Blue Devils tangle with Wolfpack in ACC action
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
01/20/2010 -
Raleigh, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Duke Blue Devils invade Raleigh this
evening for an ACC battle with rival NC State.
Duke has won its last two outings and owns an impressive 15-2 overall record,
good enough to earn the squad the seventh position in the most recent AP poll.
The Blue Devils defeated Wake Forest on Sunday, 90-70, to move to 3-1 in
conference and their only two losses of the season have come against Georgia
Tech and Wisconsin, both on the road by four points. Surprisingly, those are
the only true road games that Duke has played thus far.
Losses in three of the last five outings have dropped NC State to 1-3 in ACC
action, clearly overshadowing a 12-6 overall record. The Wolfpack dropped a
73-70 decision to Clemson on Saturday, and they are now a rather unimpressive
6-4 in front of the home crowd.
Duke owns a 136-96 advantage in the all-time series with NC State, which
includes three straight wins over the Wolfpack.
Kyle Singler posted 21 points and 15 rebounds for Duke against Wake Forest on
Sunday, and Nolan Smith pitched in with 20 points. Miles Plumlee had this best
game of this, his rookie season, as the talented forward tallied 19 points and
14 rebounds while shooting 6-of-9 from the floor. His brother, Mason, added 11
points off the bench for Duke, which limited Wake Forest to 39.4 percent field
goal efficiency. The Blue Devils also earned a 48-41 rebounding advantage and
a 26-15 edge in points from the foul line. Jon Scheyer was a bit quiet against
Wake Forest, but the Duke standout still leads his team with 18.9 ppg and 6.1
apg. Smith is close behind with 18.3 ppg, and Singler brings 15.7 ppg and 7.8
rpg to the mix, rounding out arguably the nation's top trio. The Blue Devils
are generating 84.6 ppg while holding foes to 61.1 ppg on 38.4 percent
shooting.
Tracy Smith has participated in 17 of NC State's 18 games this season and is
averaging 16.9 ppg on 53.7 percent shooting from the floor. In addition to his
offensive ability, Smith is ripping down 8.8 rpg as well. Dennis Horner is the
only other double-digit scorer in the hold, as he is netting 12.5 ppg on 51.3
percent field goal efficiency. While the Wolfpack are scoring 70.7 ppg, they
are allowing 64.2 ppg on 41 percent shooting from the field. Five players
reached double figures in scoring for NC State against Clemson last time out,
but despite a tremendous effort in the second half of that game, the Wolfpack
simply couldn't overcome a 17-point deficit at intermission. Julius Mays
scored 17 points for NC State, and Smith added 16 points and nine rebounds.
<< BYU hopes to continue home dominance in clash with Wyoming
Provo, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Winners of 16 straight home games, the 14th-
ranked BYU Cougars try to extend their impressive run tonight as they
entertain the Wyoming Cowboys in a Mountain West Conference showdown at the
Marriott Center in Provo
<< Surging Grizzlies visit Hornets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Zach Randolph is making a push for the upcoming All-Star
Game and will try to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to their fifth straight win
tonight against the New Orleans Hornets in the Big Easy.
The Grizzlies completed a perfec
<< Bucks host Raptors in front end of home-and-home set
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A hurting Milwaukee Bucks team limps back to the Bradley
Center tonight for its first home game in nearly two weeks, a matchup with the
Toronto Raptors that will serve as the opener of back-to-back meetings between
the clubs.
<< Durant, Thunder visit Twin Cities to take on Wolves
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There is no better time than now to get the ball in Kevin
Durant's hands. The young star for the Oklahoma City Thunder will try to shoot
down another foe tonight, when the Minnesota Timberwolves welcome their
Northwest Divisi
<< Pistons host reeling Celtics
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics are starting to play like the rest of
their Atlantic Division counterparts and will try to get on track Wednesday on
the road against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
The division-leadi
Troubled Tar Heels take on Demon Deacons >>
Chapel Hill, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The struggling North Carolina Tar Heels
welcome the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to Chapel Hill this evening, for an ACC
showdown at the Smith Center.
The defending national champions have come to a crossroads
Surging Spartans welcome Hawkeyes to East Lansing >>
East Lansing, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The sixth-ranked Michigan State Spartans
wrap up a three-game homestand this evening, as they host the Iowa Hawkeyes in
a Big Ten bout at the Breslin Center.
In a battle for first place, it was the Spartan
WVU and Marshall clash in Capital Classic >>
Charleston, WV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 11th-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers
play the first of two non-conference games this week, as they tangle with the
Marshall Thundering Herd tonight in the Capital Classic at the Charleston
Civic Center.
Wolverines seek upset of 18th-ranked Badgers >>
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 18th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers welcome the
surging Michigan Wolverines to Madison this evening for what figures to be a
hard-fought Big Ten Conference battle.
Michigan has won its last two games and four of
Gamecocks challenge Rebels in SEC affair >>
Oxford, MS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 22nd-ranked Ole Miss Rebels figure to be
tested this evening by the pesky South Carolina Gamecocks in a Southeastern
Conference tilt.
South Carolina is 11-6 overall this season and 2-1 in SEC play. The Gamec
Problem with Bears?
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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