Rutgers faces tough task in Big East bout with No. 10 Marquette

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02/22/2012 - Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will try to stop the bleeding as they head to the Bradley Center for Big East Conference action with the 10th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles.

Marquette and Rutgers have met six times before. The Golden Eagles hold a 5-1 lead in the all-time series after picking up victories in each of the last five matchups.

Rutgers fell for the fifth straight game on Sunday as it was bested 74-64 by the Syracuse Orange. The Scarlet Knights shot 41.9 percent from the field, but slightly won the rebounding battle 34-29 with Syracuse in the loss. Second year head coach Mike Rice's Rutgers team is 12-15 and 4-10 in Big East action. The Scarlet Knights have not been overwhelming offensively, averaging just 65.6 ppg, and they have allowed opponents to outscore them with an average of only 64.7 ppg.

The Scarlet Knights are a very young team as no seniors receive significant playing time. Freshman guard Eli Carter leads the charge with a scoring average of 13.4 ppg. Carter has scored in double figures 20 times this season and ranks third among freshmen in scoring in league play. Myles Mack has been a very serviceable sixth man. In his last 16 games, Mack has netted 10.0 ppg off the bench. With Gilvydas Biruta providing size and scoring from the forward position and Dane Miller's energetic play on the wing, Rutgers has the tools to hang around with nearly anyone, but still lacks the experience.

Marquette enters tonight's bout with a 22-5 overall record and an 11-3 mark in Big East play, which has it tied for second in the conference with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Golden Eagles picked up their third straight win on Saturday as they defeated Connecticut 79-64. Head coach Buzz Williams did not use a player taller than 6-7 against the Huskies, yet the Golden Eagles still finished with a 33-30 advantage on the boards. Marquette is a very talented team offensively, as it is second in the Big East in scoring offense with an average of 76.7 ppg. The Golden Eagles are allowing opponents to produce 65.5 ppg.

The Golden Eagles are led by their dynamic duo of Darius Johnson-Odum and Jae Crowder. Johnson-Odum is second in the Big East in scoring with an average of 18.6 ppg after he netted 24 points against Connecticut. It was the third contest in a row the senior guard scored 20 points or more. Crowder is contributing 16.7 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game. Vander Blue and Todd Mayo are chipping in 8.5 ppg each, while Junior Cadougan is dishing out 5.7 assists per contest.

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract

Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.

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After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."

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