Oklahoma hasn't gotten any respect all year as Griffin is the best player in the country, but they keep getting low lines.
5 point favorite at Tulsa who they destroyed 69-44.
1 point underdog at Kansas St. where they won easily 61-53.
4 point favorite vs. Texas who they destroyed 78-63.
They are coming off their best game of the year where they destroyed Baylor 95-76.
Granted this is a rivalry game, but Oklahoma St. has struggled vs. Top 25 teams all year and IMO don't play consistent defense to beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma St. gets most of their points and rebounds from their guards so Griffin should have a big night.
Oklahoma won last year at Oklahoma St. 68-56 even with Griffin not playing.
5 point favorite at Tulsa who they destroyed 69-44.
1 point underdog at Kansas St. where they won easily 61-53.
4 point favorite vs. Texas who they destroyed 78-63.
They are coming off their best game of the year where they destroyed Baylor 95-76.
Granted this is a rivalry game, but Oklahoma St. has struggled vs. Top 25 teams all year and IMO don't play consistent defense to beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma St. gets most of their points and rebounds from their guards so Griffin should have a big night.
Oklahoma won last year at Oklahoma St. 68-56 even with Griffin not playing.
I don't mean to completely disagree with this post because they have gotten some low lines but 9-6 ATS is not demolishing the spread. Oklahoma State did struggle early against the top 25, but they were all on the road and this team is coming together quite well. A name that you will hear about after tomorrow night is Marshall Moses. He had 18 & 11 against Nebraska and is one of the few guys in the BIG XII that I think can slow Griffin down. O-State has a clear PG advantage in Eaton, and Ok State have won the past 6 of 8 in Stillwater. I will be in the minority on this I am sure, but I am playing the other side. My advice is if you really do like OU don't play them big. This is a trap game, and the public should be heavy on OU.
Mr. Cover, all of that is true and contributes to why I love the Sooners in this spot, EXCEPT it still doesnt explain why this line is so low. i'd almost be more comfortable betting it if it was -5. the "trap game" theory, IMO, gets outweighed by the fact that it's a rivalry game. so OU should certainly be focused and motivated. im gonna wait to see how the line moves today. i'm actually hoping the spread gets bigger, and then i'll take OU (as crazy as that sounds)
Monday 1/26/09. Oklahoma-Oklahoma State
I lived in Oklahoma City for several years. I can tell you beating OSU in this spot will not be an easy task for OU. Reasons why the line is so close:
** The rivalry between OU and OSU is intense. This rivalry is as just as big as Texas/OU rivalry. Both teams circle these games against each other on their schedule at the beginning of every season. Home advantage in such a big rivalry game is key here.
** OSU is great at home. Stillwater is notoriously a very tough place to go play. It gets extremely loud there, especially when OU comes to town. 9-1 home record, that one loss being to a very good (17-3) Mizzou team. OSU only got beat by 2 points in that game.
** The trap is set. OU is ranked number 5 in the nation, OSU is not ranked, yet the line starts out at 1.5??? Do you think Vegas is going to give everyone a freeby tonight? It is fishy for a reason folks. Bookmakers want you to bite that worm. Nearly 80% of the public has taken the bait and pushed the line to 3 at many places now.
These are just a few aspects of the game that initially stick out to me. Should be a good game.
BOL
Hookem
I lived in Oklahoma City for several years. I can tell you beating OSU in this spot will not be an easy task for OU. Reasons why the line is so close:
** The rivalry between OU and OSU is intense. This rivalry is as just as big as Texas/OU rivalry. Both teams circle these games against each other on their schedule at the beginning of every season. Home advantage in such a big rivalry game is key here.
** OSU is great at home. Stillwater is notoriously a very tough place to go play. It gets extremely loud there, especially when OU comes to town. 9-1 home record, that one loss being to a very good (17-3) Mizzou team. OSU only got beat by 2 points in that game.
** The trap is set. OU is ranked number 5 in the nation, OSU is not ranked, yet the line starts out at 1.5??? Do you think Vegas is going to give everyone a freeby tonight? It is fishy for a reason folks. Bookmakers want you to bite that worm. Nearly 80% of the public has taken the bait and pushed the line to 3 at many places now.
These are just a few aspects of the game that initially stick out to me. Should be a good game.
BOL
Hookem
The reason for the low line is because Ok St is at home in a rival conference game. If this game was in OU, the line would be over 6.
OU will beat this team just like Pitt did yesterday to WVU. They are a better team with a dominate player, and with players who will out hustle and play better defense than OK St.
Sportsbetting isn't hard when you just PLAY THE BETTER TEAM.
Sure you will have upsets, but when it's a rivalry, you can believe OU won't be having a letdown or looking ahead.
Miz exposed OK St and dominated them all night, before the refs totally tried to give the game to the home team. That game was never really close and tonight will be no different.:grandmais
OU will beat this team just like Pitt did yesterday to WVU. They are a better team with a dominate player, and with players who will out hustle and play better defense than OK St.
Sportsbetting isn't hard when you just PLAY THE BETTER TEAM.
Sure you will have upsets, but when it's a rivalry, you can believe OU won't be having a letdown or looking ahead.
Miz exposed OK St and dominated them all night, before the refs totally tried to give the game to the home team. That game was never really close and tonight will be no different.:grandmais
I'm not talking about <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
ffice:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Oklahoma</st1lace></st1:State> for the whole year. I was just explaining why the line was low and <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Oklahoma</st1lace></st1:State> has covered easily in those spots. <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Oklahoma St.</st1:address></st1:Street> is playing well, but they still give up way too many points and defense. You saw what <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Oklahoma</st1lace></st1:State> did to Baylor who relies on offense and they are playing their best basketball right now. Moses has played better, but he is still a guard and doesn't have the size to shutdown <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Griffin</st1lace></st1:City>. I might agree with you on Eaton over Johnson a month ago, but Johnson is one of the main reasons they are playing great lately. Johnson has averaged 14.25 points with 5.75 assists his last 4 games and leads the Big 12 in assist to turnover ratio.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><o
></o>I don't buy the "trap" game angle as Vegas has put that on Oklahoma multiple times this year and they have come through each time. This is a rivalry game and I could see if they were traveling to <st1:State w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Texas</st1lace></st1:State> their next game it might be trap, but that isn't the case.ND was great at home and they got destroyed by UConn so I'm buying into the home court aspect that much as most home teams lately have gone down.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o><o
></o><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
ffice:smarttags" /><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Oklahoma St.</st1:address></st1:Street> has played IMO 4 potential tournament teams in <st1:City w:st="on">Gonzaga</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Michigan</st1:State> St., Baylor, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Missouri</st1lace></st1:State> and no surprise they lost all 4 games. While <st1:State w:st="on">Oklahoma</st1:State> has played IMO 7 potential tournament teams in Davidson, UAB, Purdue, USC, VCU, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Texas</st1lace></st1:State>, Baylor, and they won all 7 games.
