Big 12 bowls them over with dominating efforts

The Southeastern Conference is often considered college football’s most dominant league, but it has been the Big 12 Conference turning heads this bowl season, with No. 3 Oklahoma getting its chance tonight.

The Sooners, who defeated Missouri in the Big 12 championship game, are 7 1/2 -point favorites over No. 7 West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl at Glendale, Ariz.

Oklahoma will be looking to join Missouri, Oklahoma State and Texas as winners against the spread for the conference.

The Tigers dominated Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, covering the line with a 38-7 victory.

Oklahoma State did the same to Indiana, 49-33, in the Insight Bowl, and Texas embarrassed Arizona State, 52-34, in the Holiday Bowl.

The Sooners, 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games against nonconference opponents, have received strong support for tonight’s game. According to thespread.com, Oklahoma has picked up 79% of the bets against the spread.

The Sooners (11-2 overall) have won two games in a row since an upset loss to Texas Tech cost them a chance to reach the BCS championship game. They will play against a 10-2 West Virginia team that is 1-4 against the spread in its last five bowl games.

Here’s something to think about: The best action for tonight’s game may be the over/under, which has ranged from 62 to 63.5 points.

The over is 5-0 in the Mountaineers’ last five games when they’ve been an underdog and 6-1 in their last seven bowl games. The over is 7-1 in Oklahoma’s last eight nonconference games.

Pro basketball

The NBA will have a heavy schedule tonight, highlighted by the streaking Detroit Pistons, who are 5 1/2 -point favorites at Washington.

While the Boston Celtics have received the most attention out of the Eastern Conference this season, the Pistons have quietly put together a string of impressive games against the spread.

Detroit, which has won nine consecutive games overall, has a 21-9-1 record against the spread. The Celtics are 20-8-1 against the spread.

The best thing about the Pistons’ current run is that they have not only covered the line in 12 of their last 13 games but they have been winning with ease. Five times they have won by double figures, including victories by 45, 27 and 22 points.

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