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Case of the Mondays: Michigan Hands Share of Big Ten Title to Rival MSU


by - 3/11/2019

Klay Thompson Golden State Warriors

Michigan was the NCAA Tournament runner-up last year. And for much of this 2018-19 campaign it looked like the Wolverines would capture the Big Ten regular-season title. Those ideas went by the wayside this past weekend with a loss to rival Michigan State. Meanwhile, these are also troubling times on the hardwood for LSU and the Golden State Warriors.

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Michigan . There was more than just rivalry bragging rights in the recent Michigan vs. Michigan State showdown. With both teams sporting a 15-4 conference record and sitting a half-game behind Purdue in the standings, a share of the Big Ten regular-season title was on the line. Michigan State got the job done, prevailing 75-63 after erasing a 12-point deficit. By blowing its lead, UM tumbled down to the No. 3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. "We'll take the lessons we learned from this game (and) apply them to the Big Ten tournament so that we can win that again," Michigan head coach John Beilein noted. "If we can't, we'll apply it to the NCAA Tournament." Michigan State is a +130 favorite to win the Big Ten Tournament; Michigan is a +230 second choice.

Will Wade . Michigan may have some problems on the court, with four losses in its last 14 games after starting the season 17-1. But at least Beilein and company don't have any problems off the court. The same cannot be said of Wade and LSU, as the Tigers' head coach is indefinitely suspended after FBI wiretaps intercepted phone calls between Wade and aspiring business manager Christian Dawkins in which "offers" to current freshman Javonte Smart were discussed. With Wade absent for the first time this season and Smart also sidelined, LSU clinched the SEC regular-season title with an 80-59 home victory over Vanderbilt last weekend. The Tigers are +420 to win the SEC Tournament and +4000 to win the National Championship.

Golden State Warriors . In what was "probably the worst loss of the season" according to Klay Thompson, the Warriors lost at home to Phoenix 115-111 on Sunday. They were favored by a whopping 17 points. With that, Golden State threw away all of its momentum from last Friday's victory over Western Conference-leading Denver. Head coach Steve Kerr's squad is now 4-6 in its past 10 games and it has not won two in a row since a five-game streak from Feb. 2-12. "We talked about the things we need to get better at going into the playoffs and just haven't done it," Stephen Curry lamented. "It's an uncomfortable feeling, which I think we like right now. We're getting challenged; we're getting teams' best shots." Golden State is still an overwhelming -230 favorite to win the NBA title.

Calgary Flames . The Flames are still the best team in the Western Conference (91 points) and third-best in the NHL, but they lead San Jose by just one point in the Pacific Division. They had lost four in a row-all in regulation while scoring a total of only five goals-before beating Vegas on Sunday. The Sharks are beginning to walk through the open door with a current four-game winning streak. Calgary is +1200 to win the Stanley Cup.

Felix Hernandez . For the first time in more than a decade, Hernandez will not be the Mariners' Opening Day starter. Thus ends a streak of 10 straight Opening Day starts for the 32-year-old. He compiled a horrendous 5.55 ERA last season while going 8-14 and his spring training ERA currently stands at 15.95. One day after manager Scott Servais announced that Marco Gonzales would be the team's No. 1 starter, Hernandez gave up seven runs in three-plus innings against Cleveland this past weekend. "It was a tremendous run, and he's done awesome things," Servais said. "I just think where we're at right now organizationally and where he's at, he wants to have a big year and this does give him more time to prepare for his first regular-season start. But that doesn't make it any easier. But, again, we try to take as much of the emotion out of it as you can and do what's best for our ballclub." Seattle is +3500 to win the American League West.

Atlanta United . So far for Atlanta United, 2018 ain't walkin' through that door. The reigning MLS Cup champions trail Monterrey 3-0 following one leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal match and they drew 1-1 with expansion club FC Cincinnati in their 2019 MLS home opener on Sunday. Cincinnati had previously been blown out 4-1 by Seattle in its first-ever match. Under new manager Frank de Boer, ATLUTD is 0-1-1 through two MLS matches with a 2-0 road loss to D.C. United. Atlanta is +800 to win the MLS Cup; the New York Red Bulls are +600 favorites.

Tiger Woods . Tiger was a late withdrawal from last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a neck injury. It is a tournament he has won eight times, so expectations were obviously high prior to the alarming announcement. The 43-year-old plans to play The Players Championship this week, but any issue is obviously a concern given his history of physical problems over the past decade. With Tiger sidelined, reigning British Open champion Francesco Molinari triumphed at Bay Hill on Sunday. Tiger is +2200 to win The Players Championship; Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy are +1200 co-favorites (Bovada Sportsbook).


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