It’s no BetOnline scam to see so much college hoops in your sportsbook now as the season is starting to heat up with big matchups, and an intriguing non-conference tilt is brewing on Saturday out in Gonzaga, where the Bulldogs will host a Michigan State that has been tested in the early part of the season.

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Michigan St at Gonzaga
When: 9:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 10, 2011
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, Washington
Odds: NO Line Yet
Spartans vs. Bulldogs Betting Lines from Bovada.lv
*CBB ATS Matchup Report*

College Basketball Betting – Bulldogs Welcome Spartans To Gonzaga

The Spartans (7-2) won their seventh in a row with an 89-69 rout of Central Connecticut at home, and a 5 Dimes review of this game would point to their 18-point edge in the second half to pull away from their smaller opponent. Travis Trice came off the bench to spark the Spartans with 20 points, while Michigan State outrebounded the Blue Devils 42-31 and held them to 34.8% from the field.

That was their second meeting of the season with a team named the Blue Devils as Michigan State has already lost to Duke and they also fell to North Carolina, so this team has been tested and learned a few things since playing those teams in their first two games of the season.

This will be another test for the Spartans, who are still considered a threat by price per head services that help set lines.

The No.22 Bulldogs (5-1) fell 82-75 at Illinois in their first loss of the season and even though they shot 51% from the field, they allowed the Illini to shoot 53.3% and they also committed 16 turnovers.

Michigan State plays Gonzaga and their crazy fans on Saturday

Elias Harris dropped 19 points and added eight boards, while Robert Sacre netted 16 points for the Bulldogs, who failed in their first big game of the season.

It’s something to play teams in tournaments, like Gonzaga has with Hawaii and Western Michigan, and they hosted Notre Dame, but those who use pay per head sportsbook companies know that a team needs to go on the road before they can be considered a real threat and Gonzaga still has a lot of work to do.

Gonzaga should be the favorites in this contest at home, but Michigan State is 3-1 SU and 1-3 ATS in four meetings with the Bulldogs since 1997, although their lone SU loss came at Gonzaga in 2005.

While Michigan State isn’t as naturally talented as some of their recent teams, they’re still a hard-nosed tteam that will make you work for everything you get, so this will be a good game for Gonzaga to test themselves against a top team, although Michigan State isn’t ranked.

If the Bulldogs can take care of the ball and put in a total team effort on the glass, they should be able to come away with the win, so we’re banking on Gonzaga for a sports bet on Saturday.

Michigan St:

• Under is 7-3 in MCHST last 10 Sat. games.
• Under is 11-5 in MCHST last 16 road games.

Gonzaga:

• Under is 6-2 in GONZ last 8 Sat. games.
• GONZ are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 Sat. games.
• Under is 16-7-1 in GONZ last 24 home games.

(Bet Now At Bovada.lv (Link Directs You To Bodog.ca If Your In Canada))

When you think of American NHLers, states like Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota and Michigan often come to mind first.

But Mount Vernon, Washington has produced a potential star in T.J. Oshie.

Position Center
Height 5’11″
Weight 195 lbs
Birthdate December 23, 1986
Birthplace Mount Vernon, Washington
Draft 2005 – Round 1 (24 overall) by St. Louis

Oshie was born in Washington and moved to Warroad, Minnesota, where he really developed as a hockey player growing up.

The center led Warroad High School to Minnesota State Class A titles in 2003 and 2005. AS a senior, he led all state high school players in scoring with 100 points in 31 games.

Northwest Athlete Profile: T.J. Oshie

Oshie played for the Sioux Falls Stampede for 11 games before the St. Louis Blue drafted him 24^th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Oshie played college hockey at North Dakota with the Fighting Sioux. In his freshman year, he set a school record and led the NCAA with nine game-winning goals.

Oshie developed a reputation as a gifted scorer who also worked extremely hard and was a great team player.

He carried that rep into the NHL.

He debuted with the Blues in 2008-09 and got comfortable very quickly, notching 14 goals and 39 points in 57 games.

Oshie dazzled fans with his skill; they voted his goal against Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks as the best of the year on NHL.com.

