Tag: Connecticut

Lucas Niang Shares Why He Burned His Pop Warner Second Place Trophy

“If you’re not first, you might as well be last,” that’s the motto of former TCU right tackle and 2020 NFL Draft prospect Lucas Niang who shared the story of burning his second place Pop Warner trophy with his teammates.

“If you’re not first, you might as well be last,” that’s the motto of former TCU right tackle and 2020 NFL Draft prospect Lucas Niang who shared the story of burning his second place Pop Warner trophy with his teammates.

Connecticut sports betting: Is legal sports betting available in Connecticut?

Is sports betting legal in Connecticut? We look at the latest information.

No, sports betting in Connecticut is not legal at this time.

Sports betting in Connecticut

Connecticut introduced a bill focused on “authorizing sports wagering” early in 2019, but sports betting is not yet operational. Regulators are awaiting more legislation to guide them in adopting sports betting regulations.

A bill proposed by the Public Safety Committee early in 2019 would give tribal casinos the right to offer sports betting. The Connecticut Lottery and Sportech would also be allowed to offer live sports betting under the same bill.

Online sportsbooks in Connecticut

None.

Retail sportsbooks in Connecticut

None.

For more sports betting information and betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. And follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and on Facebook.

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2020 American Athletic Conference College Basketball Tournament odds and betting futures

Analyzing the 2020 American Athletic Conference Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

The 2020 American Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament kicks off Thursday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Tex. There are a few teams from the AAC which should be shoe-ins for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, should they come up short for a championship bid. A few others are on the bubble, and need impressive showings, and help in other tourneys, to catch the eye of the selection committee. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the AAC tournament.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednsday, March 11 at 11 a.m. ET.

2020 AAC odds: Houston Cougars (+200)

Regular-season record: (23-8, 13-5 AAC)

The Cougars will have a lot less pressure than some of the teams below them, as they’re a lock for a bid to the dance. They’re simply playing for seeding at this point and could use a couple of wins to bump them up. They could be on the 8-line right now, which would give them a coin-flip game in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Houston scratched out a win and non-cover against a solid Memphis side over the weekend in the regular-season finale. The Cougars have the defense to make at least an Elite Eight run if they’re on top of their game. They ranked 12th in the nation in points allowed (62.1 points per game), and they ranked seventh in defensive field-goal percentage (38.3). While Houston isn’t the best scoring team, posting just 72.3 PPG on offense, checking in a middling 135th, it creates plenty of second chances, ranking second in the country in offensive rebounding.

The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +200, as the Cougars are the class of the AAC.

2020 AAC odds: Cincinnati Bearcats (+350)

Regular-season record: (20-10, 13-5 AAC)

The Bearcats stumbled down the stretch, going just 5-3 straight up and 1-7 against the spread across their final eight games. File that away if you bet their games individually going forward. As far as winning the AAC Tournament, the Bearcats are a talented team, especially defensively. While not as tenacious as Houston, Cincy did rank 31st in the country in defensive FG% (39.8). G Jarron Cumberland (15.5 points, 4.9 assists) is a talented scorer, and 7-foot-1 C Chris Vogt had 1.6 blocked shots per outing with F Tre Scott cleaning the glass to the tune of 10.5 rebounds per game with 1.5 steals per outing. CINCINNATI IS WORTH A SMALL-UNIT BET AT +350, but don’t get ridiculous.

2020 AAC odds: Wichita State Shockers (+400)

Regular-season record: (23-8, 11-7 AAC)

The Shockers certainly made plenty of waves, rising from mid-major power in the Missouri Valley Conference to an invitation to the AAC. After a brief adjustment period, the Shockers are doing what we’ve come to expect from them – win a lot of games. While they lost two road games to Cincinnati and Memphis down the stretch, a 22-point win in the final over a good Tulsa team snapped them back on track. WICHITA STATE IS A GOOD VALUE BET AT +400.

2020 AAC odds: Tulsa Golden Hurricane (+600)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 13-5 AAC)

The Golden Hurricane were humbled by 22 points at Wichita in the finale. Tulsa beat the teams they were supposed to beat, and were hammered by the good teams. A 33-point loss in Houston Feb. 19 was also alarming. They’ll be a good NIT team, and a loss Friday in their first game, potentially against Memphis, wouldn’t be surprising. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Memphis Tigers (+600)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 10-8 AAC)

The Tigers had a chance to get off the bubble with a win in Houston in the finale. While they covered, they faltered, and covers do not impress the committee. Memphis likely needs at least two wins, perhaps three, to feel comfortable on selection Saturday. If the Tigers still had James Weisman in the middle, their chances of winning here would be better. They’re a good defensive team, but offensively they’re rather bland. A SMALL-UNIT PLAY TO WIN THE AAC AT +600 is OK, as their defense is good enough, but they’re a better bet in individual games against the spread and on Under plays.

