Bulls charge into D.C. to take on 14th-ranked Hoyas
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
02/04/2012 -
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the postseason rapidly approaching, a
pair of Big East Conference teams hoping to improve their prospects meet in
the nation's capital this morning, as the South Florida Bulls take on the
14th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas.
USF comes in at 13-9 on the year, but the Bulls have charged hard through the
bulk of its conference slate, logging a solid 6-3 mark thus far. The team has
won four of its last five games, including an 81-78 decision at home over
Providence last Sunday. That said, the Bulls have been an entirely different
team in Tampa (11-1) than they've been on the road (2-6, 2-8 when you add in a
pair of neutral-site affairs). They have split their last four road bouts
though, so there is some reason for optimism today.
Georgetown has won 17 of its first 21 games this season, and the team is 7-3
against Big East competition. The Hoyas have won four of their last five as
well, with their most recent victory coming in a 58-44 defensive battle
against visiting Connecticut on Wednesday. Like USF, Georgetown has been
dominant at home, sporting an 11-1 mark to this point, and the club has won
two straight in D.C. following a 68-64 setback versus Cincinnati on January 9.
Georgetown has won seven of the previous 10 meetings in the all-time series
with South Florida, which includes a 61-55 decision in the Sunshine State last
season.
USF had five players score in double figures in the recent win over
Providence, and the Bulls needed every point they could muster. Anthony
Collins and Hugh Robertson scored 15 points apiece to pace the home team,
which got 14 points from Ron Anderson, Jr., 13 from Toarlyn Fitzpatrick and 11
from Augustus Gilchrist. As a team, South Florida shot 50.9 percent from the
field and hit 6-of-13 three-point attempts along the way. Both teams took
exceptional care of the basketball, combining for only 13 turnovers. Gilchrist
(10.7 ppg) is the only active player averaging double digits in the scoring
column, and he is the only current starter netting more than 8.7 ppg. As a
team, the Bulls are putting up just 62.1 ppg on 44.2 percent field goal
efficiency and 70.7 percent from the foul line, while at the same time
allowing a mere 59.0 ppg on typical shooting outputs of 40.7 percent overall
and 30.8 percent from beyond the arc. A +3.2 rebounding margin also helps the
cause.
Hollis Thompson scored 18 points as one of three Hoyas to reach double figures
in the recent win over UConn, as the home team made just 21 baskets in the
game, but permitted the visitors a paltry 18. Thompson added nine rebounds to
his solid stat line, while Henry Sims tallied 13 points despite committing
seven of GU's 15 turnovers, and Jason Clark chipped in with 11 points and five
boards. The Hoyas scored 11 points at the free-throw line compared to just six
for the Huskies, who were simply horrific in going 2-of-20 from beyond the
arc. Clark (15.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 39 steals), Thompson (14.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and
Sims (11.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 34 blocks) have been the most consistent
performers for Georgetown this season, but guys like Otto Porter (8.2 ppg, 6.8
rpg) and Markel Starks (8.0 ppg) have provided additional support when called
upon. Like their counterpart today, and as evidenced in the recent win over
UConn, the Hoyas have played exceptional defense this season in allowing just
59.2 ppg behind shooting efforts that come in at 39.4 percent overall and 27.9
percent from downtown. Offensively, the team nets 70.8 ppg in hitting 46.9
percent of its total shots and 36.2 percent of its three-point launches. Add
favorable margins in both rebounding (+4.8) and turnovers (+1.4), and it's
easy to see why the team is having such a successful season.
<< Minus Howard, Red Wings visit healthy Oilers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings seem to finally be hitting their
stride on the road, but they'll be without the league's leader in wins for the
rest of their swing.
Minus goaltender Jimmy Howard, the Red Wings look for their third s
<< Sharks, Coyotes engage in the desert
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Sharks aim to push their win streak to four
straight games this evening as they begin a tough stretch of road games with a
matchup against the Phoenix Coyotes.
The Sharks halted a three-game slide with a 1-0 w
<< Wild seek to hold off Stars in Dallas
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Wild are coming off one road victory over a team that
is chasing them in the Western Conference standings. Minnesota hopes for
similar results tonight, but to do that it will have to beat the Stars in
Dallas for the first
<< Blues, Preds clash in likely defensive battle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Blues have an All-Star goaltender who might
not even be his club's starter come playoff time.
The Nashville Predators are likely to start a netminder this evening who is on
the longest winning streak in club
<< Lightning wrap season series with Panthers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning could very well be chasing the
Florida Panthers for a playoff spot for the rest of the season, but tonight
will be the final time that they get to help their own cause in this series.
The two Southe
Ward, Hurricanes try to shut down Kings >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Hurricanes may be tied for the fewest points
in the Eastern Conference, but they showed again on Thursday that they can
still hang with the best the NHL has to offer.
Hoping to win two in a row for just the se
Tigers and Bulldogs square off Starkville >>
Starkville, MS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Meeting in the first of two games scheduled
over the next two weeks, the Auburn Tigers and Mississippi State Bulldogs
square off at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville this afternoon for an SEC
tussle.
Auburn i
Bluejays go in search of 12th straight win >>
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 picke
Hoosier State rivals square off in West Lafayette >>
West Lafayette, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of in-state rivals jockeying for
position in the competitive Big Ten Conference meet at Mackey Arena in West
Lafayette this evening, as the 20th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers tangle with the
Purdue Boilerm
Waves hope to crash down on 24th-ranked Bulldogs >>
Malibu, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - West Coast Conference foes meet in Malibu
tonight, as the 24th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs pay a visit to the Pepperdine
Waves.
