Friday 11/18/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Friday’s games

Suns won four of last six games with Indiana; road team is 6-4 in last ten series games. Phoenix is 3-2 in last five visits here, with three of last four staying under. Suns lost last three games, are 4-3 as a road underdog; their last nine games went over total- over is 7-0 in their road games. Indiana won last two home games by 19-10 points; they’re 3-2 as home favorites. Last three Pacer games stayed under total.

Hawks won four of last five games with Charlotte (under 5-0); Atlanta lost three of last four tilts played here. Hawks won last six games (5-1 vs spread); they’re 3-1 SU on road, 2-2 vs spread. Under is 3-1 in Atlanta road games. Hornets won five of last seven games, are 3-2 vs spread at home; four of their last five games went over the total.

Lebron sat out Wednesday’s loss in Indiana, will be rested here. Cavaliers won last four games with Detroit but Pistons covered four of last six series games. Detroit covered three of last four visits here; over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Pistons are 1-6 SU/ATS on road (5-0 at home); they lost four of last six games overall. Under is 8-3 in their last 11. Cleveland won three of last four games, is 2-4-1 as a home favorite.

Nets won five of last seven games with Oklahoma City; over is 5-3 in last eight series games. Brooklyn won three of last four visits here. Nets lost three of last four games, are 3-2-1 as road underdogs; four of their last five games went over total. Thunder lost four of last five games, are 4-3 as home favorites; under is 7-3 in their last ten games.

Warriors won five of last six games with Boston; under is 6-2 in last eight series games. Golden State won last three visits here, by 20-5-5 points. Warriors won its last five games, is 3-3 as a road favorite- their last four games went over total. Celtics won three of last four games, are 4-1 at home, but were favored in all five games. Last six Boston games stayed under the total.

Portland won eight of last nine games with New Orleans; under is 6-2 in last eight series games. Blazers won three of last four visits here. Portland lost three of last four five games; they got beat by 17 in Houston last night; Blazers are 3-3 vs spread on road. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games. Pelicans split last four games but are 1-5 at home; four of their last six games stayed under the total.

Dallas won last three games with Memphis by 9-4-10 points; four of last five series games went over total. Grizzlies split their last four visits here. Grizzlies won three of last four games, are 2-3 vs spread on road. Three of last four Memphis games went over. Mavericks lost last three games by 21-16-7 points; they’ll 1-2 at home. Seven of their last eight games stayed under.

Toronto won four of last six games with Denver; over is 4-0-1 in last five series games. Raptors won two of their last three visits here. Toronto lost to Cavs/Warriors on back/back nights earlier this week; they’re 3-1 on road (4-0 vs spread). Last five Raptor games went over. Nuggets lost four of last five games; they’re 1-3 vs spread at home. Over is 7-4 in Denver games this season.

Clippers won eight of last ten games with Sacramento (6-4 vs spread); LA won its last five visits here (4-1 vs spread). Six of last seven series games went over. Clippers won seven of last eight games, are 5-0 on road (4-1 vs spread); last four LA games went over total. Sacramento lost last three games by 10-7-5 points; they’re 4-1 vs spread at home (2-3 SU). Under is 3-2 in their home games.

Spurs won their last five games with the Lakers but LA covered the last three; San Antonio won last four visits here (2-2 vs spread), winning by 6-13-13-16 points. Five of last six series games went over. Spurs won last four games; they’re 6-0 on road (5-1 vs spread, with non-cover by half a point). Four of last five SA games stayed under total. Lakers won three of last four games, are 4-1 at home (3-1-1 vs spread)- they’re 7-2 as underdogs. Over is 7-2 in LA’s last nine games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Friday’s games

Suns won four of last six games with Indiana; road team is 6-4 in last ten series games. Phoenix is 3-2 in last five visits here, with three of last four staying under. Suns lost last three games, are 4-3 as a road underdog; their last nine games went over total- over is 7-0 in their road games. Indiana won last two home games by 19-10 points; they’re 3-2 as home favorites. Last three Pacer games stayed under total.

Hawks won four of last five games with Charlotte (under 5-0); Atlanta lost three of last four tilts played here. Hawks won last six games (5-1 vs spread); they’re 3-1 SU on road, 2-2 vs spread. Under is 3-1 in Atlanta road games. Hornets won five of last seven games, are 3-2 vs spread at home; four of their last five games went over the total.

Lebron sat out Wednesday’s loss in Indiana, will be rested here. Cavaliers won last four games with Detroit but Pistons covered four of last six series games. Detroit covered three of last four visits here; over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Pistons are 1-6 SU/ATS on road (5-0 at home); they lost four of last six games overall. Under is 8-3 in their last 11. Cleveland won three of last four games, is 2-4-1 as a home favorite.

Nets won five of last seven games with Oklahoma City; over is 5-3 in last eight series games. Brooklyn won three of last four visits here. Nets lost three of last four games, are 3-2-1 as road underdogs; four of their last five games went over total. Thunder lost four of last five games, are 4-3 as home favorites; under is 7-3 in their last ten games.

Warriors won five of last six games with Boston; under is 6-2 in last eight series games. Golden State won last three visits here, by 20-5-5 points. Warriors won its last five games, is 3-3 as a road favorite- their last four games went over total. Celtics won three of last four games, are 4-1 at home, but were favored in all five games. Last six Boston games stayed under the total.