Oshie set career highs with 18 goals and 48 points in 2009-10.

He was on his way to his best numbers yet in 2010-11 before a broken ankle derailed his season. Oshie hasn’t reached his full potential yet but the pivot is still just 24 years old and playing on a Blues team full of young talent.

He’s emerged as a real fan favorite because of his energetic style and the consensus around the league is that we’ve only seen the beginning of what he can do.

Lobster is officially off the menu at Washington State. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

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This week, Cougars coach Paul Wulff named Jeff Tuel his starting quarterback for the Oregon State game and said he’d maintain the role going forward.

The decision comes after Tuel returned from a broken collarbone and looked rusty against Stanford last week, going 17 of 30 for 145 yards, failing to throw a touchdown and taking five sacks.

Marshall “The Lobster” Lobbestael, meanwhile, popped in for WSU’s final drive, going 7 of 9 for 64 yards and running in for a major.

The rusty Tuel will get the nod against OSO this Saturday.

I’m sorry, but shouldn’t Cougar fans object to Wulff’s decision?

I had to double-check Lobbestael’s game log to make sure I didn’t forget about a week in which he melted down. He didn’t.

He’s thrown for 15 touchdowns versus four interceptions while completing 65.4 per cent of his passes.

Can someone explain the logic to me?

Can Paul Wulff log on and explain it?

I can only think of two reasons for the decision: (a) that Wulff is looking past Oregon State and believes the Beavers can be a “tuneup” for Tuel or (b) that Wulff would rather develop Tuel, a junior, than Lobbestael, a senior.

But the latter would be like Washington continuing to play Keith Price over Jake Locker last year after Locker got healthy.

So, if I had a guess, it would be (a).

Hmpf. It seems the Washington Huskies basketball team may start a bit slowly this season. Or at least that what the general public is thinking.

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Its senior co-captain, Scott Suggs, had foot surgery last week and will miss two or more months.

Yesterday, highly regarded freshman Tony Wroten Jr. had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

All will be fine by March Dawgs Hoops fans

The good news is that the diagnosis isn’t nearly as grim for Wroten, a 6’5” point guard.

Coach Lorenzo Romar spoke to the Seattle Radio station 950 KJR this morning and was in a very reassuring mood.

“It’s going to be OK, it’s minor surgery, nothing huge at all,” Romar said. “In fact, I’d be surprised if he’s not on the floor doing drills with us next week.”

Romar added that the surgery was less serious than the procedure Washington Huskies running back Chris Polk had done earlier this season—and Polk is humming along just fine.

Romar said Wroten’s injury “has nothing to do with his cartilage or ligaments” and that it’s more just discomfort and soreness.

Romar isn’t too worried about the Huskies’ season outlook, either.

He claimed that the lineup isn’t set, that “there’s a lot more teaching to do this year” with seven freshmen on the team, and that no one should worry about UW not being ranked in the top 25 because “all that means is we’re not in the preseason Top 25.”

Suggs’ injury certainly stings but it at least looks like Wroten Jr.’s problem is nothing to worry about long-term.

Take a deep breath Washington + Dawgs fans. Get off that ledge.

All will be fine by March – TRUST me!

The secret is officially out on Jacoby Ellsbury.

Anyone who follows baseball – and any high-school sports – in Oregon already knew that the speedy outfielder was destined for greatness.

But Ellsbury’s star has risen so much that he’s no longer simply one of the best Oregonians playing Major League Baseball today; he’s one of the best players, period.

Ellsbury was a standout athlete growing up in Madras, Oregon. He played Little League ball on teams usually comprised of kids up to three years older than him but that didn’t stop him from being the best player.

In high school, Ellsbury did it all. He batted .681 and stole 82 bases as a senior in baseball; he averaged 15.6 points and 3.4 blocks in basketball; and he intercepted 12 passes and returned five kickoffs for touchdowns in his football career.

The Tampa Bay Rays drafted Ellsbury in 2002 but he didn’t sign, instead choosing to attend Oregon State University for three years.

The Boston Red Sox drafted him 23^rd overall in 2005 and the rest is history.

