Butler hosts Detroit in Horizon League tussle

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01/10/2009 - Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is the site of today's Horizon League clash between the 21st-ranked Butler Bulldogs and the Detroit Titans.

Detroit was most recently in action against Valparaiso on Thursday, and the result of that clash was a 64-41 beating. The Titans are now a woeful 0-5 in league play and own a 4-10 overall record. They have played nine true road games so far this season, and only one of those tilts resulted in a victory.

As for Butler, it is 4-0 in Horizon League play for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign. The Bulldogs have tied the best 14-game start in program history with their 13-1 overall record, and the team is 7-0 in Hinkle Fieldhouse this season. On Thursday, they rolled to a 64-48 decision over Wright State in front of the home crowd.

Butler owns a 37-27 series lead over Detroit. and the Bulldogs have won the last four meetings.

No a single player reached double figures in scoring for Detroit in the ugly loss to Valparaiso on Thursday. The Titans were grossly outplayed, as they turned the ball over 19 times and shot 36.8 percent from the floor, including 2-of-11 from three-point range. A 34-29 rebounding deficit also hurt the cause. Thomas Kennedy and Nemanja Jokic led the way in the setback with nine points apiece. Generating offense has been a glaring problem area for Detroit all season, as it is only scoring 55.6 ppg on 39.9 percent shooting from the field, including 28.7 percent from three-point range. Kennedy provides 10.6 ppg, but that average is not going to scare Butler heading into this tilt.

The Bulldogs put forth another outstanding defensive effort in their win over Wright State on Thursday, as they were able to limit the Raiders to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor, including 26.3 percent from three-point range. Butler also earned a 34-27 rebounding advantage and a 19-11 edge in points from the foul line. Matt Howard posted 14 points in the triumph, and Gordon Hayward added 12 points and 11 rebounds. Providing extra balance to the lineup was Willie Veasley with 11 points. Through 14 games, Howard is netting 14.0 ppg to go with 6.6 rpg and a team-high 20 blocks. Hayward checks in with 12.9 ppg, and Shelvin Mack is generating 12.7 ppg. The Bulldogs are averaging 69.0 ppg while allowing only 56.6 ppg.

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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