Portland won eight of last nine games with New Orleans; under is 6-2 in last eight series games. Blazers won three of last four visits here. Portland lost three of last four five games; they got beat by 17 in Houston last night; Blazers are 3-3 vs spread on road. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games. Pelicans split last four games but are 1-5 at home; four of their last six games stayed under the total.

Dallas won last three games with Memphis by 9-4-10 points; four of last five series games went over total. Grizzlies split their last four visits here. Grizzlies won three of last four games, are 2-3 vs spread on road. Three of last four Memphis games went over. Mavericks lost last three games by 21-16-7 points; they’ll 1-2 at home. Seven of their last eight games stayed under.

Toronto won four of last six games with Denver; over is 4-0-1 in last five series games. Raptors won two of their last three visits here. Toronto lost to Cavs/Warriors on back/back nights earlier this week; they’re 3-1 on road (4-0 vs spread). Last five Raptor games went over. Nuggets lost four of last five games; they’re 1-3 vs spread at home. Over is 7-4 in Denver games this season.

Clippers won eight of last ten games with Sacramento (6-4 vs spread); LA won its last five visits here (4-1 vs spread). Six of last seven series games went over. Clippers won seven of last eight games, are 5-0 on road (4-1 vs spread); last four LA games went over total. Sacramento lost last three games by 10-7-5 points; they’re 4-1 vs spread at home (2-3 SU). Under is 3-2 in their home games.

Spurs won their last five games with the Lakers but LA covered the last three; San Antonio won last four visits here (2-2 vs spread), winning by 6-13-13-16 points. Five of last six series games went over. Spurs won last four games; they’re 6-0 on road (5-1 vs spread, with non-cover by half a point). Four of last five SA games stayed under total. Lakers won three of last four games, are 4-1 at home (3-1-1 vs spread)- they’re 7-2 as underdogs. Over is 7-2 in LA’s last nine games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Georgia State Panthers (1-1) at Purdue Boilermakers (1-1)

Date: November 18, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- If 15th-ranked Purdue needs incentive to avoid a possible letdown on Friday night against Georgia State, Boilermaker point guard P.J. Thompson is ready to build a strong case against complacency.

Purdue (1-1) played with great passion and effort in Monday night's 79-76 loss to reigning national champion and third-ranked Villanova in the Gavitt Tipoff Games at Mackey Arena.

The Boilermakers took two 3-point shots during the final 10 seconds in a bid to force overtime, but neither shot found its mark.

Now, Purdue must brace for an opponent with lots of Indiana ties.

Thompson, whose half-court shot at the first-half buzzer Monday night tied the Villanova game at 39, knows Georgia State will be eager to catch the Boilermakers napping.

Panthers' head coach Ron Hunter, who entered his sixth season with 103 victories, was the head coach at IUPUI in downtown Indianapolis for 17 seasons and lived in the Indianapolis Pike High School district, where his son, R.J., was a standout performer before joining his dad when Ron Hunter took the Georgia State job.

R.J. Hunter plays for the Chicago Bulls and is a good friend of Thompson.

Thompson grew up near the Hunter residence and was friendly with the Hunter family, although Thompson attended Indianapolis Brebeuf Jesuit High School.

"I've always admired R.J, and knowing coach Hunter, he will have his team ready to play Friday night," Thompson said Wednesday. "Coach Hunter likes to change defenses a lot, so it's a huge game for them, and a huge game for us.

"We need to bring the same kind of intensity against Georgia State as we brought against Villanova. I was talking to (assistant) coach (Kenneth) Lowe after the Villanova game, and he told me that if we bring that intensity every night, we won't lose many games."

Purdue knows that Georgia State's leading scorer -- 6-foot-8 senior forward Jeremy Hollowell -- will play with lots of intensity. Hollowell, who played high school basketball at Indianapolis Lawrence Central, was recruited by Purdue coach Matt Painter but ended up picking Indiana.

Hollowell transferred to Georgia State and is averaging 21.5 points and five rebounds.

Purdue forward Vince Edwards, who had 10 points, four rebounds and eight assists in Monday's loss to Villanova, believes Georgia State will encounter a Boilermaker team that is eager to play after its performance against the 2016 national champions.

"We are excited about where we are now and how we can keep building," Edwards said. "There really is no ceiling as to where this team can go.

"We had some miscommunication on ball screens and some other mistakes against Villanova, but they are little things that we can correct. That's one of the reasons we are excited to get right back out there and play Georgia State."

Georgia State's primary task will be coping with Purdue's 7-2 junior center Isaac Haas and 6-8 sophomore power forward Caleb Swanigan.

Haas is averaging 22 points and 4.5 rebounds, and Swanigan is averaging 21.5 points and 14 rebounds. Haas has made 17 of 21 shots from the field, and Swanigan has made 15 of 26.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Siena Saints (1-1) at Kansas Jayhawks (1-1)

Date: November 18, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The setting, Madison Square Garden, seemed appropriate enough for Bill Self to propose his Kansas point guard attract more attention from NBA scouts.

Senior Frank Mason just sank a winning pull-up jumper in the final seconds to defeat top-rated Duke in the Champions Classic, a victory that evened the No. 7 Jayhawks at 1-1 after opening with an overtime loss to Indiana in the Armed Forces Classic.

