3-25-10

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

DENVER MONEY

Denver Money | NHL Money Line Thu, 03/25/10 - 7:05 PM ƒŠ

double-dime bet 58 ATL (-125) Bookmaker.com vs 57 TOR
Analysis: ~2* Atlanta Thrashers -125

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

teddy covers:
washington/regular
syracuse/regular
dallas/regular

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

erin rynning:
portland/regular

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

LT Profits

NHL

Florida Panthers +145

NCAAB

Cornell +8.5 -110

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

Indian Cowboy
I.C. 4 U on Xavier +2.5 over K-St. first half only

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

Budin 25*
Kansas State

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

Balfe

Heat/Bulls Under 190
Syracuse -6.5 over Butler
Xavier +5.5 over K-St.

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

Jeff Benton

Thursday's Action ... 20 Dime: CORNELL (plus the points)

10 Dime: WEST VIRGINIA


Cornell

Cornell didn’t just upset two of the most experienced, disciplined squads in the country last weekend – the Big Red picked them both completely apart. Facing a Temple team that was ranked in the Top 5 nationally in scoring defense (under 56 ppg), field goal defense and three-point defense, Cornell shot 56.2 percent from the field and scored 78 points in a 13-point rout that wasn’t even THAT close. Then two days later, taking on a Wisconsin team that was fourth in the nation in scoring defense (right behind Temple at barely 56 ppg allowed), Cornell shot an incredible 61.1 percent (8-for-15 from three-point range) and scored 43 points in the first half, 44 in the second half and rolled to an 18-point victory.

What I’m trying to say is this: If you STILL don’t believe Cornell is for real, then you don’t know basketball. If you do know basketball, then you share my belief that Cornell is the kind of intelligent, disciplined, unselfish team that can drive a young, athletic and inexperienced squad like Kentucky crazy. Remember, as gifted as the Wildcats are, they still tend to drift away from the team concept from time to time and play individually instead of as a collective unit – a trap you’ll NEVER see Cornell fall into.

True, Kentucky’s youth and inexperience didn’t matter a lick last weekend, as they destroyed East Tennessee State and Wake Forest by 29 and 30 points respectively. But you can throw out ETSU (a No. 16 seed). As for Wake, it moronically decided to play Kentucky’s up-tempo game and before the Demon Deacons could blink, they were buried in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. No chance Cornell makes the same mistake. The Big Red will play THEIR game, not Kentucky’s. And I truly believe that style is going to frustrate the young Wildcats into making mistakes they didn’t have a chance to make last week.

This isn’t just a wild prediction on my part, folks. Just look at what Cornell did against Temple and Wisconsin (two teams with more talent than the Big Red). And look at what Cornell did back on Jan. 6, when they went to No. 1 Kansas and played the Jayhawks dead even for 37 minutes before eventually falling 71-66 as a 20-point road underdog. In that game, Cornell outshot Kansas 43.6 percent to 36.7 percent; had six more made field goals and finished even on the boards (33-33). If not for Kansas getting a ton of hometown calls (it had 36 free-throw attempts to just 14 for Cornell), the Big Red would’ve pulled off the upset, no question about it.

Now here we are 2½ months later, and Cornell has won 17 of 18 games since the loss to Kansas (including the last nine in a row). They just won the first two NCAA Tournament games in school history (crushing a No. 4 seed and a No. 5 seed). They’re playing with a perfect combination of confidence and swagger. And, despite last week’s results, they can still go to the “disrespect” card, as the oddsmakers have made the Big Red the biggest underdog in the Sweet 16.

Bottom line: I acknowledge Kentucky has the better athletes (obviously), but as we saw on multiple occasions last week, better athletes don’t always win. See Cornell vs. Temple and Wisconsin; see St. Mary’s vs. Richmond and Villanova; see Ohio vs. Georgetown; see Northern Iowa vs. Kansas. I’m telling you, this is the matchup Kentucky coach John Calipari feared. And I truly believe the WORST thing that could’ve happened to Kentucky was to destroy its first two Tournament opponents, giving them a false sense of security. And if the Wildcats come into this game overconfident, they’ll be going home tonight.

Either way, Cornell (4-0 ATS last four overall; 38-17-1 ATS last 56 as an underdog) will at least make this a close contest throughout.


West Virginia

Not too concerned that the Mountaineers will be without starting point guard Darryl Bryant – and neither are many others apparently, as the pointspread for this game against Washington barely moved after it was revealed that Bryant suffered a broken foot in practice on Tuesday. Not saying Bryant is a scrub, but he didn’t even start Saturday’s second-round game against Missouri. He ended up playing 16 minutes and finished with four points and one assist. This after playing just 22 minutes and scoring four points (three assists) in a 27-point opening-round victory over Morgan State.

And in the final two games of the Big East tournament, Bryant played a total of 26 points and contributed a total of zero points with two assists and four rebounds. Go back six contests, and Bryant has scored a grant total of 14 points in 124 minutes of action. And guess what? The Mountaineers won all six games (part of an ongoing eight-game winning streak).

So, yeah, you could say the media is overreacting to Bryant’s injury. Not me. I’d rather focus on more important aspects of this game, namely that West Virginia is arguably the toughest, most physical team Washington has seen all season. And – inarguably – 6-foot-7 forward Da’Sean Butler is the best player the Huskies have seen to date.

Granted, Washington has an explosive offense, one that’s put up at least 79 points in four straight games and six of the last seven (all wins). Then again, look at what West Virginia’s defense has done over the last five games: allowing 53.8 ppg (all five scored less than 60), 34 percent shooting overall and 27.7 percent shooting from three-point range.

Also, the Mountaineers are a perfect 9-0 at neutral sites this year, winning by exactly 11 ppg (69-58) and holding the opposition to 37.6 percent shooting. They’re also on a 10-2-1 ATS run the Big Dance, while Washington has failed to cover in five of its last seven as an underdog.

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

KELSO

NBA
5 units Blazers -3.5
5 units Mavs/Blazers UNDER 192.5
5 units Parlay of both

CBB
5 units Butler +6
5 units Xavier +5
5 units Cornell +8.5
15 units Washington +4.5

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

STAN LISOWSKI
4.5* App State
3* Cornell 8.5
3* Xavier

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

FANTASY SPORTS GAMETIME
1000* Washington

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

TEDDY JUNE

10* Butler
10* Xavier

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

FAIRWAY JAY

CBB
Kansas State Under 151 -110 (814)

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

SEABASS

Steam Under Cornell

300 Xavier
50 Butler
50 Pacific
50 Philly Flyers

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 3-25-10

ATS FINANCIAL

3 Syracuse -6
3 Mavs +3.5