2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Preview

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/08/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 39th annual Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament will begin on Tuesday, and the Morgan State Bears will look to claim their second straight tournament title. Morgan State, which defeated Norfolk State (83-69) in last season's title game, continued its dominance over league opponents by posting a 15-1 ledger in conference action this year. The Bears have participated in the last two tournament title games, but fell to Coppin State in 2008.

Along with Morgan State, Delaware State, South Carolina State, Norfolk State and Hampton will each enjoy a bye through the opening round of action. Delaware State edged out South Carolina State for the second seed, as the Hornets finished with an 11-5 mark, while the Bulldogs posted a 10-6 ledger. As for Norfolk State, the team was just 11-18 over on the year, but still managed to collect a 9-7 record in league action. The Pirates of Hampton avoided opening round play thanks to the fifth-seed, which was collected with an 8-8 mark on the season. Surprisingly those four teams were the only schools to finish the regular season with winning records in league play. The remainder of the teams in the MEAC will collide on the hardwood in opening round competition.

Tuesday night starts the opening round when the 10th-seeded Florida A&M Rattlers take on seventh-seeded Bethune-Cookman. The Rattlers claimed the MEAC Tournament title back in 2007, but since then the team has combined for just 19 total victories over the past two seasons. Florida A&M finished with just five league wins, but was able to close the regular season with three wins in its last five games. The Wildcats earned the seventh seed in the tournament with a 7-9 ledger in league action. However, down the stretch the team struggled, losing six of its last eight matchups. These two schools closed out the regular season against each other on Florida A&M's homecourt. The Rattlers won the matchup, but earlier in the year, the Wildcats clawed their way past Florida A&M at home.

The second contest on Tuesday will have the ninth-seeded North Carolina A&T Aggies square off against the eighth-seeded Howard Bison. The Aggies have the most MEAC titles amongst the team's currently in the league with 15, but have not claimed the tournament's top prize since 1995. This year the Aggies finished 6-10 in conference action, but closed the regular season with four consecutive losses. As for the Bison, they also finished 6-10 in league play, and finished with just seven victories overall. Howard has claimed this title on three different occasions, but the last time occurred back in 1992. These two schools collided twice on the hardwood, with both matchups favoring Howard, including a 59-49 victory at home back in February.

The third and final opening round game will be played on Wednesday when the 11th-seeded Coppin State Eagles battle the sixth-seeded Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks. The Eagles did not soar high this season, collecting just eight total wins, while finishing with a meager 3-13 ledger in conference action. Coppin State closed its year with five losses in its last six contests. In 2008 the Eagles grabbed the conference title, making it the team's fourth in the MEAC, but grabbing a fifth will be an uphill battle. As for the Hawks, they finished with an 8-8 mark in MEAC action, but dropped two of the last three regular season matchups. UMES has not enjoyed much success in this tournament, posting a meager 11-34 ledger. The season series between the two schools was dominated by the Hawks, who won both meetings in convincing fashion.

Over the past couple of seasons the Bears have been an elite team in this conference, and this year was no different, as Morgan State claimed the top seed by finishing the season with an amazing 15-1 league mark. Last year Morgan State posted a 13-3 league ledger and went on to win the tournament title a year after falling short in the championship contest. Morgan State only lost twice in its last 18 matchups, and enters this tournament as the team to beat. For Morgan State to claim its third MEAC Tournament title the team will need to continue to play at a high level offensively, as the Bears come into this event averaging an impressive 76.9 ppg.

The second seed belongs to Delaware State, which finished the regular season with an 11-5 mark against league foes. The Hornets won five of their last seven games heading into this event with a strong chance to grab their second MEAC Tournament title. The only other time Delaware State reigned supreme in this event was in 2005, but overall the team is a meager 18-37 in tournament play. The Hornets will be successful in this event if they can enforce their style of play on their opponent, as Delaware State clearly feels comfortable playing at a slower pace. The Hornets are only posting 58.3 ppg, but at the same time the team is limiting the opposition to just 58.0 ppg.

The Bulldogs of South Carolina State stumbled down the stretch this season, losing five of their last eight games, but even with the late struggles the team still finished 10-6 in conference action, which was good enough for the third seed. South Carolina State was not overwhelming at either end of the floor this season, averaging just 70.1 ppg, while allowing 70.3 ppg. The Bulldogs have won this event on five different occasions, but the last title came in 2003.

The fourth seed was claimed by Norfolk State, which is only 7-10 all-time in this tournament. The Spartans finished the regular season with a 9-7 conference mark, but it was the team's success down the stretch that vaulted Norfolk State into the quarterfinals. The Spartans won six of their last seven contests, and eight of their last 10, and that run placed the team in the fourth seed. What will likely hurt the Spartans in this event is their play defensively, as Norfolk State is surrendering 75.4 ppg.

The fifth-seeded Hampton Pirates are no stranger to raising the MEAC Tournament trophy, as the team has accomplished the feat three times in the school's history. The last time Hampton was crowned tournament champion was back in 2006. This season was a struggle for the Pirates as the team finished with 17 overall losses. However, the squad picked up its play down the stretch, winning its last five matchups, four of which were league games that pushed Hampton into the fifth slot with an 8-8 mark.

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Police report: Terrell Owens hospitalized after attempt

Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.

The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.

Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.

NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.

"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.

The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.

But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.

The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.

Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.

The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.

The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.

The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.

Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.

Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."

Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.

"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."

Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.

It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.

"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."

Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.

"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."

At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.

According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.

Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.

Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.

When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.

He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.

Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.

Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.

Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.

While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.

"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.

Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.

Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com

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