Mason was brilliant in both games. Enough that Self knew to put the ball in Mason's hands and let him take the shot that kept the Blue Devils' matchup from also going into overtime.

"I think the NBA's missing the boat on him," Self said. "He doesn't fit the eye test with length and standing (5-foot-11) and that kind of stuff, but he's got some things you can't teach and intangibles that are as good as anybody in America probably possesses."

After netting a career-high 30 points in the Indiana defeat, Mason led Kansas with 21 points and five assists against Duke. The third-year starter has already gained the distinction as the Jayhawks' go-to man entering their home opener Friday against Siena (1-1).

By at least gaining a split of a season-opening salvo in which Kansas flew over the Pacific and also played near the Atlantic to confront two bluebloods of their ilk , the Jayhawks realized their potential as Big 12 favorites expected to vie for a Final Four berth.

"It will do something for us, because, for the first time, we won a game when we shot it like (garbage)," Self said. He also noted that Duke did not "get transition points and we controlled the glass. It's not that complicated."

Certainly not if Mason continues a furious pace that finds him averaging 25.5 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds over 37.5 minutes. This, despite sitting out some of the first half against Duke because of foul trouble.

Freshmen also flashed more of their skills in the Duke win. Josh Jackson, a 6-8 guard rated by some services as the top recruit in this year's class, added 15 points. Udoka Azubuike, a 7-foot, 280-pound man-child from Nigeria, grabbed 12 rebounds.

"We're not a great rebounding team by any stretch," Self said, "and he gets 12 in 15 minutes and our other bigs get seven in 30. As he gets more comfortable, I certainly see his minutes going up. He's going to be as important as anybody on our team in how good we can be."

The Jayhawks have won 42 straight home openers. The game against Siena is officially part of the CBE Classic, which will find Kansas moving on to Kansas City, Mo., for a Nov. 21 game against UAB. Also that night, George Washington faces Georgia. The four-team bracket concludes Nov. 22.

Siena was edged 77-75 by George Washington, the reigning NIT champion, on Nov. 15.

The Saints had a chance to win at the buzzer, but sophomore guard Nico Clareth missed a 3-pointer. The loss began a stretch of four road games in eight days.

"It's a lot of travel and a lot of games," said Siena senior forward Brett Bisping, who averages a double-double (14.0 points, 10.5 rebounds). "But it's early in the season, so we're not really worn down yet. I think we'll be ready to go."

The Saints were picked second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (behind Monmouth) after returning their five top scorers off last year's 21-13 squad.

Marquis Wright, a 6-1 senior guard, leads Siena with a 26-point average after matching his career-best with 31 points against Cornell in the season opener.

"I hope some of the younger guys see what Marquis does," Siena coach Jimmy Patsos said. "He's fiery. He keeps taking the big shot. But he plays defense, then he hustles, he comes over and he listens to me. He's a complete player."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Washington State Cougars (2-0) at Creighton Bluejays (2-0)

Date: November 18, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

OMAHA, Neb. -- After one of the biggest wins in program history, don't expect Creighton to rest on what happened Tuesday night to get them through a trio of games in a setting where it's tempting to relax.

The No. 22-ranked Bluejays will face Washington State when it begins play Friday at 7:30 p.m. CDT in the Paradise Jam tournament at Sports and Fitness Center at the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas.

Creighton is coming off a 79-67 win over Wisconsin, giving the Badgers their first loss of the season.

Win or lose, Creighton (2-0) will play either Montana or North Carolina State on Saturday. The final round of the eight-team tournament is set for Sunday.

The matchup with the 2-0 Cougars will be interesting for the Jays to see how they respond to Tuesday's 79-67 win over No. 9 Wisconsin. While it would be natural for at least a bit of a letdown -- Washington State was 9-22 last season -- Creighton coach Greg McDermott anticipates the Jays will be okay.

After the Wisconsin win, McDermott said that victory was the biggest in his seven-year tenure at the school.

"It's a step in the right direction for us," McDermott said. "We think we're a long way from reaching our potential, but we're certainly moving in the right direction."

While the starting lineup seems to have been solidified after the first two victories, McDermott has no problem with going to one of the deeper benches in the Big East Conference for help.

Seniors Isaiah Zierden and Zach Hanson, along with junior Toby Hegner, all have starting experience in their careers.

"I think we have a very talented starting five," McDermott said. "But I also am able to bring in really three former starters off the bench.

"To be able to bring that type of experience off the bench is a luxury not a lot of programs have. It proved to be big for us (Tuesday night) in the Wisconsin game."

McDermott said he talked to many of his coaching peers, and they all told him the Paradise Jam was one of their favorite events, primarily because of the way the teams are treated, the venue and the tropical setting.

Even with those pleasant distractions, McDermott has the Bluejays focused on the Cougars after they began the season with wins over Montana State (69-65) and Central Washington (81-76).

"Coach (Ernie) Kent obviously is doing a good job there," McDermott said. "I'm impressed with some of their young players. They have a focus of trying to get that basketball inside.

"When it goes in there, those guys know what to do with it. It's going to be a challenge for us and one that we're going to take seriously."

Staying strong on defense and pushing the offensive tempo more than they were able to against Wisconsin would go a long way toward letting the Jays improve to 3-0.

