Cat Fight in Buffalo, as Missouri takes on Clemson in "Big Dance"
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
03/19/2010 - Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The seventh-seeded Clemson Tigers and the 10th- seeded Missouri Tigers will do battle this afternoon in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament from HSBC Arena in Buffalo.
The winner of this East Regional battle will advance to take on either second- seeded West Virginia or 15th-seeded Morgan State.
This marks the 23rd NCAA Tournament appearance for Missouri, which owns a 21-22 record at the event. Last season, the Tigers reached the Elite Eight, and the fact that they have returned to the "Big Dance" despite losing three 1,000-point scorers from that squad is a credit to head coach Mike Anderson and his staff. Overall this season, Mizzou is 22-10 overall and finished 10-6 versus Big 12 Conference opposition during the regular season. The club has lost two straight games and three of four heading into this tournament, however, so Anderson hopes that no confidence has been lost.
As for Clemson, it owns a 21-10 overall and a 9-7 ledger against teams from the ACC, a league that is a bit down this year. The Tigers are appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, just the second time in program history that the team has done so. This is their 10th appearance overall and they own an 8-9 record. Head Coach Oliver Purnell has taken Clemson to postseason play in each of the last six seasons.
Missouri and Clemson have split their only two previous meetings, the most recent of which took place in 1996.
Anderson and his Missouri team play what they call "The Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball", referring to the pressure defense that doesn't allow opponents to easily get into halfcourt sets. As a result, the Tigers lead the nation in steals (10.9 spg) and turnovers forced per contest (19.7). They are limiting opponents to 65.8 ppg on 40.9 percent shooting from the floor. On a down note, Missouri does struggle on the boards a bit. Offensively, the squad is posting 77.6 ppg and has three double-digit scorers in the fold. Kim English leads the charge with 13.9 ppg, and that output would be better if not for 39.4 percent shooting from the floor. Marcus Denmon checks in with 10.8 ppg, and Laurence Bowers provides 10.2. ppg on 55.9 percent shooting. Missouri was promptly bounced from the Big 12 Tournament after shooting 33.9 percent from the floor against Nebraska in the most recent outing.
Clemson forward Trevor Booker is a versatile performer who will certainly garner plenty of attention from Missouri defenders today. Booker is the only player in ACC history with 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 200 assists, 200 blocks and 100 steals, a tremendous accomplishment. He became just the third Clemson player to earn First-Team All-ACC honors in the last 20 years, and he is the league only performer named to both First-Team All-ACC and First-Team All-ACC Defense. Booker is averaging 15.3 ppg and 8.3 rpg, and the only other double-digit scorer on the roster is Demontez Stitt with 11.1 ppg. The Tigers are generating 73.3 ppg while limiting opponents to 63.8 ppg on 41.9 percent shooting from the field. Like Missouri, Clemson was one-and-done in its league tournament, falling to basement dweller NC State by two points.
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - What is expected to be one of the most competitive games of the NCAA Tournament's first round pits the fifth-seeded Temple Owls against the 12th-seeded Cornell Big Red in East Region action at Veterans Memori
<< Terps open tourney play against Cougars
Spokane, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fourth-seeded Maryland Terrapins have won
their last nine first-round matchups in the NCAA Tournament and they will try
to continue that streak tonight against the 13th-seeded Houston Cougars at
Spokane Memori
<< Midwest Regional action pits Cowboys against Yellow Jackets
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-seeded Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
and the seventh-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys go head-to-head tonight in the
first round of the NCAA TOurnament at the Bradley Center. The winner of this
Midwest Regio
<< Cardinals and Golden Bears collide in South Region's first round
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The eight and nine seeds of the South
Region will tangle this evening in first-round action of the NCAA Tournament
at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, when the California Golden Bears
battle the Loui
<< Minnesota battles Xavier in West Regional of 2010 NCAA Tournament
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Back in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth
straight year, the Xavier Musketeers try their luck against the Minnesota
Golden Gophers as part of the West Regional at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee
this afternoon.
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers are obviously heavily favored in this afternoon's clash with the 15th-seeded Morgan State Bears in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Awaiting the winner o
Oakland seeks upset of Pittsburgh in NCAA Tournament >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Riding an 11-game win streak, the Oakland
Golden Grizzlies are in to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program
history as they confront the Pittsburgh Panthers in first-round action in the
West Regional
Orange hope to avoid upset in NCAA Tournament clash with Catamounts >>
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With teams from the Big East Conference an
endangered species after just one day of the 2010 NCAA Tournament, the
Syracuse Orange try to prove that they deserved their top seeding in the West
Regional as they take
Top-seeded Duke opens tourney play against Arkansas-Pine Bluff >>
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions will
take part in their first-ever NCAA Tournament and their reward is a meeting
against the Duke Blue Devils in first round action of the South Region at
Jacksonville Vet
Upset-minded Saints set sights on Boilermakers >>
Spokane, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Siena Saints will try to shake things up in
the NCAA Tournament when they battle the Purdue Boilermakers this afternoon in
first-round action of the South Region at Spokane Veterans Arena.
The Saints will b
Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting
So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.
Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?
If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)
Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).
In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.
Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.
| The Bubble Breakdown | |||
| CONFERENCE | LOCKS | SHOULD BE INS | AT-LARGES TAKEN (assuming no auto bid outlier) |
| ACC Betting Odds | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Big East Betting Odds | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| Big Ten Betting Odds | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Big 12 Betting Odds | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Pac-10 Betting Odds | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| SEC Betting Odds | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| MVC Betting Odds | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| MWC Betting Odds | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 28 | 5 | 25 |
As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.
(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)
If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.
Atlantic Coast Conference
Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech
The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.
Work left to do:
Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.
Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).
Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.
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Problem with Bears?
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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