Battle helps Penn State upset No. 14 Purdue

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

01/07/2009 - University Park, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Talor Battle scored 21 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed five rebounds, as Penn State notched one of its biggest victories in the Ed DeChellis era, downing undermanned and 14th-ranked Purdue, 67-64, at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Battle's backcourt mate Stanley Pringle added 18 points, while Jamelle Cornley and Danny Morrissey collected 10 points apiece for the Nittany Lions (13-3, 2-1 Big Ten), who have won three straight home games against ranked teams.

Andrew Jones grabbed 11 rebounds -- eight on the offensive end -- to highlight the Nittany Lions' 41-27 edge on the backboards, including a 22-6 edge in the offensive rebound department.

The rebounding advantage illustrated the absence of Purdue's All Big Ten star Robbie Hummel, whose 13.8 points and a team-high 8.1 rebounds were missing due to a back injury.

E'Twaun Moore led Purdue (11-4, 0-2) with 21 points, Namanja Calasan added 11 points and five rebounds and Lewis Jackson collected 10 points and dished out five assists.

Jones showed his presence early as Penn State got multiple opportunities on several offensive trips and began the contest with an eye-opening 14-0 edge.

A jumper by Cornley, a bucket by Pringle and a three from Pringle capped the early burst. Purdue went over five minutes until its first basket, but Penn State maintained its 14-point edge, 31-17, on a three-point play by Battle.

The Boilermakers cut the deficit to six points several times in the first half, but Penn State still held a 41-33 lead at the half.

Moore's jumper cut the deficit to 46-45 early in the second half, and the Boilermakers took their first advantage of the game at 50-49 on Moore's bucket with 11:54 to go.

Purdue even held a 55-51 edge before Morrissey's three and Battle's free throw tied the contest at 55-55. The Boilermakers went approximately eight minutes without a field goal, and Penn State turned the 55-51 deficit into a 64-55 lead thanks to a friendly homecourt roll on Morrissey's three-pointer with just over three minutes remaining.

The Nittany Lions held on for the victory from there.

Game Notes

Penn State made just 38.7 percent of its shots, compared to 45.8 percent shooting from the Boilermakers...Purdue still leads the all-time series, 20-10...DeChellis, the head coach of the Nittany Lions, went to a zone defense for part of Purdue's shooting struggles in the second half.

Sport-lines NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Nowitzki leads Mavs to win over visiting Clippers
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dirk Nowitzki dropped 34 points, going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, as Dallas got by the Los Angeles Clippers, 107-102, behind a late fourth-quarter surge. Josh Howard had 22 points and six rebounds for

<< Adams and Tulsa crush Ball State in GMAC Bowl
Mobile, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tarrion Adams set a school record, gaining 3,653 career rushing yards, and matched another with his 32nd rushing touchdown, as Tulsa won its second straight GMAC Bowl with a 45-13 romp over 23rd-ranked Ball St

<< Kings' road woes continue in Chicago
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ben Gordon scored a team-high 24 points and Drew Gooden added 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, as Chicago downed Sacramento, 99-94 at the United Center. Derrick Rose littered the scorebook with

<< Huet, Blackhawks blank Coyotes
Glendale, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cristobal Huet made 22 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Chicago Blackhawks dominated the Phoenix Coyotes, 6-0. Jonathan Toews had two goals and an assist while Adam Burish added a goal and

<< Reynolds shines as Villanova downs Seton Hall in OT
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Scottie Reynolds' four free throws down the stretch of overtime finished off his brilliant 40-point performance, as the 18th-ranked Villanova Wildcats posted a grueling 89-85 victory over Seton Hall in anot

Washington, Arkansas upend No. 7 Texas >>
Fayetteville, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Washington scored 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds, leading the sizzling Arkansas Razorbacks to a 67-61 triumph over seventh-ranked Texas at a raucous Bud Walton Arena. Stefan Welsh had

Flames douse Sharks in battle of Western Conference powers >>
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Daymond Langkow scored twice to lead the Calgary Flames to a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks in a battle of Western Conference powers at Saddledome. Curtis Glencross, Mark Giordano and David Moss als

Booker leads the way as Clemson stays perfect >>
Clemson, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trevor Booker scored 19 points and the 12th- ranked Clemson Tigers remained undefeated by surviving a pesky Alabama squad, 66-59. K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby netted 12 points each for the Tigers (15-0

Giambi to re-join Oakland, pending physical >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics have signed first baseman Jason Giambi to a one-year contract worth a reported $4 million. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting the deal has a club option for the 2010 seaso

West, Hornets end Lakers' home win streak >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David West tied a career-high with 40 points -- scoring 27 in the second half -- as the New Orleans Hornets snapped the Los Angeles Lakers' 15-game home winning streak with a 116-105 victory at Staples

Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.

Get free Super Bowl XLIII Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting with credit cards