Big East heavyweights lock horns in D.C.
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
01/09/2010 - Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-25 teams clash in the nation's capital this afternoon, as Big East play takes to the floor at the Verizon Center, featuring the 13th-ranked Connecticut Huskies against the 12th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas.
Jim Calhoun's Huskies dropped their Big East opener at Cincinnati, but have since rallied with a pair of league wins, topping Notre Dame (82-70) and Seton Hall (71-63) in the last week.
John Thompson's Hoyas are also 2-1 in Big East play thus far, opening up their conference slate with back-to-back victories over St. John's (64-59) and DePaul (67-50). More recently however, the team suffered its first league setback with a 62-59 nail-biter at Marquette on Wednesday.
This is the 60th all-time meeting between these two storied programs. Georgetown owns a 32-27 edge in the series with UConn, thanks to wins in each of the last three meetings.
Despite only putting up 71 points against Seton Hall last time out, the Huskies were ultra-efficient at the offensive end of the floor, converting 50.9 percent of their shots, including 55.6 percent in the second half. In addition, Connecticut also out-hustled the Pirates, scoring 26 points on fast breaks. The Huskies had five players finish in double figures, led by star guard Jerome Dyson's 16 points. Dyson completed a double-double with 10 assists and just missed a triple double, hauling in nine rebounds. Kemba Walker and Gavin Edwards poured in 15 points apiece, while Alex Oriakhi and Stanley Robinson chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Seton Hall game represented the blueprint for UConn's success this season. The team isn't putting up eye-popping numbers (74.7 ppg) but is getting it done efficiently (46.6 percent shooting). Dyson is a dynamic player with the ability to serve in several different capacities. He leads the team in scoring at 19.9 ppg, but is also a solid rebounder (5.4 rpg) and distributor (77 assists). Robinson is strong up front, averaging 17.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Walker (12.9 ppg, team-high 86 assists) gives the team depth in the backcourt, while Edwards (11.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg) does the same down low.
The Hoyas fought back in Milwaukee last time out, but could not get an Austin Freeman jumper to fall in the waning moments of the game, and ultimately dropped a three-point decision at Marquette. The Hoyas shot .489 from the field in the game, but managed just 59 points, while the Golden Eagles hit 12 three-pointers to offset a rather bland shooting performance overall (.389). Freeman led the way with 20 points and six assists. Julian Vaughn added 12 points, while Greg Monroe chipped in nine points, while grabbing 10 boards. Chris Wright also had nine points in the loss, but still is tied for the team- lead with Monroe in terms of scoring at 14.4 ppg. Monroe is a beast in the middle, as Georgetown's center is pulling down nearly 10 rebounds per game (9.8). Freeman is right behind in the scoring column at 14.1 ppg. Jason Clark rounds out the double-digit threats on the roster, chipping in with 10.6 ppg. The Hoyas don't put up huge numbers offensively (70.5 ppg), but rather, play the kind of defense (57.8 ppg against) that makes it unnecessary to do so.
Stillwater, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 22nd-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders and Oklahoma State Cowboys square off in the Big 12 opener for both teams at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater this evening. The Red Raiders have won 12 of their first
<< No. 3 Kentucky opens SEC slate against Georgia
Lexington, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The third-ranked Kentucky Wildcats open up
SEC play this afternoon, as they take on the Georgia Bulldogs at Rupp Arena in
Lexington.
John Calipari's first season at UK has certainly been a successful one thus
<< Blue Devils visit Yellow Jackets in pivotal ACC tussle
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A top-25 battle is on tap in Atlanta this
afternoon, as the fifth-ranked Duke Blue Devils take on the 20th-ranked
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in a key ACC matchup at Alexander Memorial
Coliseum.
The Blue Devil
<< Buffs battle 'Horns in Big 12 opener
Austin, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-ranked Texas Longhorns put their
perfect record on the line this afternoon, as they welcome the Colorado
Buffaloes to Austin for the Big 12 opener for both squads.
The Longhorns have won all 14 games
<< Kansas State tries to end Missouri's lengthy home win streak
Columbia, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Missouri Tigers put their 29-game home
winning streak on the line today, as they take on the red-hot, 11th-ranked
Kansas State Wildcats in the Big 12 opener for both squads.
The Tigers' home winning streak
South Bend, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The eighth-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers put their flawless Big East record on the line this evening, as they take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend. The Mountaineers opened their season wit
Burrows, Canucks host Flames in key Northwest battle >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A key Northwest Division battle is on tap tonight in
British Columbia as the streaking Vancouver Canucks host the Calgary Flames at
General Motors Place.
Vancouver and the Flames are tied atop the division with 55 points e
Rangers and Bruins meet again >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Rangers were able to handle the Boston Bruins
when the two teams faced off less than a week ago. However, winning on the
road in this series has been a more difficult task as of late for the
Blueshirts, who skate
Devils head to Montreal >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After a power failure ended their last game prematurely,
the New Jersey Devils will try for a third straight victory tonight when they
visit the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre.
Friday's game between the Tampa Bay Lightn
Panthers cap road trip in Ottawa >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Panthers will attempt to earn their first
positive result of a three-game road trip that concludes with tonight's bout
against the Ottawa Senators from Scotiabank Place.
Florida has dropped the first two tests
Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson
JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
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