Syracuse and St. John's meet in Empire State showdown

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02/04/2012 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-ranked Syracuse Orange square off with the St. John's Red Storm this afternoon in a Big East Conference clash from New York's famed Madison Square Garden.

Syracuse has won 22 of its first 23 games this season, and the former No. 1 team in the land is currently riding a modest two-game win streak following a 63-61 victory at home against West Virginia last Saturday. The Orange, who have been playing games at MSG since the 1938-39 campaign, are 5-1 in true road tilts this season, and a victory today would tie coach Jim Boeheim with the legendary Dean Smith for third place on the all-time Division I wins list.

St. John's hasn't had quite the season its Empire State rival has this year, but coach Steve Lavin's club has won two of its last three games to improve to 10-12 overall and 4-6 in conference. The Red Storm's latest triumph occurred on Wednesday night at DePaul, 87-81, and Syracuse represents the ninth ranked opponent St. John's has faced this season. The Storm lost the first eight games, but did manage to knock off five foes that were at one time ranked at Madison Square Garden last season.

Syracuse owns a 48-37 lead in the all-time series with St. John's, and the Orange won a pair of meetings last season, including a 79-73 victory in the quarterfinal round of the 2011 Big East Conference Tournament at The Garden.

Solid defense and timely shooting were the keys to Syracuse slipping past West Virginia last weekend. Despite only putting two players in double figures, the Orange shot 46.0 percent from the field and converted 13-of-17 free throws against the Mountaineers, who committed 17 turnovers and hit only 40.7 percent of their total shots. SU missed 80 percent of its three-point attempts (4- of-20), but scored 22 points off WVU miscues, and outscored the visitors in the paint, 32-22. Brandon Triche netted a team-high 18 points, while Kris Joseph finished with 13 points and seven rebounds for a Syracuse club that has appeared somewhat shell-shocked following its initial loss of the season at Notre Dame on January 21. Still, the team is averaging 77.4 ppg while allowing just 60.3 ppg, and the Orange shoot nearly 48 percent from the floor while yielding just a 38.4 percent success rate to the opposition. Joseph continues to pace the club with his 13.7 ppg, while Dion Waiters (12.3 ppg) and Triche (10.2 ppg) have been highly productive when called upon as well.

Freshman D'Angelo Harrison nailed seven three-pointers en route to a career- high 29 points, as he helped power St. John's past DePaul earlier this week. Support came from God'sgift Achiuwa, who added 15 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting effort, while Phil Greene finished in double figures for the fourth time in the past five games with 14 points, and Amir Garrett chipped in with a career-high 12 points. The Red Storm hit half of their 62 field goal attempts, claimed a 37-29 rebounding advantage, an 18-6 edge in points from the foul line and scored 25 points off 18 Blue Demon turnovers. Harrison and Moe Harkless sit atop St. John's scoring list for the season, with the former averaging 16.4 ppg and the latter right behind him with 16.3 ppg. Harrison needs to be more selective with his shot (.384), while Harkless is the team's leading rebounder (8.7 rpg). As a team, the Red Storm puts up 67.6 ppg, but permits 68.9 ppg. The last game not withstanding, the club has been horrific from long range this year, connecting on a meager 26.2 percent of its three- point attempts.

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Huskers' Lucky hospitalized for undisclosed reason

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.

The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.

MySportsbook.com has the Cornhuskers listed at +2500 to win the BCS National Championship odds.

A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.

A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.

Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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