinderella team are gone, the aforementioned Curry is back as one of the nation's premier players.
Davidson won its only previous meeting with James Madison back in 1997.
James Madison seniors Abdulai Jalloh (15.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and Juwann James (12.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg) form one of the better duos in the Colonial Athletic Association. Jalloh was selected to the preseason All-CAA Second Team, while James (1,117 career points) was an honorable mention choice. Other returning starters include junior Pierre Curtis (10.0 ppg, 4.2 apg) and senior Kyle Swanston (9.4 ppg). Curtis actually had a down year after averaging 11.4 ppg as a freshman. This group will be playing its first game tonight under Matt Brady, who took over the head coaching position in March. Expect James and Jalloh to draw plenty of defensive attention from Davidson tonight.
Not only did Curry score 25.9 ppg last season, he proved in the NCAA Tournament that no stage was too big. Arguably the nation's best pure shooter, Curry is deadly from three-point range. In the opener against Guilford, the star guard posted 29 points and 10 assists with nine steals, narrowly missing a triple-double. Andrew Lovedale added 16 points, and Brendan McKillop posted 14 points off the bench. The fourth and final double-digit scorer for the Wildcats was Bryant Barr with 11 points. Davidson connected on 51.3 percent of its field goal attempts and forced a staggering total of 39 turnovers. On a down note, the Wildcats were outrebounded by a 39-31 margin and permitted their little known opponents to connect on 51.9 percent of their field goal attempts, including 12-of-23 from three-point range.
<< Second-ranked Huskies host Hawks at XL Center
Hartford, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-ranked Connecticut Huskies welcome
in-state foe Hartford to the XL Center this evening, for a non-conference
clash.
The Huskies opened their 2008-09 season in Storrs, routing Western Carolina,
81-5
<< Dolphins face tall task in clash with Hoyas
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The two-time defending Big East regular-
season champion Georgetown Hoyas will open their new campaign this evening
when they host the Jacksonville Dolphins in a non-league affair at the Verizon
Center.
T
<< NIT Season Tip-Off action has Eastern Michigan taking on Purdue
West Lafayette, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Eastern Michigan Eagles and 11th-
ranked Purdue Boilermakers meet up for the first time since 1971, as they
tangle in the first round of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Mackey Arena tonight.
The victor of
<< Fordham visits Villanova
Villanova, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 23rd-ranked Villanova Wildcats are
clearly favored in tonight's non-conference home clash with the Fordham Rams.
If Friday's 65-62 loss to Ivy League foe Columbia is an indication of things
to come, Fordh
Sharks shoot for payback in Nashville >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Few teams have had success versus the Sharks this season,
but the Predators are one of them. The only team to beat them in San Jose,
Nashville will try for its second straight win over the Sharks when it hosts
them tonight at
Newcastle's Barton out two months with knee injury >>
Newcastle, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Newcastle United have confirmed that
midfielder Joey Barton will be out for around two months after suffering knee
ligament damage in the 2-2 draw with Wigan.
The 26-year-old lasted just 17 minut
New career awaits Curlin >>
Louisville, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year, is
apparently finished racing and will begin his career as a stallion.
The Monday edition of the Louisville Courier-Journal is reporting that trainer
Steve Asmussen
Canucks aim to stay hot versus Islanders >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Vancouver Canucks will shoot for their fifth win in six
games when they visit the New York Islanders for this evening's
interconference matchup at Nassau Coliseum.
The Canucks are coming off a 4-1-1 homestand in which
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
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Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.
"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."
Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com
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