"We have to be who we are," McDermott said. "We want to play as fast-paced as we possibly can while still making good decisions. That's the trick when you're trying to play fast; you can slow down enough to make sure you're making good decisions with the basketball and taking good shots.

"Defensively we did a good job against Wisconsin. We forced 16 turnovers and really took them out of what they wanted to do. That's going to have to be a staple of what we do."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sacred Heart Pioneers (1-1) at Arizona Wildcats (2-0)

Date: November 18, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Arizona's three-man freshman class is stepping up big early in the season, and it will have to continue to do so.

The 10th-ranked Wildcats (2-0) figure to have only seven scholarship players available for the second consecutive game when they face Sacred Heart (1-1) on Friday night. The game tips off at 10 p.m. ET in Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona beat Cal State Bakersfield 78-66 Tuesday night but had to fight off a 17-0 second-half charge after fatigue set in with about 16 minutes to go.

Wildcats guard Kadeem Allen sat out because of a left knee sprain. Coach Sean Miller said there was no structural damage in Allen's knee, and surgery was not required, but the team will take a cautious approach.

"I don't think he has an injury that is going to take him a long time to get back, but we're certainly not going to lose sight of the big picture and rush him," Miller said. "Kadeem would like to play right now, but he can't."

Freshman Kobi Simmons replaced Allen in the starting lineup Tuesday night, joining a pair of classmates, forward Lauri Markkanen and wing Rawle Alkins.

Markkanen scored 26 points on just 11 shots from the field. He converted eight, including one 3-pointer, and drained all nine attempts from the free-throw line. Miller raved about the 7-footer from Finland.

"Lauri is one of the best players in college basketball. He is. He's a monster," Miller said. "He can put it on the floor. He's a great free-throw shooter. He's a 7-footer who is playing the small forward position. He guards perimeter players. He guards post players. He inbounds the ball against full-court pressure.

"He just really, really knows how to play. It's almost like he has the game of a 6-foot-7 forward. He just happens to be 7 foot."

Markkanen is averaging 19.5 points and 7.0 rebounds. Simmons, who had 18 in a season-opening win over Michigan State, is averaging 15.5. Alkins is at nine points per game.

Miller said it is not a bad thing that these guys have been thrown into the deep end right way because of the short-handed roster.

"There is nothing like learning by being out on the court," he said. "If there is a silver lining in our situation, it's the amount of minutes these guys are getting early on."

Since the beginning of the summer, Arizona has lost freshman guard Terrance Ferguson to pro ball, graduate transfer guard Talbott Denny to a knee injury and redshirt freshman Ray Smith to a knee injury. Sophomore guard Allonzo Trier hasn't played yet because of rumored eligibility issues that the school has not commented on.

Sacred Heart, which was picked to finish eighth in the Northeast Conference's preseason coaches poll, is coming off a 90-86 win over Hofstra on Tuesday night. The Pioneers overcame a nine-point deficit in the final four minutes.

Sophomore guard Quincy McKnight, who averaged 11.4 points last season, scored a career-high 28 against Hofstra after posting a personal-best 25 in the season-opening loss at Fairfield.

"He's more an all-around player -- offense, defense. He can help you in a lot of different ways," Sacred Heart coach Anthony Latina said. "We want him to play exactly how he played last year, just be a little more efficient, and we will probably late in games call his number a little bit more."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Friday’s games

Tire Pros tourney, Orlando

Clemson beat Davidson 95-78 yesterday; four starters played 34+ minutes- their bench played only 36:00 total. Tigers got to line 32 times. Xavier was 2-22 on arc but survived with 83-82 OT win over Missouri- Musketeers got to line 38 times in game where Mizzou appeared to play harder. Xavier used only three subs yesterday; seven guys played 20+ minutes. ACC/Big East split last 12 meetings; favorites were 8-4 vs spread in those games. ACC teams are 13-5 vs spread this season; Big East teams are 8-7.

Missouri played their hearts out Thursday but lost; three kids played 40+ minutes yesterday, a 4th player 37:00; they lost in OT on last-second foul, but they’re a much-improved team. Davidson was 11-40 on arc yesterday, turned ball over 16 times, as Clemson damn near ran them off court with superior athleticism. A-14 teams are 6-5 in last 11 games vs SEC clubs; underdogs are 8-3 vs spread in those games. A-14 teams are 8-15 vs spread this season, SEC teams 9-14.

Northern Iowa was 13-30 on arc in surprisingly easy win over Arizona State yesterday; they used only two kids more than 27:00. Oklahoma graduated four guys LY who started 100+ games together so they’ve restocked shelves; they played 10 kids double figure minutes yesterday, none more than 31:00. MVC teams were 3-2 vs Big X teams LY; underdogs covered all five games. MVC teams are 6-6 vs spread this year, 3-3 as underdogs. Big X teams are 6-3, 4-3 as favorites.

Arizona State used four starters 31+ minutes in 19-point loss to UNI yesterday; giving up 82 points in 67 possessions isn’t good. Tulane was 11-22 on arc yesterday, still lost by 19; Green Wave used only one kid more than 29:00- they were -15 on boards. AAC/Pac-12 teams split six games LY; underdogs were 3-2 vs spread in those games. AAC teams are 7-8 vs spread this year, 3-4 as underdogs. Pac-12 teams are 13-7 vs spread, 12-7 as favorites.


