Booker boosts Clemson over Virginia

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/03/2009 - Clemson, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trevor Booker scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as 18th-ranked Clemson dominated Virginia, 75-57, during senior night at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Terrence Oglesby finished 10-of-10 from the foul line on his way to 18 points for the Tigers (23-6, 9-6 ACC), who snapped a two-game skid and avenged an 85-81 defeat in overtime to the Cavaliers on February 15.

With the victory, Clemson secured back-to-back winning seasons in ACC play for the first time since 1965-66 and 1966-67. The Tigers also improved their all- time senior night record to 69-29.

This was the final home game for Clemson seniors K.C. Rivers, Raymond Sykes and Jesse Yanutola. The seniors improved their record to 91-40, which is a school record for wins by a senior class. Rivers has played in all 91 victories and is the winningest player in Clemson history overall and in ACC play.

Sykes ended with 14 points and five boards. Rivers tallied just two points, while Yanutola failed to score.

Virginia (9-17, 3-12) was paced by Calvin Baker, who finished with 18 points. Mike Scott added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who have lost four consecutive outings. Jeff Jones poured in 11 points in defeat.

After Virginia hung tough in the first half, the Tigers took control of the contest in the final frame. Following a Baker jumper and a Sykes free throw to start the second half, Clemson put together a 17-2 run to break open the game. Booker's slam capped off the flurry to put the Tigers ahead 50-35 with over 12 minutes remaining.

The Cavaliers never got closer than 14 points the remainder of the way. Clemson outscored Virginia 43-26 in the final 20 minutes.

Trailing 13-9 over seven minutes into the game, Clemson rattled off 13 unanswered points to go ahead by nine, 22-13. Oglesby, who had seven points during the run, made a pair of foul shots to culminate the surge with just over nine minutes until halftime.

The Cavaliers responded with 10 consecutive points to regain the lead. Jones' jumper topped off the spurt with about 5 1/2 minutes left. The remainder of the half was a back-and-forth affair. The Tigers took a 32-31 edge into the locker room. Baker led all scorers at the break with 12 points.

Game Notes

Clemson shot 50 percent from the field, while Virginia hit just 40.8 percent of its shots...The Tigers grabbed 36 rebounds, compared to 27 for the Cavaliers...Virginia holds a 65-50 advantage in the all-time series.

Wwwflalottery NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Gagne leads Flyers over Bruins in Boston
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Simon Gagne scored twice and set up another tally, as the Philadelphia Flyers used a three-goal third period to upend the Boston Bruins, 4-2, at TD Banknorth Garden. Mike Knuble registered a goal and two

<< Bobcats easily handle Bulls, win fourth straight
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Raymond Felton scored 18 points and doled out nine assists to lead the Bobcats to their season-high fourth consecutive win with a 96-80 rout of the Bulls. Raja Bell also tallied 18 points for Charlotte, wh

<< Hossa leaves game on stretcher
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit Red Wings right winger Marian Hossa left Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Blues on a stretcher, early in the first period. One of the game's premier players, Hossa was checked by Blues defense

<< A-Rod to see hip specialist
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will fly to Vail, Colo., on Wednesday to see hip specialist Dr. Marc Phillipon at Steadman-Hawkins Clinic. After experiencing right hip tightness at Spring T

<< Celtics' Scalabrine out a month
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Boston Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine is expected to be out until April because of the effects of concussions he suffered in January. Scalabrine sustained a concussion in a practice on January 2

No. 8 Michigan State claims Big Ten title with win over Indiana >>
Bloomington, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kalin Lucas scored 15 points and Raymar Morgan added 14 points and seven rebounds, as eighth-ranked Michigan State claimed its first Big Ten championship since 2001 with a 64-59 victory over Indiana

Canes crush Caps >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Patrick Eaves scored two goals, including one of Carolina's two shorthanded tallies, as the Hurricanes dominated the Washington Capitals, 5-2, at Verizon Center. Matt Cullen had the other shorthande

Malhotra scores twice as Blue Jackets crown Kings >>
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manny Malhotra scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Nationwide Arena. Malhotra also scored earl

Lewis lifts Magic over Suns >>
Orlando, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rashard Lewis scored 29 points -- 11 in the fourth quarter -- helping the Orlando Magic pull away from the Phoenix Suns in a 111-99 victory. Lewis also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, while Hedo Turko

Frolik leads Panthers past Thrashers >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Frolik scored twice to lead the Florida Panthers in a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena. Cory Stillman collected a goal and an assist and Stephen Weiss helped set up three score

Betting Football

NFL Football Betting Online

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.