2020 AAC odds: UConn Huskies (+1500)

Regular-season record: (19-12, 10-8 AAC)

UConn is on the bubble, and likely needs at least a run to the final to have a chance at an NCAA bid. The Huskies are matched up with Tulane in the 5-12 matchup, a team they scraped by 80-76 in the regular-season finale. They won both meetings with Tulane, but went 0-2 ATS. The good news is UConn enters this tournament on a five-game winning streak. Still, the Huskies are a mediocre team, and their odds are rather inflated based upon that. Not a good value, so AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: SMU Mustangs (+2500)

Regular-season record: (19-11, 9-9 AAC)

The Mustangs looked like a certain NCAA team, but they ended the regular season on a 1-5 SU/ATS slide, including shocking road losses to Tulane, UCF and South Florida. There’s a reason UConn is a 19-win team and just +600, and SMU has a better record but are long shots. What have you done for me lately? AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Temple Owls (+5000)

Regular-season record: (14-17, 6-12 AAC)

The Owls could spring a mild upset over a skidding SMU in the first round, but that’s as far as they go. They enter on their own five-game slide. It seems like regular-season wins over USC, Texas A&M and Wichita State were in another century. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: UCF Knights (+5000)

Regular-season record: (16-14, 7-11 AAC)

The Knights won their final two regular-season games, and they won at Cincinnati Feb. 19. They split with first-round opponent South Florida, so they could win one game, but they’re not going far. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: South Florida Bulls (+8000)

Regular-season record: (14-17, 7-11 AAC)

The Bulls won’t be on parade. They did top SMU in the regular-season finale and won in Memphis Feb. 8, but their opening game vs. UCF is a toss-up. If they win that one, they go no further. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: East Carolina Pirates (+10000)

Regular-season record: (11-20, 5-13 AAC)

The Pirates lost their final three games of the regular season, and are the only 20-loss team in the AAC. They beat SMU Jan. 11 but also lost by 20 to the Mustangs. That’s a microcosm of their season, and how inconsistent, and awful, they can be. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Tulane Green Wave (+10000)

Regular-season record: (12-18, 4-14 AAC)

The Green Wave opened 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS, and looked like they were in line for a big season, including a win in Utah. They also beat Cincinnati and SMU at home, but this game isn’t in New Orleans, and they dropped five of their last six away from their home floor. The Green Wave will crash early in this tourney. AVOID.

Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Golf Channel confirms plan to move its offices from Orlando

As part of a geographic consolidation, Golf Channel is relocating its offices from Orlando, Florida to Stamford, Connecticut.

Golf Channel is moving its offices from its longtime home in Orlando, Florida to Stamford, Connecticut, the network has confirmed.

“Our aim is to be as transparent as possible with our employees, therefore as we began this process we informed teams today that some of our media operations will be transitioning to new locations over the next year or more. Geographic consolidation is a growing and sensible trend across the media industry, and as our business continues to evolve, we’ll continue to look for ways to operate as effectively as possible to deliver world-class coverage to our loyal audiences,” a Golf Channel spokesperson said.

Golf Channel broke the news to its staff in an all-hands-on-deck meeting in its newsroom at 10 a.m., Friday. It was first reported in a tweet by No Laying Up and first confirmed by The Big Lead.

Staffers were told to expect an update in late April. It is unclear how much of the staff will be asked to move to Stamford.

Golf Channel has become part of the fabric of the game, with more live tournament coverage than all other U.S. networks combined. Golf Channel airs in more than 70 countries and nine languages.

Beginning in 2013, nearly all of the operations for NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network began to be based out of a Stamford facility. The move was made mainly to take advantage of tax credits given by the state of Connecticut. Golf Channel has been based in Orlando since its launch in 1995, and just celebrated its 25th anniversary after pioneering the all-sport channel.

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How to watch UConn vs Memphis: Date, time, odds

Here’s how you can watch the AAC showdown between the Connecticut Huskies vs. Memphis Tigers on TV and CBB live stream

The road the Final Four has officially started. The Connecticut Huskies travel to the Memphis Tigers in an AAC showdown, live on CBS All Access.

