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02/14/2009 - Iowa City, IA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 20th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers are favored on the road this afternoon against the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Purdue carried a two-game losing streak into Wednesday's matchup with Penn State, but outstanding team defense enabled the Boilermakers to emerge victorious in a 61-47 final. They are now 18-6 overall, including 7-4 in conference action, and appear to be headed for an NCAA Tournament berth -- barring a late collapse.
As for Iowa, it has lost five of its last six games to fall to 3-9 in Big Ten action, clearly overshadowing a respectable 13-12 overall record. The Hawkeyes were no match for Wisconsin on Wednesday in a 69-52 loss, but there is some reason for optimism today, as the club is 11-2 at home.
Purdue owns a 79-70 series lead over Iowa, including a 75-53 romp over the Hawkeyes last season.
Not only did Purdue limit Penn State to 36.7 percent shooting from the floor on Wednesday, the Boilermakers were able to hold the Nittany Lions' leading scorer without a single point in the contest. Purdue also deserves credit for only committing five turnovers in 40 minutes of action. JaJuan Johnson played well from his center position, as he scored 14 points to go along with 13 rebounds and four blocked shots. Bobby Riddell added 13 points, and Nemanja Calasan pitched in 12 points. E'Twaun Moore finished with 10 points for the Boilermakers, and he is tied with Johnson for the team lead with 13.5 ppg this season. Robbie Hummel is the third and final double-digit scorer on the roster with 12.9 ppg, but Hummel, the team's leading rebounder (7.5 rpg), has been out of action recently with a stress fracture in his back. Coach Matt Painter is being cautious with the standout, and it is unclear when he will return.
Iowa is scoring 61.2 ppg this season while allowing 59.3 ppg, but that positive differential is not reflected in the team's 3-9 league record. The Hawkeyes lack the type of player capable of taking over a game at the offensive end of the floor. Matt Gatens paces the club with 11.2 ppg, while Jeff Peterson (10.6 ppg) provides some balance. Against Wisconsin on Wednesday, Jake Kelly upped his scoring output to 9.4 ppg with 17 points, but the Hawkeyes finished with only four assists against 14 turnovers. They were also outscored from the foul line and outrebounded. Defensively, they permitted the Badgers to shoot 53.1 percent from the field. Peterson had 10 points in the loss, and Gatens was held to six points.
<< Golden Eagles seek quick turnaround against Red Storm
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles will
try to get back on track tonight, as they entertain the St. John's Red Storm
in Big East action at the Bradley Center.
The Golden Eagles ripped off nine straight w
<< Top-ranked Huskies hit the road against red-hot Pirates
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The suddenly surging Seton Hall Pirates will be
put to the test this afternoon, as they welcome the top-ranked Connecticut
Huskies to Newark, for a Big East showdown from the Prudential Center.
Seton Hall got of
<< Bruins battle Wildcats in desert duel
Tucson, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 11th-ranked UCLA Bruins attempt to salvage
something from their trip to the desert this week, as they invade the McKale
Center for a Pac-10 clash with the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson this afternoon.
The Bruin
<< Memphis puts 51-game C-USA win streak on line at Southern Miss
Hattiesburg, MS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The eighth-ranked Memphis Tigers hope to
keep their perfect record in Conference USA action intact, as they pull into
Hattiesburg for this evening's bout with the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss.
Memphis is
Tigers and Cornhuskers meet in Big 12 matchup >>
Columbia, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 17th-ranked Missouri Tigers put an
unblemished home record on the line this afternoon, as they welcome the
Nebraska Cornhuskers to Columbia for a Big 12 clash from the Mizzou Arena.
The Tigers are a perfe
Flyers, Isles battle in Philly >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Islanders will try to halt a four-game losing
streak when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers for this afternoon's Atlantic
Division battle at the Wachovia Center.
The Islanders have dropped four straight on th
Kings welcome Oilers to LA >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings will try to get back on the winning
track when they host the Edmonton Oilers in this afternoon's encounter at the
Staples Center.
The Kings had won a season-high-tying four games in a row before getti
Pens visit Leafs in Toronto >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Coming off a successful homestand, the Pittsburgh Penguins
start up a brief stretch of road games with tonight's clash against the
Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.
Pittsburgh just completed a four-game residen
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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