Alabama visits Kentucky in SEC action
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02/09/2010 -
Lexington, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Alabama Crimson Tide invade Rupp Arena
this evening for an SEC clash with the third-ranked Kentucky Wildcats.
Alabama is a respectable 13-10 overall, but that record is overshadowed by a
3-6 mark versus league opponents. The Crimson Tide have suffered three
consecutive defeats, including a 74-67 setback at Ole Miss on Saturday. The
two previous losses to Auburn and Florida both came by one point.
Kentucky opened this season with 19 consecutive wins before finally tasting
defeat against South Carolina in late January. Since that setback, the
Wildcats have recorded three consecutive victories, the most recent of which
came on Saturday over LSU in an 81-55 final. Coach John Calipari's club is now
7-1 in SEC action and carries a 14-0 home record into this evening's affair.
The Wildcats own a commanding 98-35 series advantage over the Crimson Tide,
which includes wins in the last two meetings.
The Crimson Tide depend heavily on the duo of Mikhail Torrance and JaMychal
Green to be productive at the offensive each time out. Torrance leads the
club with 15.3 ppg and 128 assists. As for Green, he provides 14.7 ppg, 7.1
rpg and 47 blocks while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor. Alabama is
generating 68.2 ppg while limiting opponents to 62.9 ppg on 41.5 percent field
goal efficiency. In the seven-point loss to Ole Miss on Saturday, Green scored
18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Tony Mitchell netted 16 points.
Torrance finished with 12 points and seven assists for the Tide, who committed
twice as many turnovers as the Rebels and were outscored 25-13 from the foul
line. The negatives clearly overshadowed 50 percent shooting from the floor.
For much of this season, Kentucky freshman John Wall has been hyped as the
best player on the Wildcats roster and perhaps the top performer in all of
college basketball. Recently, however, fellow rookie DeMarcus Cousins has
emerged as the true standout on a loaded Kentucky team. Cousins has paced the
squad in both scoring and rebounding in four consecutive games and is now
averaging the same amount of points as Wall (16.4 ppg). The big man is
shooting 54.2 percent from the field and grabbing 10.0 rpg, while Wall, a
point guard, has dished out 146 assists to complement 41 steals. Patrick
Patterson provides 15.1 ppg for the Wildcats, who are generating 82.3 ppg
while surrendering 65.9 ppg on 38.1 percent shooting by opponents. In the romp
over LSU on Saturday, Cousins racked up 19 points and 13 rebounds. Patterson
added 16 points, while Wall struggled his way to six points.
<< Hoyas head north to battle Friars
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Georgetown Hoyas are slated to collide with the Providence Friars this evening
in a Big East Conference affair.
Georgetown had lost two of its previous three games heading
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hardco
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over Go
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Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pau Gasol had a spectacular all-around game
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the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-2 win over Los Angeles and snap the Kings' franchise-
best nine-game winning streak.
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Illini and Badgers square off in Big Ten brawl >>
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Illinois Fighting Illini carry a four-game
win streak into tonight's Big Ten Conference battle with the 11th-ranked
Wisconsin Badgers, who are tough to beat in Madison.
Illinois has quietly gotten itself in
Ranked foes meet in Big Ten battle >>
East Lansing, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans
will try to keep their slim hold on the top spot in the Big Ten tonight, as
they host the sixth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena.
After opening their Big T
Vols and 'Dores duke it out in pivotal SEC clash >>
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 12th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers will
take on the 22nd-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores this evening with an SEC battle
and state bragging rights on the line.
Tennessee has won its last three games to move to
Pacers, Bulls clash at Conseco Fieldhouse >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A Chicago Bulls squad that's struggled on the road for much
of this season will try to turn around its historic lack of success at
Indianapolis' Conseco Fieldhouse in tonight's Central Division clash with the
Indiana Pacers.
NBA's best meets worst as Cavs host Nets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The teams with the best and worst records in the NBA this
season will go head-to-head at Quicken Loans Arena tonight, where the
powerhouse Cleveland Cavaliers put an 11-game win streak on the line against
the downtrodden New
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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