Rivals meet up in Starkville for SEC action

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/09/2012 - Starkville, MS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Instate rivals collide in Starkville this evening, as the 20th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs play host to the Ole Miss Rebels in an SEC affair at the Humphrey Coliseum.

Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs can't afford to fall any further behind in the SEC standings, as the team comes into this contest at 5-3 in league play, currently fourth in the conference standings. MSU has won three of its last four games, including a thrilling 91-88 shootout against Auburn last weekend.

Andy Kennedy's Rebels are six games over .500 at 14-8, but are even in the SEC at 4-4. Ole Miss has lost two of its last three games, including a heart- breaking 69-67 double-overtime game at Alabama on Saturday.

Although, Mississippi State holds a 138-106 series advantage, it is Ole Miss seeking the regular-season sweep after posting a 75-68 win in Oxford on January 18th. The last time Ole Miss swept the season series was in 1998.

Nick Williams led the way with 19 points, including some key baskets down the stretch, but Ole Miss was unable to secure a win in Tuscaloosa, falling to the Crimson Tide by two points in double-overtime. Williams was joined in double figures by forwards Terrance Henry and Reginald Buckner, who finished with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Fellow forward Murphy Holloway added eight points and nine rebounds to the cause, but could not prevent the team from falling to 4-4 in league play.

The Rebels strong in the frontcourt with Henry, Holloway and Buckner. Henry is a player that can score both inside and out and currently leads the team in scoring at 12.2 ppg. Holloway is strong in the paint, averaging a near double-double with 10.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game (third in the league). Buckner isn't much of a scorer (6.9 ppg) but is a force defensively, grabbing 8.5 rpg and leading the team with 51 blocks. He is the SEC's active leader in blocked shots with 210 in his career (school record). Williams (10.4 ppg) and Jarvis Summers (9.9 ppg) are backcourt complements and complete the starting five.

The Bulldogs enjoy a more balanced attack, with a dominant star down low and plenty of perimeter firepower in the backcourt. Junior forward Arnett Moultrie has been unstoppable this season and is certainly on the short list when talking about candidates for SEC Player of the Year. The 6-11 veteran is averaging a double-double, leading the team in both scoring (17.0 ppg) and rebounding (11.1 rpg). He gets help along the frontline from fellow forward Renardo Sidney (10.2 ppg). Balance comes in the form of guards Dee Bost and Rodney Hood. Bost, a 6-2 senior, is both a prolific scorer (15.8 ppg) and deft distributor (4.7 apg). Hood, a 6-8 freshman, creates mismatches with his size and adds 11.3 ppg to the scoring deluge. Overall, MSU is averaging 73.8 ppg, doing so on a healthy .465 shooting.

Auburn put up a season-high 88 points, but the Bulldogs were more than up to the challenge, posting 91 in a thrilling victory this past weekend. Overall, MSU drained just over 60 percent of its shots in the game, as five Bulldogs finished in double figures. Moultrie was once again strong down low, leading the team with 21 points. Sidney poured in 17 and Bost fiished with 15 points and seven assists. Jalen Steele added 13 points off the bench, while Hood chipped in with 11.

Wwwgamingshowcase NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Gaels and Zags collide in key WCC affair
Spokane, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 16th-ranked Saint Mary's Gaels have the opportunity to all but end Gonzaga's reign atop the West Coast Conference, as the two teams meet in Spokane this evening at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Saint Mary'

<< Big Ten showdown pits Badgers against Gophers
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 pla

<< Illini and Hoosiers duke it out in Big Ten brawl
Bloomington, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Illinois Fighting Illini are hoping a win tonight at No. 23 Indiana will give them a boost as they come down the home stretch in what has been a fairly odd season thus far. Illinois is 16-7 on the year,

<< Fish will open for U.S. against Federer-led Swiss
Fribourg, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An opening-round Davis Cup tie between the United States and host Switzerland will commence Friday when American Mardy Fish takes on Swiss slugger Stanislas Wawrinka. The best-of-five aff

<< Kings try to continue mastery of Panthers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Three goals seems to be the magic number for the Kings, but their first meeting with the Panthers this season was one of the exceptions to the rule. Los Angeles shoots for its eighth straight win over struggling Florida th

OVC action pits Racers against Tigers >>
Murray, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The ninth-ranked Murray State Racers will once again march out on the court to defend their perfect record as they host the Tennessee State Tigers in an Ohio Valley Conference clash at the CFSB Center. This will

Habs aim to make it three straight in clash with Isles >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to post their longest winning streak in over three months when they visit the New York Islanders tonight at Nassau Coliseum. The Canadiens have recorded recent home wins over Winnipeg and Pi

Rangers try to rebound against Lightning >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Rangers will try to rebound from a controversial loss when they welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning for tonight's battle at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers dropped a 1-0 regulation decision Tuesday against the

Celtics, Lakers renew rivalry in Beantown >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pro basketball's most storied rivalry resumes in Beantown on Thursday, when the streaking Boston Celtics aim to complete a perfect five- game homestand versus the despised Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics (17) and Lake

Thunder continue road trip at Sacramento >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder have been moving along quite steadily this season and will try to keep it that way when they resume a five-game road trip tonight against the Sacramento Kings. Oklahoma City

MySportsbook.com : Fortune Favors Favorites in March Madness betting?

