Jayhawks host Sooners in Big 12 affair

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/01/2012 - Lawrence, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Coming off their first Big 12 loss of the season, the eighth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks return to the friendly confines of the Allen Fieldhouse for a league bout with the Oklahoma Sooners.

Bill Self's Jayhawks had a 10-game win streak halted this past weekend, with a 72-64 setback at Iowa State. Still, the team is 7-1 in league play and holds a half game lead over Missouri (7-2) in the conference standings. The Jayhawks will get an opportunity for breathing room in the conference this weekend, when Kansas takes on Missouri in Columbia.

Lon Kruger's first season in Norman has had its ups and downs. The Sooners are certainly a competitive squad, sitting six games over .500 at 13-7. The league slate (3-5) has been a bit more challenging, although Oklahoma can certainly take some positives from the 63-60 road win at Kansas State this past weekend.

Kansas holds a 137-64 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 1920. The Jayhawks have dominated the Sooners of late, winning each of the last eight meetings overall and the last 10 matchups at the Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas is seeking the regular-season sweep after posting a 72-61 victory in Norman on January 7th.

The Sooners almost let one slip away in Manhattan this past weekend, giving up a 10-point second-half lead to trail with just under six minutes to play. Oklahoma rallied however, with a 14-9 run down the stretch to earn the victory over Kansas State. Oklahoma shot a mere 40 percent from the floor but made up for that by forcing 20 turnovers, scoring 22 points off those miscues. Star guard Steven Pledger led the way, hitting 11-of-17 from the floor to finish with 30 points. Cameron Clark was a distant second in the scoring column with 11 points. Putting up gaudy offensive numbers is certainly not the norm for Oklahoma, which comes into this contest averaging a modest 72.4 ppg on .439 shooting. Pledger has no problem filling up the basket, ranking second in the conference at 17.8 ppg. Forwards Andrew Fitzgerald (12.8 ppg) and Romero Osby (12.0 ppg, team-high 8.0 rpg) provide frontcourt balance. Clark (8.5 ppg) and Sam Grooms (6.4 ppg, team-high 5.6 apg) round out the starting five.

While Oklahoma relies on the scoring exploits of Pledger, Kansas has the advantage of two of the conference's top scorers in Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor. Robinson has emerged as one of the nation's premier low post players, ranking third in the Big 12 in scoring (17.5 ppg) and first in rebounding (11.8 rpg). Taylor is the perfect complement with his long-range acumen and ball-handling. Taylor is hitting 45.2 percent from beyond the arc and netting 16.5 ppg (fifth in the league), while doling out 5.2 apg (fifth in the league). Guards Travis Releford (9.7 ppg) and Elijah Johnson (9.2 ppg) give the team perimeter depth. Kansas shot a solid 48 percent from the floor in Ames this past weekend, but was outrebounded 36-23 and outscored at the free-throw line 25-10. All five starters were heard from, led by Taylor's double-double of 16 points and 10 assists. It was Taylor's first double-double of the season and second in his career. Robinson added 13 points and seven boards to the cause, while Releford, Johnson and Jeff Withey all chipped in with 10 points.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.