Big Ten showdown pits Badgers against Gophers

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/09/2012 - Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A couple of teams jockeying for position in the ultra-competitive Big Ten Conference meet in Minneapolis tonight, as another chapter of the legendary "Border War" is added when the Minnesota Golden Gophers play host to the 21st-ranked Wisconsin Badgers.

At present, Minnesota owns a 100-89 advantage in the all-time series, and the Gophers are 67-30 against the Badgers in Minneapolis. The last meeting between the two took place in Madison on December 28, 2010, and Wisconsin snapped a three-game losing streak against Minnesota by claiming a 68-60 victory.

Wisconsin is an impressive 18-6 on the season, and the team has won seven of its 11 conference bouts thus far. The Badgers recently had a six-game win streak snapped with a 58-52 loss at home to Ohio State last Saturday, dropping the team's home record to 11-4. UW has won its last three road games, and is 5-2 on enemy turf this season.

Minnesota is enjoying a successful campaign of its own, logging a 17-7 record, which includes a 12-2 ledger at home. Unfortunately, the Golden Gophers have gone just 5-6 in conference, although they've played better in recent weeks, winning two of their last three and five of their last seven. A 69-61 victory at Nebraska last Sunday was the team's most recent, and UM will play five of its remaining seven games of the regular season at home.

Wisconsin continues to play the kind of stifling defense only it can, as the Badgers are still the nation's top team in terms of points allowed (49.8 ppg). Foes are shooting just 36.5 percent from the field, which includes a dismal 26.2 percent showing from three-point range, and UW owns favorable margins in both rebounding (+3.2) and turnovers (+2.3) as well. Jordan Taylor (14.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.4 apg) is one of three players currently averaging double digits in the scoring column for coach Bo Ryan's club, which puts up 64.1 ppg on the strength of its 42.9 percent shooting from the floor, and 35.6 percent from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, while Taylor's scoring average rises to 16.1 ppg against conference opponents, the team's dips to 59.3 ppg while its average yield rises to 55.9 ppg. Ryan Evans scored 14 points to lead four players in double figures, but the Badgers shot just 40 percent from the floor in what turned out to be a six-point loss to Ohio State last weekend. Both teams struggled from long range, with UW going just 5-of-27 (.185) and OSU a paltry 1-of-7 (.143). The Buckeyes used a 13-3 edge in points from the foul line, as well as a 15-9 advantage in second-chance points to claim the victory.

The loss of star forward Trevor Mbakwe after only seven games should have spelled disaster for Minnesota, but coach Tubby Smith rallied his troops and the team has gone on to be a thorn in the side of many an opponent this year. At present, the Gophers have just a pair of 10 ppg scorers in Rodney Williams and Julian Welch, but the team as a whole is generating 69.2 ppg on 47.5 percent field goal efficiency and 36.0 percent from beyond the arc. The team's defensive effort holds the opposition to 63.3 ppg, with those foes shooting just 41.4 percent from the floor and 33.9 percent from three-point land. Since the start of Big Ten play, UM is netting nearly the same number of points as it permits (67.7 ppg to 67.4 ppg). Chip Armelin came off the bench to score 15 points to lead Minnesota to victory in its recent bout with Nebraska, while Welch was the only starter to reach double figures as he drained all three of his three-point tries en route to 10 points. As a team, the Gophers connected on 54.0 percent of their total shots, nailing 7-of-17 three-point attempts along the way, and they won the rebounding battle, 31-24, while holding the Cornhuskers to 43.8 percent field goal efficiency.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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Super Bowl 2009 Betting

Super Bowl 2009 Betting propositions

Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.

Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.

Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.

If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.

Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.

By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.

In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.

So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.

While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.

There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.

In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:

SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.

XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.

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