Wednesday News and Notes

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

 

Joe Duffy is CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com, which is offering a premium version of the advanced news and notes, computer trends, weather information and more for the entire bowl season.  Much of the information is compiled from hometown newspapers and the team’s own press releases. The entire bowl season version of the OffshoreInsiders.com clipboard is $69

CBB

Villanova-Oklahoma

Scout

The Wildcats, who beat Oklahoma 85-74 last year in Philadelphia, lost a pair of starters (Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry) to the NBA but are off to a 6-1 start this season, while the Sooners are 4-2 and looking to protect the nation’s longest non-conference home winning streak (49). Villanova holds wins over Northwood University (97-60), College of Charleston (81-68), Iowa (89-60), Navy (70-61), Stony Brook (72-44) and Penn (99-89). Their lone loss came against Xavier, 71-66, at the Paradise.  Joe Duffy’s sports betting selections are at www.GodsTips.com   

Norman Transcript

Oklahoma’s Lloyd Noble Center is a tough place to play for anyone not wearing white. It’s been nearly seven years and 49 games since a non-Big 12 team walked off the Sooners’ home court victorious. But hitting 50 will be a chore. To do it, OU (4-2) must turn back Villanova (6-1). OU is still shifting away from the team Taj Gray, Kevin Bookout and Terrell Everett led last season. The Wildcats lost the backcourt trio of Kyle Lowry, Randy Foye and Allen Ray from last year’s 28-5 squad. They combined for 63 points against the Sooners. Ordinarily, losses like those will ensure a rebuilding season. But the Wildcats are in a unique situation. Curtis Sumpter was poised for an All-American season last year, but an early-season knee injury kept him on the bench while the Wildcats ran to the Big East Conference regular-season title and the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight. He’s back this season and averaging 19.1 points and 5.0 rebounds a game. MasterLockLine.com has the top plays from the top sports service in their highest ranked sports.    

Old Dominion-Virginia Tech

Hampton Roads

It’s cold and flu season, and the Old Dominion Monarchs have discovered they are not immune. They took flu shots in October to prepare for the grind of a college basketball season. But a virus isn’t the flu. And a virus is spreading. Valdas Vasylius, who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in ODU’s 70-57 victory over James Madison on Saturday, hopped on the bus to Blacksburg on Tuesday as the Monarchs headed for tonight’s game at Virginia Tech. There were no promises he’d be playing tonight. Vasylius sat out Monday’s practice, fighting a virus similar to the one that sidelined Arnaud Dahi on Saturday. Senior guard Drew Williamson walked out of Monday’s practice wearing a heavy coat and wool hat. Williamson said the latest player to complain of symptoms was 7-foot-3 junior center Sam Harris. “It looks like it’s hitting the big men first,” Williamson said. “Hopefully it won’t make it to the guards.” Stevie Vincent’s BetOnSports360.com is pioneer in forensic handicapping and part of OffshoreInsiders.com    

Ball State-Butler

The Star Press

The Bulldogs have won four straight games at home against Ball State by an average margin of 14.5 points. Butler (9-0), which is ranked No. 1 in the national RPI, has been on an incredible roll early in the season. The Bulldogs vaulted into national prominence by beating Tennessee and Gonzaga in back-to-back games to win the Preseason NIT. The Bulldogs took the court the day after their emotional win over Gonzaga and beat Kent State in a home game. Ball State swingman Chris Ames will play his first game after having wires removed to hold his broken jaw in place. Approved sportsbooks are at www.linetrackers.com   

Duquesne-Pittsburgh

Tribune-Review

No. 2 Pitt is among the deepest college basketball teams in the nation. Duquesne is the one of the youngest, dressing only two healthy players with Division I experience prior to this season. Panthers junior Mike Cook has started nearly as many Division I games (47) as every healthy player on the Duquesne active roster combined (51). The Dukes are down to eight healthy scholarship players. Pitt is 24-3 against Duquesne in the past 27 meetings and has won by at least 11 points in each of the past five years, but the games aren’t always lopsided. Here is the margin of victory in Pitt’s wins: 10 points or fewer – 9, 11-15 points – 7, 16-20 points – 4, 20 points or more – 4. Duquesne opened the season at 2-0 -- after going an all-time worst 3-24 last season under former coach Danny Nee—but has dropped four in a row. The Dukes are coming off a 73-72 loss to Robert Morris in which the Dukes blew a seven-point lead in the final 2:51.  Stevie Vincent’s BetOnSports360.com is pioneer in forensic handicapping and part of OffshoreInsiders.com    

Wisconsin Milwaukee-Missouri State

News Leader

After two straight NCAA Tournament appearances, the Panthers are young and it’s showing. They fell to 2-7 with a Saturday loss to Oakland (Mich.) University. So this fits the category of a classic trap game. Coach Barry Hinson vows not to allow his team to fall into that trap. The Bears (6-1) received the 30^th-highest point total in last week’s AP rankings. Santa Clara coach Dick Davey thinks Missouri State is top-25 worthy. Wisconsin-Milwaukee has one of the nation’s youngest teams, in terms of starting experience. The Panthers lost seven seniors from last season’s NCAA Tournament team. Joe Duffy’s sports betting selections are at www.GodsTips.com  Paige Paulsen is the only player with previous D-I starting experience and his nine games came two years ago while at Northern Illinois. Junior guard Avery Smith was a key substitute on last season’s team. Smith is averaging a team-best 15 points and scored 36 in a Saturday loss to Oakland (Mich.) University.

Denver-Wyoming

Star Tribune

Denver is 1-7 and coming off a home loss to South Dakota State, while Wichita State is 6-0 and coming off a road win at then-No. 14 Syracuse. But to answer your question, no, the Wyoming men’s basketball team is not looking past the Pioneers in anticipation of Saturday’s game against the No. 10 Shockers. Those would seem to be wise words and the right approach for the Cowboys (6-1), who, despite having won three straight, were unable to put away Colorado School of Mines and Montana State until the later stages of the second half in their past two victories. McClain said he isn’t concerned after his team’s slow starts in both games, pointing to CSM’s and MSU’s ability to live rather than die by the 3-pointer in the early stages against the Pokes. Denver hasn’t held the lead when it matters most but once this season, a 74-68 win over Northern Colorado. The Pioneers played Colorado State tough in an 81-73 loss at home last week, but they are 0-3 on the road, including a 43-point loss at Stanford.