Gildan Charleston Classic

Villanova was challenged by Western Michigan yesterday; Broncos shot 65% inside arc against them, but Wildcats were +6 in turnovers. Wake Forest scored 92.3 pts/game in winning first three games; they were a ridiculous 13-21 on arc yesterday- they led 63-44 at half. Deacons didn’t play anyone more than 29:00. Villanova used three kids 30+ minutes. ACC/Big East split last 12 meetings; favorites were 8-4 vs spread in those games. ACC teams are 13-5 vs spread this season; Big East teams are 8-7, 4-7 as favorites.

UTEP got blown out of water by Wake Forest’s shooting yesterday; Miners used two kids more than 26:00- they gave up 1.36 pts/possession- a lot. Western Michigan played their hearts out yesterday, were within handful of points in last 6:00 vs Villanova- Broncos used four kids 28+ minutes. C-USA/MAC teams split six meetings LY; favorites covered four of six games, with C-USA teams 4-2 vs spread. C-USA teams are 13-5 vs spread this season; MAC teams 10-8.

Charleston is 3-0, allowing 66.3 pts/game after beating Boise by 13 yesterday; they used five kids 28+ minutes, outscored Broncos 20-7 on foul line on their home court. Central Florida’s 7-6 center Fall had 26 points, 12 boards in easy win (53-33 at half) over Miss State yesterday. Knights only used six kids more than 11:00. CAA teams are 4-2 in last six games vs AAC squads (favorites 3-3 vs spread). CAA teams are 8-6 vs spread this season, 1-3 at home. AAC teams are 7-8 vs spread, 1-3 on road.

Mississippi State was crushed by host Charleston (53-33 at half) yesterday, losing by 13; Bulldogs shot 32% from arc, but UCF has a 7-6 center. MSU played four kids 28+ yesterday. Boise State had two starters play 27:00 yesterday but not score; they had only one player in double figures. Broncos played four guys 27+ minutes. SEC teams are 9-14 vs spread this season; Mountain West teams are 4-7.


2K Classic, NYC

Michigan scored 77.3 pts/game in winning first three games; they dismantled Marquette last night, shooting 60% inside arc- their rotation is seven kids playing 17+ minutes. SMU scored 79.7 pts/game in its 3-0 start; they beat Pitt by 9 last night, turning ball over only seven times. Mustangs played only eight kids, two more than 29:00. Big East/ACC teams split 12 games LY; favorites were 8-4 vs spread in those games. Big East teams are 8-7 vs spread this year; ACC teams are 13-5 vs spread this season.

Marquette played only three guys more than 21:00 in bad loss to Michigan last night (were down 50-26 at half). Golden Eagles shot 38.8% from arc in their 2-1 start. Pitt had two kids score 42 of their 67 points last night; Panthers are 2-1, but needed double OT to beat Eastern Michigan, a possible red flag- they allowed 82 pts/game in first three games. Big 14 teams were 6-4 vs AAC squads LY; favorites were 5-3 vs spread in those games. Big 14 teams are 10-10; this season; AAC teams are 7-8.


Paradise Jam, Virgin Islands

Ole Miss won its first two games 86-83/90-88, both at home; in 75-80 possession games, so they’re going to run. Rebels are turning ball over 24.7% of time, playing #17 pace in country. Oral Roberts lost by 15 at Baylor in only meaningful game so far; Eagles start two juniors, two seniors. SEC teams won last four games with Summit teams (3-1 vs spread). SEC teams are 9-13 vs spread this season, 8-11 as favorites. Summit teams are 9-7 vs spread, 7-5 as underdogs.

NC State beat couple of stiffs by 2-25 points to start season; Wolfpack’s best big guy isn’t eligible until Dec 15, so they’re little shorthanded now- they start a freshman and two sophs. Montana lost by point at home to Wyoming last game, after losing by 14 at USC. Griz is long way from home- they also start two sops and a freshman. ACC teams won/covered both games vs Big Sky teams LY, winning by 33-22 points. ACC teams are 13-5 vs spread this season, 13-4 as favorites; Big Sky teams are 8-10 vs spread, 8-9 as underdogs.

Creighton had emotional home win over Wisconsin earlier this week; Bluejays scored 84 pts/game in winning first two games- they shot 43.9% from arc in those games. Washington State is worst team in Pac-12; they won first two games by total of 9 points, but one of those was vs a D-II team. Big East teams are 5-2 in last seven games with Pac-12 squads; underdogs were 4-3 vs spread in those games. Big East teams are 8-7 vs spread this season, 4-7 as favorites; Pac-12 teams are 13-7 vs spread, 1-0 as an underdog.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (7-4) at Nuggets (4-7)

Date: November 18, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The Denver Nuggets experimented with two 7-footers in the starting lineup but it didn't work out. They stumbled to a 3-5 record with Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic manning the post together, so coach Michael Malone inserted Kenneth Faried at power forward.

It took a couple of games but the Nuggets finally got a win with Faried starting and Jokic coming off the bench. Turns out, Faried thought he should have been starting all along.

"When I came out of that starting spot, it kind of gave me a wakeup call," Faried said after Denver's 120-104 win over Phoenix on Wednesday. "Like, 'Hey, you need to get back to who you are.'"

