Fourth-ranked Jayhawks host struggling Red Raiders

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/18/2012 - Lawrence, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fourth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks continue their quest for another Big 12 regular-season crown, as they welcome the Texas Tech Red Raiders to Lawrence for a league showdown at the Allen Fieldhouse.

Bill Self has amassed 13 championships in his tenure with Kansas, with seven Big 12 regular-season crowns, five Big 12 Tournament titles and one national championship. His squad this year has the talent to add all three to the trophy case, as they come into this contest at 21-5 overall and tied with Missouri for the top spot in the conference standings at 11-2. The Jayhawks enter this game with three straight wins in tow, including a 59-53 victory over instate rival Kansas State on Monday.

Billy Gillespie hasn't exactly lit the world on fire in his first season in Lubbock. The Red Raiders are a mere 8-17 on the season overall, but have really struggled in league play, residing in the Big 12 basement at 1-12. The lone victory came last weekend against Oklahoma (65-47), but Tech fell right back into the loss column three days later in an ugly 47-38 loss to Texas A&M.

Kansas has won 21 of the 25 all-time meetings, including all 11 matchups in Lawrence. The Jayhawks are seeking the regular-season sweep after routing Texas Tech in Lubbock on January 11th, 81-46.

The Red Raiders did their job defensively against Texas A&M, but hit a new low offensively, scoring just 38 points in a nine-point loss. Tech finished the game converting just 38.6 percent from the floor (17-of-44), including a mere 4.of-14 from three-point range. In addition, the Red Raiders went to the free- throw line just twice, missing on both opportunities. Jaye Crockett came off the bench with nearly a third of the team's points, netting 12 in the loss.

Offensive ineptness has been the main problem this season in Lubbock, as the team is averaging just 60.2 ppg, while allowing six more points on average per game. Only one Red Raiders is currently averaging double figures in Jordan Tolbert, who is putting up 11.4 ppg. Ty Nurse (8.6 ppg), Javerez Willis (8.0 ppg) and Crockett (8.0 ppg) provide limited support.

Kansas has had very few issues at either end of the floor this season, averaging 74.7 ppg, while limiting foes to just 60.8. In addition, the Jayhawks enjoy a +6.2 rebounding margin. All-American candidate Thomas Robinson is a big part of the success. The junior forward is on everyone's shortlist for National Player of the Year, averaging team-highs of 17.8 points and 12.0 rebounds per game (first in the Big 12, second nationally). Tyshawn Taylor has been the perfect complement from the backcourt. Taylor can also fill up the basket at 16.9 ppg, while averaging 5.1 apg. The emergence recently of center Jeff Withey (9.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) has made Kansas even more effective.

After posting a career-high 25 points against Baylor, Withey has recorded back-to-back double-doubles, including 18 points and 11 rebounds against Kansas State. Taylor led the Jayhawks in the win over the Wildcats with 20 points, while Robinson just missed his 19th double-double of the season, finishing with 10 points and nine boards. Kansas shot just 39.6 percent from the floor in the game, but held Kansas State to a mere 30.8 percent showing from the floor.

Snadbox NCAA Basketball Betting News

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

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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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