Illini's McCamey, Davis to return as seniors

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

05/08/2010 - Champaign, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - University of Illinois point guard Demetri McCamey and forward Mike Davis withdrew from the NBA Draft Saturday and will return for their senior seasons.

McCamey was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season, leading the team in scoring at 15.1 points per game and finishing second in the country with a school-record 7.1 assists per contest.

The 6-foot-3 guard also topped the Fighting Illini in steals at 1.5 per game and averaged 3.6 rebounds -- good for third on the team.

McCamey is the only player in Illinois history to reach 1,200 career points and 500 assists in three seasons of competition. He tied a school record with a career-high 16 assists at Purdue on February 20 and recorded ten 20-point games as a junior.

"After going through workouts and talking with my family and Coach (Bruce) Weber, I feel that it's in my best interest to return to school for my senior season," McCamey said. "Point guards are judged on victories. I think our team can do big things next year so I'm coming back to help us compete for championships and at the same time keep getting better so I can challenge for a first-round spot in next year's draft."

Davis was the Big Ten's top rebounder, averaging 9.2 boards, and was third on the team in scoring with an average of 10.7 points last season. His 15 double- doubles ranked second in the conference.

"I put my name in to hear from NBA personnel which areas of my game I need to make improvement," Davis said. "Deep down I knew another year of school was best for me, but having the chance to work out and get that feedback were helpful so I'm thankful for that opportunity. Now I'm motivated to work harder than ever so that we can have a great year next year, get back to the NCAA Tournament and make a run."

Wwwgamblingmagazine NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Sevastova takes Estoril title
Estoril, Portugal (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Latvian Anastasija Sevastova defeated Spaniard Arantxa Parra Santonja in straight sets Saturday to win the title of the $220,000 Estoril Open. Sevastova, ranked 74th, took the 6-2, 7-5 victory in

<< Virginia Tech's Delaney to return for senior year
Blacksburg, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Virginia Tech star guard Malcolm Delaney has withdrawn his name from consideration for June's NBA Draft. "I have decided to come back to Virginia Tech for my senior season," Delaney said. "I learned t

<< Purdue's Johnson, Moore withdraw from NBA Draft
West Lafayette, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Purdue juniors JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore have withdrawn their names from June's NBA Draft and will return for their senior seasons. "We're obviously happy to have two players of the caliber

<< Golf Course Review - TPC San Antonio (Oaks & Canyons Courses)
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FACTS AND STATS: AT&T Oaks Course Architect: Greg Norman, with player consultant Sergio Garcia. Year Opened: January, 2010. Location: San Antonio, Texas. Slope: 148. Rating: 76.5. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,435.

<< Canada rolls by Italy in Worlds opener
Mannheim, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rene Bourque, Matt Duchene and Steven Stamkos each posted a goal and assist as Canada opened its 2010 World Championship slate with a 5-1 victory over Italy. Corey Perry and Kris Russell al

Dodgers activate Manny from DL >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez was activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday. He had been on the DL since April 23 after aggravating an existing right calf strain. The injury originated

Yanks place Johnson on DL >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees placed infielder Nick Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left wrist on Saturday. Johnson left midway through Friday's 10-3 New York win over Boston with sorenes

Sunderland close to signing Paraguay's Riveros >>
Sunderland, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sunderland coach Steve Bruce confirmed he is close to signing Paraguay international midfielder Cristian Riveros. The 27-year-old currently plays in Mexico with Cruz Azul, but talks about a move to

Wolverhampton's McCarthy hopes to keep Doyle >>
Wolverhampton, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wolverhampton manager Mick McCarthy has admitted that he would struggle to keep hold of striker Kevin Doyle if one of the Premier League's big-hitters came calling. The 26-year-old Republic of Irela

Surging Suns one win from sweeping Spurs >>
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -The Phoenix Suns are saying what every team with a 3-0 lead always does: the series isn't over yet.Even if history plainly says otherwise.The San Antonio Spurs regrouped Saturday on the verge of possibly being swept from the Wester

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.