Kansas returns to top spot in hoops poll

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/08/2010 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kansas is back atop the men's basketball world, taking the top spot in the Associated Press poll for the third time this season.

The Jayhawks (29-2) were the preseason No. 1 and spent the first eight weeks of the season as the top-ranked team before a loss to Tennessee on January 10. Kansas then returned to the top the first week of February before falling to No. 2 just last week after a loss at Oklahoma State, but a loss by Syracuse at Louisville on Saturday pushed the Big 12 regular-season champs back up to the top spot.

Kansas received 63 first-place votes and 1,623 points from a nationwide media panel to easily outdistance SEC regular-season champ Kentucky. The Wildcats (29-2) picked up the other two top tallies and 1,553 points to move up one spot to second.

Syracuse (28-3), which occupied the top ranking for the first time in 20 years before Saturday's 78-68 setback in the Freedom Hall finale, dropped two spots to third.

Duke remained fourth and Ohio State climbed one spot to fifth. Purdue, West Virginia, New Mexico, Kansas State and Villanova complete this week's top 10. Kansas State dropped four spots from fifth after losses at Kansas and at home to Iowa State.

The second 10 consists of Michigan State, Butler, Wisconsin, BYU, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Temple, Gonzaga, Maryland and Vanderbilt. Maryland vaulted three spots after entering the poll last week at No. 22 thanks to wins over Duke and Virginia to claim a share of the ACC regular-season crown with the Blue Devils. Vanderbilt dropped seven places from 13th after Saturday's home loss against South Carolina.

Baylor, Georgetown, Texas A&M, Xavier and UTEP are the last five teams ranked this week.

There were no new entries this week heading into tournament play in the power conferences.

Innercasino NCAA Basketball Betting News

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Football Betting Lines

The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.

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Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.

Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.

A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.

Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.

Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.

And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.

2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win

Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1

Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1

Donald Brown (IND) 5/1

Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1

Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1

Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1

Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1

Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1

Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1

Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1

Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1

Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1

Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1

Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1

Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1

Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1

LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1

Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1

Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1

Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1

Jason Smith (STL) 40/1

Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1

Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1

Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1

Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2

Pat White (MIA) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 9/1

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