Big East showdown pits Panthers against Hoyas

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

01/03/2009 - Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two of the Big East's best teams collide in our nation's capital this afternoon, as the third-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers come calling on the 11th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas. This game is a rematch of the last two Big East Tournament Championship games, as Pittsburgh claimed the 2008 title, while the Hoyas were crowned 2007 champs.

Jamie Dixon's Panthers are a flawless 13-0 this season, and kept their perfect mark intact with a 78-72 victory over Rutgers on Wednesday in the team's Big East opener.

John Thompson III has guided his Hoyas to a 10-1 start this year, with the lone loss coming in late November against Tennessee (90-78). Since then, the team has reeled off seven straight wins, including perhaps the team's most impressive victory of the year, knocking off second-ranked and previously unbeaten Connecticut in Big East action on Monday, 74-63.

This is the 72nd all-time meeting between these two teams on the hardwood. The Panthers have won the last two matchups to close Georgetown's gap in the overall series to 39-32.

The Panthers struggled against Rutgers last time out and actually trailed by five points halfway through the second half, before going on a 9-0 run and taking control of the game late, en route to a six-point victory. Pittsburgh was able to spread the wealth offensively in the game, as five players finished in double figures, led by Sam Young's 18 points. Brad Wanamaker had a strong game off the bench, tallying 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in 22 minutes of work. Levance Fields and Gilbert Brown chipped in 11 points apiece, while Jermaine Dixon finished with 10. It was certainly a yeoman's effort for Pittsburgh, which was without standout center DeJuan Blair for much of the game due to early foul trouble. The Panthers were able to continue to perform without their man in the middle thanks to great scoring depth and outstanding defense. That has been the case all season long, as the team is averaging 77.9 ppg, while limiting the opposition to a mere 58.2. Young has been outstanding, shooting .521 from the floor, en route to 19.9 ppg. Blair has been a monster in the paint, averaging a double-double with 13.7 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. Fields has the ability to score as well (10.4 ppg), but he is much better when getting others involved in the offense, leading the way with 6.4 apg.

The Hoyas got off to a fast start and held the hometown Huskies to a mere 37.5 percent shooting in the first half, taking a nine-point lead into the break. Georgetown was able to convert 50 percent from the floor over the first 20 minutes, and despite shooting just 42.9 percent in the second half, the team was able to hold off UConn in the second stanza. Forcing 17 turnovers certainly helped along the way, as the Hoyas capitalized, scoring 26 points off those miscues. Forward DaJuan Summers led four players in double figures in the victory, as he poured in 18 points. Center Greg Monroe and guard Chris Wright added 16 points apiece, while Austin Freeman chipped in with 13 points. The Hoyas are a dangerous team at both ends of the court, but it is stingy defense which sets the tone, with Georgetown holding foes to a mere 56.3 ppg, on an anemic .343 shooting. Scoring depth is apparent, as four players come into this game averaging double digits. Summers paces the team with 14.6 ppg and is followed closely by Freeman (13.6 ppg), Wright (13.5 ppg) and Monroe (12.7 ppg).

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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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