Butler takes Horizon League crown in rout

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/09/2010 - Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack each scored 14 points, as the 12th-ranked Butler Bulldogs officially punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament with a 70-45 victory over Wright State in the Horizon League Tournament Championship Game.

Howard also pulled down nine rebounds for the Bulldogs (28-4), who were appearing in their fifth straight conference title game. The win gave Butler its sixth Horizon League championship.

Zach Hahn donated 11 points off the bench for the Bulldogs, who finished a perfect 15-0 at Hinkle Fieldhouse this season. The last time Butler went unbeaten at home was during the 2002-03 season.

N'Gai Evans finished with 13 points for the Raiders (20-12), who beat Detroit in the semifinals. Cory Cooperwood and Vaughn Duggins each chipped in nine points in defeat.

Wright State's lone conference title came in 2007 when it beat Butler.

Ahead 9-7 early on, the Bulldogs went on a brief 8-2 spurt to gain some breathing room. Mack's three-pointer capped the flurry, giving Butler a 17-9 lead with less than 12 1/2 minutes remaining.

A Howard three-point play and pair of Ronald Nored free throws put the Bulldogs ahead 32-21 with 4 1/2 minutes to go. The score was 42-28 at the half.

After trading baskets to start the second half, Butler turned the game into a rout by scoring 11 straight points. Gordon Hayward's jumper and layup extended the Bulldogs' lead to 55-30 with 14 minutes to play.

Shawn Vanzant made a pair of foul shots with 2 1/2 minutes left to make it a 69-39 contest.

Game Notes

The Bulldogs beat Milwaukee in the semis...Wright State was the second seed in this tourney...Butler shot 52.2 percent from the field, while the Raiders made just 34.6 percent of their shots...The Bulldogs own a 23-15 edge over Wright State in the all-time series...With the win, Butler tied former league member Xavier for most Horizon League Tournament titles...Butler is 30-2 at home over the past two seasons, and the Bulldogs have won 72 of their last 78 Hinkle Fieldhouse contests...The Bulldogs are now tied with Detroit for all-time Horizon League Tournament wins with 28.

Wwwworldgaming NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Oakland punches NCAA tourney ticket
Sioux Falls, SD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oakland punched its NCAA Tournament ticket for the second time in school history, climbing on the back of Derick Nelson's 36 points to win the Summit League Tournament Championship with a 76-64 victory

<< Stillman keys rare win for Panthers over Wild
St. Paul, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cory Stillman forced overtime with a third- period equalizer, then snuck a shot inside the left post for the lone score in the shootout, as Florida downed Minnesota, 3-2, to snap a seven-game winless stretch

<< Williams, Jazz open road trip with win over Bulls
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Deron Williams poured in 28 points with a game- best 17 assists, as Utah used a big fourth quarter to pull away from Chicago, 132-108, at the United Center. C.J. Miles scored 26 points off the bench, includi

<< Broncos bolster defensive line with Green, Williams
Englewood, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Broncos added a pair of defensive linemen to their roster by signing Jarvis Green and Jamal Williams on Tuesday. Green had spent each of his eight NFL seasons with the Patriots after New Engl

<< Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Recaps
Winstom-Salem, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - C.J. Reed scored a game-high 23 points as he led the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats to a 64-53 win over the Florida A&M Rattlers in the opening round of the 39th annual Mid-Eastern Athletic Con

Samuelsson nets hat trick, Canucks rally past Avs >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mikael Samuelsson recorded his first NHL hat trick and Jannik Hansen scored a controversial goal late in the third period to help the Canucks rally to beat the Colorado Avalanche, 6-4, at the Pepsi Center.

Blue Jackets-Ducks Sum >>
Columbus 1 2 2-5Anaheim 0 0 2-2First Period-1, Columbus, Dorsett 4 (Vermette, Blunden), 8:55.Second Period-2, Columbus, Voracek 10 (Tyutin, Stralman), 8:14 (pp). 3, Columbus, Tyutin 5 (Voracek, Umberger), 13:07.Third Period-4, Anaheim, Visnov

Kelly, Senators handle Oilers >>
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chris Kelly registered a goal and an assist to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. Mike Fisher, Matt Cullen and Milan Michalek also scored for the Senators, w

Blazers hold off Kings >>
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brandon Roy scored 19 points and pulled down eight rebounds as Portland beat Sacramento for the fifth straight time, 88-81, at the Rose Garden. Nicolas Batum and Andre Miller each tallied 14 points for the

Garon solid in net as Blue Jackets down Ducks >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mathieu Garon was strong with 36 saves to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. Fedor Tyutin, Jakub Voracek and Antoine Vermette all recorded a goal and two assi

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.