Memphis will be looking to get back onto the AP Poll after dropping back-to-back losses to Tulsa and Southern Methodist and falling out of the college basketball rankings. They seem to be back on track after beating Central Florida 59-57 on Wednesday.

UConn has yet to find their way on the AP Polls this season but has played their fair share of ranked teams, sadly going 1-4 in those games. The Huskies are fresh off a 78-63 win over Temple that ended a four-game losing streak (three against ranked teams) and will be looking to start another winning streak.

Stream College Basketball live on CBS All Access. Try it FREE now!

How to watch UConn vs Memphis:

UConn Huskies (11-9) vs. Memphis Tigers (15-5)

Saturday, Feb. 1, 1:00 p.m. ET

FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN

CBB streams:

Live stream: CBS

NCAA basketball odds:

Memphis is 5.5-point favorites over UConn, according to BetMGM. The over/under is set at 134.5 points.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Indiana vs. Connecticut odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Indiana Hoosiers vs. Connecticut Huskies sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks and tips.

The Indiana Hoosiers (8-1) and the Connecticut Huskies (6-2) lock horns in the Jimmy V Classic in New York at approximately 9:00 p.m. ET after the Texas Tech-Louisville game is completed. We analyze the Indiana-Connecticut odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Indiana vs. Connecticut: Three things you need to know

1. The Hoosiers won eight straight games to open the season, but they were dumped by 20 points last time out in the Big Ten Conference opener at Wisconsin to splash cold water on their hot start.

2. Huskies G Christian Vital has posted 14.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game to lead his team.

3. Indiana is just 9-23-1 against the spread in the past 33 games as a favorite on a neutral-site court.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Indiana vs. Connecticut: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Indiana 78, Connecticut 66

Moneyline (ML)

INDIANA (-161) is worth a small-unit bet on the moneyline, but they’re a much better value when laying the points with the spread.

Against the Spread (ATS)

INDIANA (-2.5, -110) has covered five of the past seven games overall, and is 5-2 ATS in the past seven when installed as a favorite, too. Connecticut (+2.5, -110) is 4-1 ATS in the past five neutral-site games but is just 2-8 ATS in the past 10 as an underdog in neutral-site contests.

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS (142.5). The total is going to be super close, and the trends are all over the board in this one. It’s all Over all the time for IU, going 7-2 in the past nine overall, and 5-1 in the past six neutral-site games when favored. The Under is 5-1 in UConn’s past six, and 5-2 in the past seven neutral-site affairs.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Connecticut shifts entire high school football playoff slate because of snow

The entire Connecticut high school football playoff quarterfinal and semifinal slate was shifted to avoid Tuesday’s snow storm.

We’re just at the outset of the inclement weather season, but it’s already wreaking havoc on prep sports schedules in the Northeast, starting with the state football playoffs in Connecticut.

As reported by the Hartford Courant, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference announced Monday that the state’s complete slate of football tournament quarterfinals, which were scheduled to take place Tuesday night, will instead be played Wednesday. The schedule shift will also impact the state semifinals, which will move from Sunday, Dec. 8 to Monday Dec. 9.

The one day delay gives teams a fifth rest day following their Thanksgiving Day rivalry games, with the semifinals then played on the prescribed four days rest.

The decision to shift the state’s entire slate of games was made in an effort to maintain a sense of equality among the teams, rather than play one clutch of games Tuesday and another Wednesday, thereby giving one team an additional day of rest before the state semifinals, a respite that can be critical when the games are played so close together.

Of course, the games going ahead on Wednesday is dependent on the weather cooperating then. Much further delay and the state semifinals and state championship may be even more delayed themselves.

Which team won turkey? Results from Thanksgiving Day high school football

As rivalry games unfolded on Thanksgiving Day across the country, we rounded up the results and highlights. See what happened in the State Line game, Maryland’s Holy War, New London-NFA, Winchester-Woburn and Xavier Prep-Fordham Prep.

As Thanksgiving Day football unfolds across the country, we’ll round up the results from the biggest games right here, starting with the one that determines pride across two Northeastern states.

STATE LINE GAME: Easton (Penn.) 16, Phillipsburg (N.J.) 13

Make it three straight for Easton, which scraped out another narrow victory in the annual Turkey Day grudge match to end all Turkey Day grudge matches. This one may end up being best known for the brawl that erupted in the final minute, with the game decided after a final Easton defensive stand. With Easton taking kneel downs Phillipsburg defensive players rushed the line and a melee ensued, with the referees running off the final minute once order was restored.