Just like Day 1 of the “Sweet 16”, Friday’s games are chock full of some of the nation’s elite.  Unlike Thursday’s games, there is a little bit more of a “Cinderella” feel as #7 seed UNLV and #6 seed Vanderbilt will attempt to move on to the Elite Eight.  With powerhouses Florida, UNC and Georgetown looking to continue their momentum against lesser known teams, it isn’t surprising that once again the “betting public” is backing most of the favorites.  As the early coin rolls in, 56% of Sportsbook.com bettors prefer Georgetown (-7.5) as they take on Vanderbilt; 84% of the early money is backing Oregon (-3) as they square off against UNLV; and a slight majority (52%) of the early cash is on Florida (-10.5) against Butler as the Gators continue their quest for another National Title. The only favorite the public don’t seem confident in is UNC, as 59% of the cash is backing the underdog Trojans (+8).

Midwest

#1 Florida vs. #5 Butler

The defending National Champs have been on a mission since last April.  Joakim Noah and Al Horford turned down millions of dollars for one reason, to REPEAT.  After a late season hiccup which saw them lose three out of four, the Gators have won six straight by an average of 20.3 points. More importantly, they covered in five of those six games.  Behind their stymie defense that yields only 56.9 PPG, Butler has been a very pleasant surprise this season.  As their 20-11 ATS record will indicate, “surprise teams” like Butler are often good bets for gamblers.  Playing in an average conference, Butler wasn’t and underdog too often but when they were, they covered (6-0 ATS).  Butler’s defense will have its hands full against a Gators offense which averages 80.1 PPG on an amazing 52.9% shooting from the field.  With Florida’s tournament experience over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that they are 5-1 ATS this season, 20-4 ATS over the last three seasons and 38-20 since 1997 in tournament action.

#3 Oregon vs. #7 UNLV

As a #7 seed, UNLV is the closest thing to a “Cinderella” we have this year.  If you bet on UNLV this season with any regularity, you most likely cashed in. Behind their guard oriented attack, the Rebels are an impressive 20-11 ATS this season.  As an underdog they covered in 8 out of their ten games which isn’t surprising since they are 52-30 ATS as a ‘dog since 1997. The Rebels have been a consistent cover during the month of March as well.  This March they are 6-0 ATS, 11-3 ATS over the last three seasons and 24-11 since 1997. Their impressive ATS trends don’t end there; versus teams with a winning record they are 15-6 ATS this season and 41-21 over the last three seasons.  Although Oregon hasn’t been as generous to gamblers as UNLV this season, they have been covering consistently as of late.  There is no question that they are playing their best ball of the season having won their last 8 straight up (SU) by an average of 14.5 points. Not surprising they covered in 7 of those games.  It is interesting to note how similar these teams are in regards to scoring and scoring defense. UNLV averages 75 PPG while giving up 66.5 PPG and Oregon scores 75.8 PPG while yielding 65.5 PPG.

East

#6 Vanderbilt vs. #2 Georgetown

“Hoya Paranoia” is officially back! After a decent start, Georgetown has rolled through the second half of the season.  Over their last 18 games, they are 17-1 SU.  They have definitely improved ATS as the season has progressed as well. After opening the season 1-4-1 ATS, the Hoyas have covered 78.3% of their games.  With their great interior play of Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas as a team shoot 50.5% from the field.  Like the Georgetown teams from years ago, they also excel on defense.  Hoya opponents averaged only 56.8 PPG on 38.2% shooting from the field and an extremely low 30.4% from beyond the arc.  The last stat could be of some concern to Vanderbilt considering they shoot 37.7% from long-range.  Ranking second to last in the SEC in rebounding margin, Vanderbilt will have its work cut out for them against the Hoya trees. As far as covering is concerned, Vanderbilt has been almost a “sure thing” (7-1 ATS) versus good defensive teams that allow less than 64 PPG.

#1 UNC vs. # 5 USC

The Tar Heels are as talented and as deep as any team in the country.  Going ten deep and chock full of HS All-Americans, UNC averages 86.1 PPG and scored 100+ seven times.  Led by All-American forward, Tyler Hansbrough (18.6 PPG 7.9 RPG) UNC has a very balanced attack which can kill you on the inside as well as on the perimeter.  UNC only real concern is their youth as eight of their rotation players are either sophomores or freshmen.  UNC was a reliable cover this season going 20-13 ATS.  An intriguing covering trend for the Tar Heels in recent years has been how they fared after non-conference games.  This season they are 11-3 ATS after non-conference games and over the last three seasons they are 31-13 ATS.  USC is also a pretty deep team which is loaded with swingman types.  An match-up to keep an eye on will be freshman forward Taj Gibson (12.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG) as he squares off against the AA Hansbrough.  USC has been a covering machine this season achieving a 21-10 record ATS.  They have thrived in the underdog role, having covered 10 out of 12.  When playing a team with a winning record, the Trojans are an incredible 20-6 ATS. Keep in mind, USC dedicated their season to former star to Ryan Francis who passed away before the season so as they get closer to the ultimate goal, emotion could definitely be on their side.

With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action.  Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at this sportsbook “Betting Trends”.  By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards

About MySportsbook.com MySportsbook.com  is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.


Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds  
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.

Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.

Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.

Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.

Arizona 20-1

Butler 20-1

Duke 30-1

Florida 7-2

Georgetown 30-1

Indiana 35-1

Kansas 15-1

Marquette 25-1

Maryland 40-1

Memphis 50-1

Nevada 50-1

UNC 9-2

OSU 8-1

Oregon 30-1

Pittsburgh 15-1

Texas 30-1

Texas A&M 18-1

UCLA 6-1

Wisconsin 10-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook betting needs.