Faried had 20 points and 15 rebounds, both season highs, in the win, and he and the Nuggets want to ride that momentum against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.

The Nuggets (4-7) also want to get even with the Raptors, who won the first meeting between the teams, 105-102, in Toronto on Oct. 31.

The Raptors (7-4) are going to be hungry for a win after losing back-to-back games to the two NBA Finals teams from last season. Toronto lost by four at Cleveland on Tuesday and then fell to Golden State at home on Wednesday.

"These two games are a good test for us, they let us know how quickly mental mistakes will cost you and breakdowns will cost you and then in the second half when we got focused in, locked in, we started switching some things properly, talking, communicating we kind of got back in the game," Toronto coach Dwane Casey told the Toronto Sun. "But you can't have lulls like that against great teams."

Star guard DeMar DeRozan hasn't had any lulls this season. He has scored 30 or more points in nine games this season, including 34 against the Warriors on a night he was 17-for-17 from the line.

One of those 30-point games came against Denver. He had 33, and his backcourt mate, Kyle Lowry, had 29.

Stopping those two will be a tall task for the Nuggets. Their best perimeter defender, Gary Harris, is out with a foot injury and Will Barton hasn't played since spraining his ankle against Toronto, leaving Denver thin at guard.

Malone started backup point guard Jameer Nelson against the Suns and went with a three-guard rotation with rookie Jamal Murray. It worked well enough against the Suns, but it will be a different story against the Raptors.

Friday's game is the beginning of four road games in six nights for Toronto. The Raptors also play Sacramento, the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston.

The Pacific Division-leading Clippers will provide a tough challenge, but Denver thinks it has found something with Faried back in the lineup, so the Nuggets will be tough to beat, especially after getting their first home win in four games.

"Very happy to get the monkey off our back, get the first home win," Malone said. "Now we have to turn around and get ready for Toronto."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (10-2) at Kings (4-8)

Date: November 18, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Clippers have been playing so proficiently that they have expressed dissatisfaction after victories this season.

They're really going to be in a foul mood after letting one slip away.

Los Angeles (10-2) brings the NBA's best record to Sacramento on Friday night, and they will have had 48 hours to stew before they take the floor at Golden 1 Center. The Clippers saw the end to a seven-game winning streak in a 111-107 overtime loss at home to the Memphis Grizzlies. Los Angeles fought back from a 15-point halftime deficit, but guard J.J. Reddick's 3-pointer with the Clippers down two and four seconds left was knocked away from behind.

It was Los Angeles' first loss since Nov. 2 at Oklahoma City.

"It's a learning point. It's a lesson," Clippers forward Blake Griffin said after the game. "Putting ourselves in such a big hole makes late game (situations) so intense for every little thing. It messes you up. I think it's good. We love to win them all, but it will be good for us."

The early going has been as good to the Clippers as anyone, and they've been spurred by defense. Per NBA.com, the Clippers allow 94.6 points per 100 possessions, the best mark in the league. They've held nine of their 12 opponents below 100 points, and the 111 scored by the Grizzlies marked a season high by an opponent.

They also have outscored opponents by 208 points in their first 12 games, an average of 17.3 per contest. They average 108.7 points per game, with Griffin leading them at 20.6 and Chris Paul adding 18.3. Paul, who is fourth in the NBA with 8.3 assists per game, leads the assists-to-turnover ratio at 4.76.

Despite all of it, Rivers expressed disappointment Tuesday that both the Clippers' losses have come at home and that his team was sloppy at times.

"We made mistakes," he said. "All of them are fixable mistakes."

The Kings keep hoping they have time to fix a rough roller coaster of an early season. Sacramento (4-8) has dropped three straight contests, including two in a row at their new home. The skid started when they let a 19-point lead get away against the Lakers at home on Nov. 10. They slumbered out of the game in their next two, the latest a 110-105 loss on Wednesday to San Antonio in which they fell behind 16-6 early in the first quarter.

"We've got to get off to better starts," Joerger said of a team that also fell behind 25-13 in an overtime loss at Portland on Nov. 11. "I thought that was just horrendous."

The Kings seemed disinterested early against San Antonio, allowing 16 points in the paint and turning over the ball four times in the opening 12 minutes.

"The starters have to do a better job," Kings center DeMarcus Cousins said. "We set the tone."

Cousins is averaging 26.6 points per contest and Rudy Gay 21.3 for the Kings, but Sacramento has struggled to find a consistent third scorer. They've also struggled to defend the 3-pointer, allowing opponents to shoot 35 percent. The Clippers knock down 37 percent from distance, the third-best mark in the NBA, and Reddick is 10th among individuals with a 47 percent success rate.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (9-3) at Lakers (7-5)

Date: November 18, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- The improved Los Angeles Lakers play host to the San Antonio Spurs in a matchup of two of the NBA's top offensive teams and best defensive clubs on Friday night at Staples Center.

The Spurs (9-3) are riding a four-game winning streak after a 110-105 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Ex-Laker Pau Gasol led the way for San Antonio with a season-high 24 points and nine rebounds. Gasol will face his former team for the first time in a Spurs uniform.

The Lakers (7-5), who have won three of their last four games, will face an obvious and early challenge against the Spurs, annually one of the league's top teams. After dropping consecutive contests to the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets at home more than a week ago, the Spurs responded with consecutive wins over the Detroit Pistons, the Rockets, the Miami Heat and the Kings.

