Top-25 foes meet in Big East clash

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/10/2009 - Villanova, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 13th-ranked Villanova Wildcats will try to continue their run tonight, as they host the 10th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles in a Big East battle at the Pavilion.

The Wildcats have clawed their way back from a 2-3 start in league play by winning each of their past five outings. The conference winning streak is the team's longest since the 2005-06 season and includes a 102-85 besting of Syracuse on Saturday. Villanova now stands at 19-4 overall and its 7-3 conference record is good for the fifth position in the Big East.

One of the squads the Wildcats are chasing is Marquette, which held sole possession of first place for a few days before suffering a stunning 57-56 upset at South Florida on Friday. The Eagles had won their first nine conference contests prior to the setback that snapped the team's lengthy 12- game winning streak. Still, at 20-3 overall, Marquette has nothing to be ashamed about, and it has also fared well on the road, going 5-1 as the visitor.

The Eagles topped the Wildcats in the first meeting of the season, 79-72, and that win knotted the head-to-head series at 6-6.

The Eagles are a versatile and athletic club and they are generating a healthy 80.2 ppg, with four of their starters doing a majority of the damage. Jerel McNeal is one of the top players in the Big East and he enters the game just 21 points shy of breaking George Thompson's school record for career points at Marquette. The well-rounded McNeal is currently averaging a hardy 20.0 ppg to pace the Eagles and he also adds 4.6 rpg and 3.7 apg, in addition to shooting 47.2 percent from long range. Wesley Matthews checks in with 18.9 ppg and 5.6 rpg, and Lazar Hayward contributes 15.7 ppg and a team-high 8.7 rpg. Dominic James chips in with 11.7 ppg and he is handing out 5.1 apg to lead the team in that department. On Friday, McNeal poured in 22 points for the Eagles, but it wasn't enough in a shocking loss at USF. James and Matthews each had 11 points, and Hayward pulled down 14 caroms. Matthews, though, missed a six- footer with time winding down and Hayward's putback was also off the mark, as the Eagles were unable to overcome their shooting woes in the loss.

The Wildcats are another versatile team in the Big East and they head into this bout scoring 76.0 ppg and limiting foes to just 38.5 percent shooting from the floor. Dante Cunningham leads the team with both 17.1 ppg and 7.3 rpg and he is a big reason why Villanova has been able to outrebound opponent by a solid 5.1 rpg. Scottie Reynolds logs 14.9 ppg and a team-high 3.9 apg, while Corey Fisher chips in with 10.2 ppg. On Saturday, Cunningham went off for 31 points and nine boards to power the Wildcats in a win over Syracuse. Corey Stokes had 16 points and eight boards off the bench and Fisher added 14 points and six assists. The Wildcats shot an efficient 54.5 percent from the floor, while also winning the battle on the boards, 46-37.

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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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