He emerged from the minors in mid-2007 and made immediate waves on a Red Sox team that won the World Series that season.

Northwest Athlete Profile: Jacoby Ellsbury

As the Oregon high-school state record holder with seven steals in one game, it was no surprise that Ellsbury won Major League Baseball fans over with his tremendous speed (and defense).

He famously scored from second base on a wild pitch in a July 2007 game.

He wiped 50 bases in his first full season, 2008, and an amazing 70 bags in 2009.

2010 was a rough year for Ellsbury, who missed much of the season with a rib injury. But his redemption – and then some – came this past season.

In 2011, Ellsbury’s power caught up with his speed. He batted .321 with 32 homers, 212 hits, 105 RBI, 119 runs and 39 steals. He won the 2011 American League Comeback Player of the Year award and just may wind up with another huge individual honor once the votes are tallied for the MVP.

Ellsbury is the pride of Oregon and also the pride of the Navajo, as he’s the first Native American of Navajo descent to play in the majors.

After his epic 2011 season, who knows what his encore will be?

The latest of many rumors surrounding the Seattle Mariners this month: they have their eye on Grady Sizemore, whom the Cleveland Indians might send packing this offseason.

The former All-Star outfielder has a $9-million club option for 2012 but Cleveland may not exercise it.

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According to ESPN, Seattle would be on Sizemore’s list of suitors if he hits free agency.

The Sizemore situation should have M’s fans concerned if you ask me.

For one, he’s a risky signing for any team. Sizemore turns 30 next season and has undergone five surgeries in the last three years for various serious injuries.

Could the Mariners land Sizemore?

He’s labored through three straight write-off seasons and hasn’t been a meaningful contributor since 2008, when he had his one and only 30-30 season.

His list of accolades includes three All-Star selections, two Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger award but he received all those honors in 2008 or earlier.

The bigger concern with Sizemore: he’s a Seattle boy, born and raised. That means that the Mariners might be tempted to sign him for sentimental reasons and tempted to overpay him.

Factoring in his “name” value on top of the Seattle connection, Sizemore could end up grossly overpaid as a Mariner.

The rumor is concerning because, if the M’s signed Sizemore, they would pay him enough that they’d have to play him and play him often.

That could cut into the playing time of the emerging Mike Carp, who played 27 games at left field last season and may do so even more next year if Justin Smoak can play a full campaign at first.

If Sizemore played center, it could block Trayvon Robinson’s development.

Here’s hoping that general manager Jack Zduriencik thinks the Sizemore situation through before jumping at the chance to sign a local boy.

As a stellar basketball player who stayed true to his home roots right up until the he was drafted to the NBA, Terrell Brandon holds a special place in the heart of every Oregon hoops fan. He’s a deserving inductee into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.

Brandon was small even by point-guard standards at 5’11” and he also suffered from chronic foot deformation problems as a child but that didn’t stop him from dominating at the high-school level while growing up in Portland.

Brandon led Grant High School to the Class AAA Oregon championship in 1988.

Northwest Athlete Profile - Terrell Brandon

Brandon stayed in his home state during his college career, attending the University of Oregon.

Though he never got to play in the NCAA Tournament while there, he impressed enough to draw lots of interest from NBA teams.
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Brandon 11^thoverall in the 1991 draft.

Brandon toiled in obscurity on some mediocre Cleveland teams throughout the 1990s but gradually earned a reputation across the league as a great all-around guard with a knack for crisp passing and stealing the ball. His career peaked in the mid-1990s.

Brandon was an Eastern Conference All-Star in 1996 and 1997 and, in 1997, Sports Illustrated declared him the NBA’s best point guard.

Brandon finished his solid career with Milwaukee and Minnesota before retiring in 2002. He averaged 13.8 points, 6.1 assists and 1.6 steals. Nowadays, he runs a successful barbershop in Portland.

Reportedly, NBA players, including many of the Portland Trail Blazers, frequently get their haircuts there.

Brandon’s hoops career is over but he lives on as one of the best, most respected players ever to emerge from Oregon.

Many of us probably expect a slight hangover for the Vancouver Canucks after last season’s deep playoff run. But four losses in the first six games?

