ACC matchup pits top-25 foes in Chapel Hill

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/11/2012 - Chapel Hill, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Coming off a deflating last second loss to rival Duke, the fifth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels seek a quick turnaround, as the welcome the 19th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers to Chapel Hill this afternoon for a key ACC clash at the Smith Center.

It will be interesting to see if there are any lingering effects from Wednesday's 85-84 loss to arch rival Duke. The loss halted a five-game win streak for North Carolina and ended a 31-game homecourt winning streak as well. It dropped Roy William's squad to 7-2 in conference play, now tied with Duke and Florida State atop the standings.

Tony Bennett's Cavaliers are one of the surprise teams in the ACC this year. The team is just a game out of first place at 6-3, thanks to wins in four of its last five games, including a lopsided 68-44 win over Wake Forest on Wednesday.

UNC holds a sizeable 125-49 advantage in the all-time series with Virginia, including wins in six of the last seven meetings overall. The Tar Heels are 63-6 in the series in Chapel Hill, including a 21-3 mark at the Smith Center.

The Cavaliers will need to slow down the explosive Tar Heels, something they have done effectively in most games this season. Virginia ranks second nationally in scoring defense (51.1 ppg), holding opponents to a mere .391 shooting. Mike Scott is one of the conference's top frontcourt performers, shooting an impressive .603 from the field overall, while pacing the Cavaliers in both scoring (17.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg). Guards Joe Harris (12.7 ppg) and Sammy Zeglinski (8.5 ppg) provide perimeter balance. The pair have combined for 81 of the team's 117 three-pointers to date.

The Cavs were once again at their defensive best in the 24-point win over the Demon Deacons, holding Wake to a mere .341 shooting, while forcing 17 turnovers. The team got a balanced scoring effort with five double-digit scorers. Scott led the way with 19 points. Harris added 11, while Jontel Evans, Akil Mitchell and Malcolm Brogdon chipped in 10 points each.

Duke's star freshman Austin Rivers stuck a dagger in the hearts of the Chapel Hill faithful, as his three-pointer gave the Blue Devils the win at the Smith Center on Wednesday. The loss certainly spoiled terrific performances by Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller, who combined for 48 points. Barnes finished with 25 point, while Zeller posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. John Henson also recorded a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds, while Kendall Marshall almost made it a trifecta, registering 14 points and eight assists.

That formula has worked to UNC's advantage for the most part this season, as the Tar Heels are fueled by a dominant frontcourt. Barnes has the ability to score both inside and out, averaging a team-high 17.7 ppg. Zeller (15.6 ppg, 9.7 rpg) and Henson (14.2 ppg, 10.3 rpg) are a lethal duo in the paint. Marshall isn't much of a scorer (6.8 ppg) but is charged with running the nation's top scoring team (84.1 ppg), which he does to near perfection with almost 10 assists per game.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

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