Wagner dismissed at Oregon State

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

06/01/2010 - Corvallis, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oregon State fired head women's basketball coach LaVonda Wagner on Tuesday.

She compiled a 68-85 record over five seasons with the Beavers. She also had a 26-64 mark within the Pac-10.

"It's always a difficult decision when you make a change in the leadership of a program," Oregon State athletics director Bob De Carolis said. "I appreciate Coach Wagner's service to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and wish her well in her future endeavors."

The Oregonian reported the school fired Wagner "without cause" and would pay her the remainder of her contract, which is about $1.2 million. She was signed through the 2013 season.

The newspaper also reported that Haiden Palmer, a freshman guard, was the latest in a series of players to request paperwork that could allow her to leave the program. Five players have already left the program this spring and a total of seven players are gone from the 2009-10 roster. That includes Talisa Rhea, who transferred to Seattle University. Rhea was the team's top scorer last season at 15.3 points per game. Palmer was the second-best scorer at 10.8 ppg.

Nikkansport NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Red Bull swaps crew chiefs for Mears, Speed
Mooresville, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red Bull Racing has switched crew chiefs and supporting personnel for its two Sprint Cup Series teams, beginning with this weekend's 500-mile race at Pocono, team officials announced on Tuesday. Driver

<< Brewers reinstate Edmonds from DL
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Brewers reinstated outfielder Jim Edmonds from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday amid a host of roster moves. Edmonds hit the DL with a strained left oblique muscle back on May 18. The lefty-hitting

<< Diamondbacks acquire Dontrelle Willis in trade with Tigers
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday acquired left-handed pitcher Dontrelle Willis and cash considerations from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for right-hander Billy Buckner. The 28-year-old Wil

<< Let's cut to the chase
Pocono, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thirteen races down and thirteen to go before the 2010 Sprint Cup Series championship chase begins September 19 in New Hampshire. After last Sunday's 600-mile race at Charlotte, the battle for the 12-driver chase f

<< Blue Jays activate P Tallet
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Blue Jays activated pitcher Brian Tallet from the 15-day disabled list. Tallet, who was on the DL since April 18 with a left forearm injury, will make the start, his fourth of the season, Tuesday

Yankees' Teixeira leaves early >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira left Tuesday's game against the Orioles after fouling a pitch off his left foot. The injury has been labeled a bruised left foot. Teixeira was hit by a p

Walker's first career HR boosts Pirates over Cubs >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Neil Walker's two-run home run in the eighth inning, the first of his career, gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs in the second contest of a three-game set. Garrett Jones als

Cantu, Paulino help Florida down Milwaukee >>
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jorge Cantu doubled in the go-ahead run off Trevor Hoffman in the seventh inning and the Florida Marlins downed the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-4, in the second installment of a four-game series. Ronny Pau

Vazquez strong on mound as Yanks win in Bronx >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An inconsistent Javier Vazquez bounced back from a poor start to toss seven innings of one-run ball and a Miguel Tejada two-run error in the seventh handed the Yankees a 3-1 win over Baltimore in the opener of a th

Westbrook solid as Tribe edge Tigers >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jake Westbrook pitched 7 2/3 stellar innings to lift the Cleveland Indians to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a three-game AL Central series at Comerica Park. Westbrook (3-3) allowed one run

Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional basketball lines can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.