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What is it about the New York Yankees that they always seem to be the team to beat? At least according to oddsmakers they are. The year 2007 doesn’t appear to be any different and according to offshore sportsbook BoDog.com , the Yankees are the favored to win the World Series at 7/2 odds, the American League Pennant (9/5) and the AL Eastern Division (4/9). Here at Point-Spreads.com we think the reason the Yankees enter the season as the team to beat has a lot to do with their payroll and people are always willing to bet their money on the Yankees. In 2006 owner George Steinbrenner and the Yankees organization paid out $194,663,047 USD to their players. To put that in perspective, the Saint Louis Cardinals organization only paid out $89 million over $100 million less than New York. 

Much to Steinbrenner’s chagrin, a high payroll doesn’t always translate into championships. They came close to winning the AL Pennant the last two years but close doesn’t cut it with the Yankees owner. Neither does World Series appearances, something the Yanks haven’t done since appearing in the 2003. And New York hasn’t won the Fall Classic since the year 2000 when they completed a three year back-to-back-to-back sweep.

Southern Illinois, the top seed in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament , has shown why they are the 11^th best team in the country. On Saturday (Mar. 3) the Salukis’ Matt Shaw tipped in the winning basket with 3.2 seconds to go and SIU defeated the Bradley Braves 53-51 to move into Sunday’s championship game with the second seeded Creighton Bluejays. The winner of today’s game will win the MVC championship and punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament with an automatic bid. Although nothing is guaranteed, If SIU loses in today’s championship game they are almost assured of an at-large berth in the NCAA’s. If Creighton loses, they might have a hard time getting an at-large bid with 12 losses in spite of their 21 wins. The game will be televised nationally by CBS with tip-off from the Scottrade Center in Saint Louis at 2:05 p.m. EST.

 According to offshore sportsbook BoDog.com, Southern Illinois is a slim favorite in the championship game against Creighton installed at a -2 point chalk. The total for the game is currently set at 115. Lines and totals for all of Sunday's college hoops can be found at BoDog.com.