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Being outscored 20-14?

It seems a bit excessive and begs the question: who is to blame for the Canucks’ ugly start?

1. IS IT ROBERTO LUONGO? The “Louuu” chants have quickly changed to “boooo” this season.

Luongo has a 3.70 goals against average and .856 save percentage. Against the Rangers last night, he allowed three goals on six shots during a hellish nine-minute stretch in the third period.

2. IS IT THE SEDIN TWINS? I wouldn’t say so. Henrik and Daniel each have seven points in six games.

The “Louuu” chants have quickly changed to “boooo” this season.

They and Alex Burrows have two goals each; the first line is a combined +7 and has scored six of the team’s 14 goals.

3. IS IT ALAIN VIGNEAULT? You could make a case that Vigneault should shoulder blame for the slow start for not properly preparing his team to bounce back from a short offseason.

4. IS IT VANCOUVER’S SECONDARY SCORING? Lines 2-4 have scored just eight goals this season – actually, it’s less than that, as Sami Salo and Keith Ballard have totalled three.

This is not cutting it. Not getting it done. No matter how you look at it.

To me, Ryan Kesler’s return bodes very well for all this finger-pointing.

He should get the secondary scoring going, which should keep the puck in opposing teams’ ends more often, which should settle Luongo down.

The saga just never ends for hothead and ex-Seattle Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley. His plethora of strange on and off-field happenings are well-documented and the latest allegations are the grimmest yet.

Bradley’s wife, Monique, field a restraining order against Milton after a heated argument on September 27.

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She alleged that he picked up a photo of a gun and said: “This is the gun that I’m going to kill you with.”

Monique said Milton also threatened her with a baseball bat during the argument, called her a “dumb b*tch” and said she was “fat, ugly and lazy.”

WTF Milton? “This is the gun that I’m going to kill you with.” ???

Milton was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

In documents filed at the Los Angeles County Court, Monique chronicles alleged constant emotional and physical abuse during the pair’s relationship.

She said that Milton also threatened to kill her last January after she took their two sons to live in a hotel following an argument.

“This is not a game – bring back my children or I’ll f*cking kill you,” Milton said according to Monique. She claims that he made a throat-slashing gesture toward her as well.

“I am very fearful that he will…try to harm me or even kill me,” Monique said following the September incident.

Milton Bradley was undeniably a talented baseball player who could’ve been even better had his emotional problems not hindered him.

It’s clear that he hasn’t gotten the proper off-field help to keep his life in control.

It doesn’t appear things will end well for him at this point if the allegations are true.

When you think about complete hockey players, the types who can score, hit, provide leadership and do a little bit of everything to help a team win, British Columbia’s Brent Seabrook is among the first players who comes to mind.

Growing up in Tsawwassen, B.C., Seabrook embarked on a fascinating hockey adventure with four names quite familiar to us: Andrew Ladd, Troy Brouwer and Colin Fraser.

They all played minor hockey together with the Pacific Vipers; all eventually made the NHL; and, amazingly, all four of them became teammates and Stanley Cup champions with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Northwest Athlete Profile: Brent Seabrook

Seabrook was a standout in the Western Hockey League with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, playing with another future teammate, Kris Versteeg, before Chicago drafted him to the NHL, 14^th overall, in 2003.

Right out of junior, he joined the Blackhawks in 2005-06, the first year after the lockout, and tallied 32 points as a rookie.

Soon, his partner in crime, Duncan Keith, joined him on the Hawks’ blueline.

The two have become the NHL’s premiere shutdown pair since then, winning a Stanley Cup together in 2010 and, a few months earlier, helping Canada to an Olympic Gold Medal.

Now an assistant captain with the Hawks, Seabrook remains one of the NHL’s best all-around defensemen, a guy who can chip in meaningful offense (including a career-high 48 points last season) but who also regularly hangs around the league leaders in ice time, hits and blocked shots.

Brent’s younger brother, Keith, currently plays in the Florida Panthers’ organization.

If he can become half the player Brent is, the NHL will have another outstanding import from Tsawwassen.