Gaels and Zags collide in key WCC affair

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/09/2012 - 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's has been a picture of consistency over the last few seasons and is one of just eight teams in the nation to record at least 25 wins in each of the last four seasons. The team is closing in on its fifth straight year, entering this contest at an impressive 22-2. Even more impressive is Saint Mary's unblemished 11-0 mark in-conference. The Gaels have won 12 straight games overall, including an 84-73 win over San Diego last week.

The Bulldogs have some work to do and will need help elsewhere to keep their streak of West Coast Conference titles moving forward. Gonzaga has won 11 straight league crowns, but currently sits at 8-2 in conference play, picking up that eighth win last week on the road at Pepperdine, 72-60.

The Bulldogs own a 53-26 lead in the all-time series with Saint Mary's but it is the Gaels seeking the regular-season sweep after routing Gonzaga in Moraga back on January 12th, 83-62.

Four Gaels notched double figures in the win over San Diego last week, led by Rob Jones and Stephen Holt's combined 51 points. Jones was 12-of-23 from the floor and led all scorers with 28 points. Holt was 6-of-10 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line in pouring in 23 points. Matthew Dellavedova had a strong game as well, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Brad Waldow chipped in with 10.

Saint Mary's has earned its national ranking with superior play at both ends of the floor, resulting in a gaudy +16.1 scoring margin. The team is shooting a healthy .481 from the floor overall and netting 77.0 ppg. Dellavedova and Jones are a lethal inside/out combination. Dellavedova leads the team in scoring at 15.5 ppg and is shooting just over 40 percent from behind the arc (53-of-132). He also finds time to lead the West Coast Conference in assists (6.4 apg). Jones is averaging a double-double with 14.8 points and a conference-best 10.7 rebounds per game. Holt contributes in a number of ways, ranking third in scoring (11.2 ppg) and second in both rebounding (4.9 rpg) and assists (3.5 apg). Jorden Page (8.3 ppg) and Waldow (8.2 ppg) round out the starting five.

Gonzaga is behind Saint Mary's in terms of offensive proficiency, but remains dangerous at that end, averaging 73.7 ppg on .462 shooting. Forward Elias Harris leads the way in the frontcourt, pacing the team in both scoring (13.1 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg). He gets help down low from center Robert Sacre (11.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg). Freshman guard Kevin Pangos has made an immediate impact on this team, netting 13.0 ppg, while leading the team in assists (3.4 apg) and three-pointers (48).

In the 12-point win at Pepperdine, Gonzaga shot a cool 50 percent from the floor and outscored the Waves 21-6 at the free-throw line. Pangos and Sacre led the way offensively with 15 points apiece. Guy Landry Eli added 13 points while Harris chipped in nine.

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MySportsbook.com: NBA Championship Odds

With the playoffs about two months away, the top two teams in the Western Conference are the clear cut leaders to win the NBA Championship. The Dallas Mavericks have the best record in the NBA (44-9) and have been absolutely scorching since the second week of the season.  What makes the Mavs’ record more impressive is the fact that they dropped their first four games of the season.  Currently they have won 17 out of their last 18 and are MySportsbook.com’s favorite (2-1) to win it all.  Right behind the Mavs are the Pacific leading Phoenix Suns (39-13).  Last season, the Suns lost in the Conference Finals to non-other then the Mavericks four games to two.  Of course the Suns were without center Amare Stoudemire who has is averaging 19.9 PPG and 9.5 RPG since coming back from his knee injury.  Unlike the Mavs, the Suns have struggled a bit lately having lost their last three and four out of their last seven.  Of course the main reason for their three straight loses is due to the absence of two time MVP Steve Nash, who is out with a shoulder injury.  Heads-up, the Mavs have beaten the Suns in both of their meetings this season.

In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons (32-19) are the favorites to win it all at 6-1. The addition of Chris Webber seems to have been a good move for the Pistons.  Since coming over from the 76ers, Webber has averaged 13.1 PPG and 7.3 RPG and the Pistons are 11-4.  Even though the defending champion Heat are currently on the playoff making cusp, they are the Eastern Conference team that is getting the most action to win it all (9-1).  The fact that Shaquille O’Neal is back in the starting lineup after missing 39 games probably has something to do with this.  No doubt, Shaq makes a difference when in the lineup as their winning six out of their last seven would indicate.

Just because it is the All-Star break doesn’t mean that you can’t bet on NBA hoops this weekend.  Be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com to bet on who you think will cut down the nets this July. Also, be sure to check out all of the lines and props for All-Star weekend.  With the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry, there are plenty of ways to cash in on the NBA this weekend.

MySportsbook.com’s NBA Championship odds:

Atlanta Hawks 1000-1

Boston Celtics 5000-1

Charlotte Bobcats 5000-1

Chicago Bulls 20-1

Cleveland Cavaliers 20-1

Dallas Mavericks 2-1

Denver Nuggets 25-1

Detroit Pistons 6-1

Golden State Warriors 250-1

Houston Rockets 12-1

Indiana Pacers 60-1

Los Angeles Clippers 45-1

Memphis Grizzlies 5000-1

Miami Heat 9-1

Milwaukee Bucks 1000-1

Minnesota T-Wolves 200-1

New Jersey Nets 50-1

New Orleans Hornets 150-1

New York Knicks 150-1

Orlando Magic 75-1

Philadelphia 76ers 1000-1

Phoenix Suns 5-2

Portland TrailBlazers 1000-1

Sacramento Kings 250-1

San Antonio Spurs 9-1

Seattle Sonics 5000-1

Toronto Raptors 35-1

Utah Jazz 20-1

Washington Wizards 25-1

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.