Irish to try their luck in Big East brawl with Huskies

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

01/29/2012 - Hartford, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Notre Dame Fighting Irish conclude their two-game road trip with a visit to the XL Center to square off with the 24th- ranked Connecticut Huskies.

This will be the 27th meeting in the all-time series between these programs. Although UConn holds a 17-9 advantage in the rivalry, Notre Dame has won three of the last four encounters. The Huskies won 67-53 in the first meeting this season on Jan. 14th, after they shot 46.3 percent from the field and held the Fighting Irish to 32.3 percent accuracy on their field goals.

Notre Dame put itself on the nation's radar as it handed the Syracuse Orange their first and only loss of the season. The Fighting Irish made it two in a row on Wednesday as they topped the Seton Hall Pirates 55-42. The 42 points allowed to the Pirates was the lowest scoring output by an opponent since 2005. Head coach Mike Brey's gameplan to stop Seton Hall's leading scorers, Herb Pope and Jordan Theodore, worked to perfection as the duo combined to go 6-of-28 from the field in the contest. The Fighting Irish are netting 68.2 ppg and have allowed opponents to score an average of 63.0 ppg.

The trio of Eric Atkins, Jerian Grant, and Jack Cooley will be instrumental for the Irish if they want to continue their success. Atkins is the team's leading scorer with an average of 12.9 ppg after his 14-point performance against Seton Hall on Wednesday. Grant averages 12.8 ppg, and chipped in 15 points and five boards his last time out. Cooley was the big man on campus after his 17-point and 10-rebound double-double in Saturday's upset win.

The Huskies enter with a 14-5 overall record after their 60-57 loss to the Tennessee Volunteers on Jan. 21st. UConn was held to 36.4 percent shooting from the floor while the Volunteers knocked down 42.3 percent of their field goals in the contest. The defeat was the second straight for Jim Calhoun's squad, which was upset by Cincinnati earlier last week. UConn has outscored its opponents by an average of 8.1 ppg so far this season.

After two losses in a row, Ryan Boatright will be welcomed back to the lineup. The Huskies freshman guard has averaged just over 10 points per game this season and knocked down 47.1 percent of his three-point attempts. Boatright will take some pressure off of Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier. Lamb is the team's leading scorer with an average of 17.9 ppg. The sophomore swingman scored 23 points versus Tennessee his last time out. Napier has scored 45 points in his last two outings. Freshman center Andre Drummond is the team's top rebounder with 7.6 rpg.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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