Revs searching for league success against Union

Soccer Betting Lines

07/30/2010 - Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England has won four straight games without allowing a goal, but just one of those matches was in Major League Soccer. The Revolution hope to build on their SuperLiga success in league play Saturday at PPL Park against the expansion Philadelphia Union.

New England won all three of its SuperLiga group games, 1-0, to advance to the semifinals. But in MLS, the Revolution (4-9-2) are even with the Union (4-8-2) in the Eastern Conference with just 14 points halfway through the season.

The Revs last played an MLS game on July 10 against the Los Angeles Galaxy and posted their most impressive win of the season, 2-0, over the league's overall leader.

New England had won just one of its previous 11 MLS matches before the victory over L.A., and were shutout seven times during that stretch. New England's win over the Galaxy was just its third shutout of the season, but it sparked a run in SuperLiga play.

Central defender Darrius Barnes returned from a right foot injury against L.A. and has played a major role in the team's turnaround. Barnes was paired in the middle with Emmanuel Osei, and veteran goalie Matt Reis posted his first clean sheet of the season against L.A.

Following the L.A. win, New England topped Mexico's Pumas and Morelia, and the Chicago Fire, in SuperLiga group play with those three anchoring the team.

"The main thing - just organization and keeping our shape. If we get everybody in the right shape and everybody in the right spots," Barnes said on the Revs' website, "we're going to be successful.

"We have something good going on right now. We're playing well, we've put a little winning streak together, and hopefully we can continue to build on that."

New England will have to find a way to win on the road to continue its streak, as it has lost six of its seven road matches in MLS.

Philadelphia has built its success at home, earning 10 of its 14 points at PPL Park or Lincoln Financial Field. The Union won their last game against Toronto FC on July 17, and traded for midfielder Justin Mapp from Chicago this week.

Mapp, a 25-year-old with nine years of MLS experience, will add another cog to the young Union, who have just one loss in their last four matches. Sebastien Le Toux, who has a team-high seven goals, could benefit from Mapp's addition.

Le Toux started for the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday in a 5-2 loss to Manchester United. Mapp is a former MLS Best XI and has 36 career assists. Mapp admitted he was a little surprised by the trade, but is ready for a new challenge.

"It's a little bittersweet," Mapp said. "I'm excited to be here though, and very optimistic, so I'm looking forward to it."

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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