Bluejays go in search of 12th straight win

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/04/2012 - Cedar Rapids, IA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 13th-ranked Creighton Bluejays take aim at their 12th straight victory, as they fly into Cedar Rapids for today's Missouri Valley Conference showdown with the Panthers of Northern Iowa.

Creighton picked up its 11th consecutive win on Wednesday night by blasting visiting Illinois State in a 102-74 final. It was the second time this season the Bluejays soared above the 100-point mark, and it improved their overall record to 21-2, and their league ledger to 11-1. It was also the 12th win in 13 home games for a Creighton club that is clearly the class of the MVC this season.

Northern Iowa is coming off a win of its own, as the Panthers took care of visiting Southern Illinois on Tuesday, 58-49. As a result, UNI improved to 15-9 on the season and 5-7 in conference play. The Panthers own a 10-3 home record, but they've strung together consecutive wins just once since opening the season an impressive 10-1.

Creighton owns a 29-15 lead in the all-time series with Northern Iowa, and the Bluejays have won the last three meetings, which includes a 63-60 decision in Omaha back on January 10.

Doug McDermott poured in 25 points to lead six players in double figures, as the Bluejays could do no wrong in their recent win over Illinois State. The other five guys scored between 10 and 12 points apiece, and the team as a whole made good on 13-of-25 three-point attempts (.520) while shooting 56.4 percent from the floor overall. A 27-13 edge in points from the foul line helped the cause, as did a 35-23 rebounding advantage. Creighton is one of the highest scoring teams in the country, averaging 81.8 ppg behind outstanding shooting percentages of .516 overall and .453 from three-point range. McDermott (23.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg) is one of the top performers in not only the MVC, but the country as well, and the team's only other double-digit scorer is Antoine Young (11.0 ppg, 4.5 apg). Defensively, the 'Jays are giving up 68.0 ppg with foes shooting 42.6 percent from the field. Creighton is +5.8 in rebounding margin, but -1.3 in turnover differential.

Freshman Deon Mitchell scored a career-high 17 points, and Chip Rank came off the bench to net 13 more, as Northern Iowa got past Southern Illinois earlier this week. The Panthers overcame a slow start (.286 FG percentage in the first half) by shooting 55.0 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes to earn the victory. The Salukis were limited to 35.3 percent field goal efficiency, and a 20-8 deficit in points from the free-throw line also proved costly. UNI claimed significant advantages in points in the paint (22-12), off turnovers (16-2) and from its reserves (18-5). Through 24 games, Anthony James (13.4 ppg) is the only player averaging double figures in scoring for coach Ben Jacobson's club, but he is hitting just 38.4 percent of his field goal attempts. Overall, the team is averaging 66.0 ppg in dropping 43.3 percent of its total shots and 38.2 percent of its long-range bombs, while the opposition is netting 60.8 ppg on typical shooting outputs of 43.1 percent overall and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Wwjuno NCAA Basketball Betting News

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“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.

New York Giants betting lines

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.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

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.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

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.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.