After taking a 9-6 lead into halftime, Easton scored on a one-yard touchdown run from running back Nahjee Adams with 10 minutes remaining to stretch the lead to 16-6. Phillipsburg answered, cutting the lead back to a field goal on a touchdown pass from Ben Ries to Robert Martin, but that was as close as the Stateliners could get.

The win pushes Easton’s final 2019 mark to 8-5 while Phillipsburg’s loss leaves the Stateliners at 8-3.

MARYLAND’S HOLY WAR: Calvert Hall 33, Loyola Blakefield 10

The 100th edition of Maryland’s Holy War ended just as the previous five did … with Calvert Hall celebrating a decisive victory in the game played at Towson University.

Cole Herbert led Calvert Hall with three rushing touchdowns and a fumble recovery on defense as the Cardinals built up a 27-3 lead and never looked back. The victory marked the sixth straight for Calvert Hall in the historic series and narrowed Loyola’s overall advantage to 49-43-8.

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YE OLDE BALL GAME (CONN.): Norwich Free Academy 49, New London 12

NFA dominated the 158th meeting between the two schools from neighboring Connecticut seaport towns, cruising to a 37-point victory against the Whalers that clinched a Connecticut Class LL state playoff berth in the process.

Wide receiver Damien Bleau led NFA with three touchdown catches in a game that was moved to NFA’s turf field on Wednesday. NFA’s victory pushes the Wildcats to 7-3 entering the playoffs while New London dropped to 5-7.

OLD FIRM FRIENDS (MASS.): Winchester 14, Woburn 7

Winchester proved too tough for their archrivals in a game that was tight and then devolved into a mess as the rain picked up in the fourth quarter.

Perhaps driven by the weather, much of the game was contested on the ground, with players from stars from both teams breaking through landmark moments during the contest: Winchester quarterback Tommy Degnan crossed the 1,000-yard rushing threshold on a 58-yard carry, pushing him above 1,000 yards passing and rushing on the season; Sachems running back Symon Sathler countered by crossing the 1,000-yard rushing mark himself in the third quarter.

The win improved Winchester to 9-2 on the season, the program’s first nine-win season since 2009 per the Daily Times Chronicle. Woburn wrapped up the campaign at 5-6.

TURKEY WHERE DREAMS ARE MADE (N.Y.): Xavier Prep 40, Fordham Prep 14

After a tight first half, the 97th Turkey Bowl in New York City was one-way traffic in the third quarter, with the Knights racing out to a 34-7 lead and then playing out the string.

Running back Andrew Scariano led Xavier with three touchdown runs, including two shortly after the Knights recovered Rams fumbles as Xavier made the most of Fordham’s mistakes.

The game played at Aviator Field in Brooklyn wrapped up a 4-5 campaign for Xavier and 3-7 season for Fordham.

Connecticut high school’s playoff hopes tomahawked by forfeit over internal unsportsmanlike conduct investigation

A Connecticut high school had it’s playoff hopes virtually ended by a self-imposed forfeit over an internal incident of “unsportsmanlike” conduct.

Torrington (Conn.) High School entered Friday night’s scheduled game at St. Paul (Conn.) High School with one eye on the Class M playoffs. The Red Raiders needed a win to stay alive. They didn’t get one … in fact, they didn’t even get a game, thanks to something that emerged within the program.

As reported by NBC Connecticut WTIV, among other sources, Torrington forfeited its scheduled matchup with St. Paul amidst an investigation into an “unsportsmanlike” incident that unfolded within the program.

Torrington entered Friday 5-3, with a victory and 6-3 record giving it a real possibility of a spot in the Class M playoffs. Instead, its 5-4 mark entering a season finale against Watertown on Thanksgiving takes such a berth off the table, per GametimeCT.

That’s not too disappointing for Torrington officials, apparently, with a statement making clear that they were most happy that the team’s coach, Gaitan Rodriguez, has set high standards for the program.

“The THS Interscholastic Athletic Program provides a variety of experiences to aid in the development of skills and attitudes that will prepare the student athlete for adult life,” Torrington athletic director Mike McKenna wrote in a release to the public. “THS takes great pride in the success of our athletic teams on the field but does not condone winning at any cost.

“We are extremely proud of the high expectations Coach (Gaitan) Rodriguez has set for our players. We are hoping this action will give the team an opportunity to reflect upon their behavior and display their excellent leadership skills in the future.”