"We're connecting with each other better, moving the ball better," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who is tied with Larry Brown for seventh on the all-time NBA list for regular-season coaching victories at 1,098. "We're improving."

The Spurs are 6-0 on the road and have captured the last five contests against the Lakers, going 4-0 last season. Ball movement and contributions from several players sparked the Spurs' recent surge.

Forward Kawhi Leonard, again an early MVP candidate, is averaging 25 points per game and 2.4 steals (third best in the league). LaMarcus Aldridge is scoring 17.8 points per game and hitting 54.5 percent of his 3-point attempts.

"We're at our best when we move the ball, when we make the defense work and we find the open guys," Gasol said. "We get much better shots that way, and it pays off. It creates a flow and energy that carries over to the defensive end."

The Spurs average 101.9 points on offense (19th in the NBA), but their defense is holding opponents to 96.8 points (fourth).

The Lakers have emerged as one of the league's top scoring teams. Los Angeles is ranked second in scoring at 110 points per game, trailing only the Golden State Warriors (117.4 points).

Point guard D'Angelo Russell scored a season-high 32 points and forward Julius Randle contributed a triple-double with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists Wednesday in a 125-118 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

The Lakers' bench has been another strength, averaging a league-best 50.6 points. Reserve guard Lou Williams has been one of the main sparkplugs with a 15.6 scoring average.

"They have been great all year, so obviously we're not going to complain about them, but even before the (Brooklyn) game I said I think the reason that they have so much success is because of how unselfish they play as a group," Lakers coach Luke Walton said of his reserves.

Both clubs are among the leaders in 3-point shooting percentage. San Antonio is ranked second at 39.2 percent per game, with Los Angeles is tied for third with Golden State at 37.4 percent.

The Spurs will be without center Dewayne Dedmon (left knee sprain), who is not traveling with the team.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

You don't think of Warriors-Celtics as a great NBA rivalry, but I don't know that two teams played two better regular-season games against one another last season -- and they renew acquaintances on Friday night. When Golden State visited Boston it was 23-0 and frankly should have lost but didn't, prevailing 124-119 in double overtime. But the damage was done: the next night, the tired Warriors' record-setting winning streak to start a season ended in a 13-point loss in Milwaukee. On April 1, Boston visited Oakland and upset the Warriors 109-106 in ending Golden State's NBA-record 54-game home winning streak. Steph Curry missed a long 3-pointer in the waning seconds to tie it. Here's hoping Friday's matchup is close to those two games.

Hawks at Hornets (TBA)

Atlanta won its sixth straight game Wednesday, 107-100 over Milwaukee. Dwight Howard and Thabo Sefolosha were out injured. Mike Muscala started for Howard and had 16 points. Neither injury is considered serious and it seems like Howard is the more likely to play here. Charlotte ended a two-game skid with a 115-108 victory in Minnesota on Tuesday. Kemba Walker had 30 points to lead his team back from a 12-point halftime deficit. The team was again without Jeremy Lamb, but he might return Friday. Charlotte lost three of four vs. Atlanta last year but won the most recent home game.

Key trends: The home team is 7-1-1 against the spread in the past nine meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in the past five.

Early lean: Hornets and under regardless of Howard.

Suns at Pacers (-7.5, 219.5)

Phoenix dropped a third in a row Wednesday, 120-104 in Denver. Brandon Knight scored a season-high 32 points for Phoenix, and Devin Booker had 24 before he was ejected late. Tyson Chandler (personal) returned from a four-game absence. Indiana beat visiting Cleveland 103-93 on Wednesday as the Cavs rested LeBron James. Paul George had 21. By the way, this game coincides with the 30th anniversary of the movie "Hoosiers" and Indiana will wear awesome Hickory Huskers jerseys. Indiana swept the regular-season series last year for the first time since the 2012-13 season.

Key trends: The Pacers are 9-4 ATS in their past 13 at home. The over is 13-3 in the Suns' past 16.

Early lean: Pacers and over.

Pistons at Cavaliers (-10.5, 206.5)

Detroit lost 105-102 in New York on Wednesday. Andre Drummond was back from a one-game absence due to a sprained ankle and had 15 points and nine rebounds. Cleveland's three-game winning streak ended in Indiana without LeBron. You are going to see him get an occasional second of a back-to-back on the road off. So if you live in an NBA city and the Cavs are in town, keep that in mind. J.R. Smith sat a third game in a row for Cleveland. Might surprise you to know the Pistons won three of four meetings last year and has taken four of the past six in Cleveland.

Key trends: The Pistons are 9-3 ATS in the past 12 in Cleveland. The under is 7-3 in the Cavs' past 10 vs. the East.

Early lean: Cavs and under.

Trail Blazers at Pelicans (TBA)

I mentioned earlier this week that New Orleans point guard Jrue Holiday would make his season debut either Wednesday or Friday, and indeed it will come in this game. New Orleans lost 89-82 in Orlando on Wednesday. Anthony Davis sat it out with a thigh injury, so here we go again with him. Portland was in Houston on Thursday. Portland won three of its four games against New Orleans last season and has claimed three straight season series over the Pelicans.

Key trends: The Blazers are 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five in New Orleans.