Gonzaga was recently re-admitted into the AP Top-25 after winning four in a
row from J
The NFL preseason is approaching. Time for players, coaches and teams to turn over a new leaf. General managers have hired some new coaches, while coaches have added some offensive and defensive assistants to try and improve things. Here’s a look at some changes to look for in the preseason.
New York Jets: The Jets were one of the surprise teams in the NFL last season, making the playoffs under hard-driving first-year coach Eric Mangini. Mangini rebuilt the offensive line with rookies D'Brickashaw Ferguson (the No. 4 pick in the 2007 Draft) and Ohio State center (the 29th pick in the first round). This season he upgraded the defense with rookie linebacker David Harris (Michigan) while the secondary picked up a much needed top-notch corner in Pitt CB Darrelle Revis (No. 14 overall).
The Jets have added balance to the offense for QB Chad Pennington with RB Thomas Jones, essentially stolen from the Bears. He will upgrade a New York ground game that was 20th in rushing with a weak 3.5 yards per carry. They have their first true feature back since Curtis Martin. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer prefers ball control, like his father Marty. In preseason, behind Pennington you’ll see second-year QB Kellen Clemens and mobile newcomer QB Marques Tuiasosopo.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The heat is on Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville as the Jaguars flopped last season despite a ton of talent. Keep in mind that under Del Rio the Jaguars have been outstanding in preseason with a 12-4 SU, 11-5 ATS August mark. online football betting Their defense is loaded, it’s the offense that has been stuck in first gear the last few years.
Enter a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter, the former Boise State and Arizona State pass-happy coach. He will try and upgrade a passing game that ranked 24th last season. Del Rio has criticized wide receivers and Matt Jones this summer, both of whom have battled injuries. It will be interesting to watch the “new” Jaguars passing game in preseason.
Arizona Cardinals: Word out of Arizona is that the players like new coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Steelers offensive coordinator last year. We think of Arizona as all-passing because their running game has been awful of late because of a poor offensive line. However, keep an eye on the running game in preseason as they’ve made a lot of changes.
The new coach brings in Russ Grimm to coach the offensive line (Grimm did a marvelous job building the Steelers line). They took Penn State OT Levi Jones in the first round and signed two offensive linemen, Mike Gandy and Al Johnson, to provide depth. Reggie Wells was moved from right tackle to left guard and they want more speed out of the offensive line for pulling and traps, a Pittsburgh staple under Bill Cowher.
Atlanta Falcons: While all the attention has been focused on QB Mike Vick’s off-field problems, new coach Bobby Petrino is revamping the Falcons from an all-running team to a more balanced one. Petrino likes the experience of backup QB Joey Harrington and he has veteran backup Chris Redman, who used to play for Petrino at Louisville and knows his offenses better than anyone. Petrino wants Vick to be more of a pocket passer.
The addition of FB Ovie Mughelli is a sign Petrino wants a power rushing attack behind a physical fullback and newcomer WR Joe Horn should upgrade what was a below average wideout corps. Petrino is changing their old zone-blocking scheme to a more traditional in-line blocking scheme and the offensive line is bigger. Rookie DE Jamaal Anderson was grabbed in the first round and the secondary got younger with former Auburn cornerback David Irons, who the Falcons think was a steal as a sixth-round pick.
Cleveland Browns: The 2007 Browns look like a double-edged sword. There was the excitement of the offseason, trading for RB Jamel Lewis, upgrading the offensive line with Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas (the No. 2 pick in the draft) and free agent LG Eric Steinbach, then trading for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn when he fell to No. 22. GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel feel they have a talented, balanced offense with these new pieces, plus TE >Kellen Winslow and WR Braylon Edwards.
However, were these moves made in desperation? And were they foolish ones? The Browns gave up their 2008 first-round pick for Quinn and we all know QBs take time to develop. And even first-round QBs can be busts (Joey Harrington, Akili Smith). We also don’t know if the offensive line is that much improved (31st in rushing in 2007) and they did nothing to improve a defense that was awful against the run (142 yds pg allowed).
The Browns have a new offensive coordinator in Rob Chudzinski. This is a young offense and Quinn looked tentative, indecisive and inaccurate early in camp. Crennel will play Charlie Frye, Quinn and Derek Anderson in preseason. And there is a mixed bag for rookie QBs receiving significant starts: Tim Couch (14), Kerry Collins (13), Ben Roethlisberger (13), Vince Young (13), Joey Harrington (12), Matt Leinart (11) and Kyle Boller (nine). While all the focus will be on the Browns new-look offense, I’m more concerned with the defense.
Carolina Panthers: Coach Jon Fox loves the ground game, but Carolina has made some interesting changes for 2007. Fox fired offensive coordinator Dan Henning and brings in Jeff Davidson to run the offense. Davidson has brought in zone-blocking schemes to the Panther offense, a dramatic change for a system that's been built around a power-running style.
In zone-blocking, offensive linemen are responsible for blocking any defender who appears in their zone, instead of focusing on one defender. The Broncos and Falcons have had success with the system, which features smaller, more athletic offensive linemen and can create running lanes on the inside and outside. Keep an eye in preseason on how Carolina adjusts as it will take time to learn the system. Fox has been one of the top coaches in preseason, with a 15-5 SU, 12-7-1 ATS August record.
Dallas Cowboys: WR Terrell Owens is still here, but QB Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells are gone. New head coach Wade Phillips takes over, replacing Parcells. He ran the Chargers defense last season. Phillips was chosen by teary-eyed owner Jerry Jones partly because he is one of the best 3-4 coaches in football and the Cowboys have loaded up on players for that scheme.
Remember that Phillips was blitz-happy with the Chargers last season and early reports out of the Dallas camp have mentioned how the Cowboys have been blitzing a lot, a departure from Parcells. The theme of the 2007 Dallas defense appears to be one of attack.
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