Early lean: Have to wait on Davis.

Nets at Thunder (-11, 218)

Brooklyn lost at the Lakers 125-118 on Tuesday. Brook Lopez had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets while also becoming the franchise leader in blocks. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 29 points. Oklahoma City ended a four-game losing streak with a 105-103 home win over Houston on Wednesday. Russell Westbrook had 30 points, including a vicious dunk in the final seconds to clinch it. Victor Oladipo added season highs of 29 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder. These teams split last year, each winning by double digits at home.

Key trends: The Nets are 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. The over is 8-1 in their past nine road games.

Early lean: Nets and over.

Warriors at Celtics (+7, 221.5)

First of an ESPN doubleheader. Golden State took a fifth in a row Wednesday, 127-121 in Toronto. Stephen Curry had 35 points and Kevin Durant added 30. The Warriors set a franchise record with a fifth straight game with at least 30 assists and shooting over 50 percent. Boston beat visiting Dallas 90-83 on Wednesday. Isaiah Thomas scored 22 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. Avery Bradley added 18 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Al Horford and Jae Crowder remained out for Boston. Golden State has won three straight in Boston.

Key trends: The Warriors are 0-3-1 ATS in the past four meetings. The over is 5-0 in their past five.

Early lean: Warriors and over.

Grizzlies at Mavericks (TBA)

Dallas lost its third straight Wednesday, 90-83 in Boston. Harrison Barnes led the Mavericks with 28 points, and he's about the only bright spot this year. Deron Williams was back in the lineup but then left in the second quarter with a calf injury. Then No. 2 point guard J.J. Barea left in the fourth with a strained calf. Barea will miss a while. Dirk Nowitzki sat a fifth straight game. This team is a wreck. Memphis pulled off a 111-107 upset at the Clippers on Wednesday. Marc Gasol suddenly is hitting 3-pointers and hit the go-ahead 3 with 14 seconds left. He had a season-high 26 points. Chandler Parsons didn't play the second half due to a sore knee. Dallas lost the first meeting last year but won the final three.

Key trends: The Mavs are 11-5 ATS in the past 16 meetings. The over has hit in 10 of the past 13.

Early lean: Mavs if Dirk returns as a likely letdown game for Grizz.

Raptors at Nuggets (+3.5, 213.5)

Toronto completed its Cavs-Warriors back-to-back at 0-2 with a 127-121 home loss to Golden State on Wednesday. DeMar DeRozan had a team-high 34 points for the Raptors. He's the first NBA player with nine 30-point games in his team's first 11 games since Michael Jordan in 1987-88. Denver ended a four-game skid with a 120-104 win over Phoenix on Wednesday. Wilson Chandlers has a season-high 28 points and 11 rebounds. It was Denver's first home win. However, shooting guard Gary Harris was out again and now likely will miss a month with a foot injury. These teams played on Halloween in Toronto and the Raptors won 105-102. DeRozan had 33 points and Kyle Lowry 29. The Raptors ended the game on a 12-3 run as Denver made just one of its final 12 shots.

Key trends: The Raptors are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings. The over has hit in four of those.

Early lean: Nuggets (letdown game for Raptors) and over.

Spurs at Lakers (+6, 207)

San Antonio won 110-105 in Sacramento on Wednesday for its fourth win in a row. Pau Gasol had 24 points and nine rebounds as the Spurs stayed unbeaten on the road. Danny Green did play despite being hurt Monday. The Lakers beat Brooklyn 125-118 on Tuesday. D'Angelo Russell scored 32 points and Julius Randle added 17 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double. San Antonio won all four meetings last year and has won five straight at the Lakers.

Key trends: The Spurs have covered just one of the past six meetings. The over is 4-0 in the past four.

Early lean: Spurs and under.

Clippers at Kings (+7, 204)

Second ESPN game. Los Angeles was stunned at home by Memphis on Wednesday, 111-107 to end the Clips' seven-game winning streak. J.J. Redick scored a season-high 29 points for L.A. Both of its losses are at home. Sacramento hung tough with San Antonio on Wednesday but lost by five for its third consecutive defeat. DeMarcus Cousins had 26 points, 17 rebounds and six assists. Los Angeles won three of four vs. the Kings last year and has won seven straight in Sacramento, albeit in a different building.

Key trends: The Clippers are 5-1 ATS in the past six in Sacramento. The over is 6-1 in the past seven meetings overall.

Early lean: Clippers and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Monmouth Hawks (1-1) at Syracuse Orange (2-0)

Date: November 18, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- On Selection Sunday last March, two of the biggest story lines involved the Syracuse Orange (in) and the Monmouth Hawks (out).

Syracuse, a middle-of-the-pack Atlantic Coast Conference team, justified the NCAA Tournament selection committee's decision to make the Orange a No. 10 seed by reaching the Final Four.

Monmouth, meanwhile, received a No. 1 seed in the National Invitation Tournament and is back to the drawing board this season as the Hawks seek their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2006.

In an early-season matchup that recalls the committee's controversial decision, Monmouth (1-1) will visit 18th-ranked Syracuse (2-0) on Friday night in a Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational game at the Carrier Dome. The five-team, round-robin tournament also includes South Carolina, South Carolina State and Holy Cross.

Syracuse thumped Holy Cross 90-46 Tuesday at the Dome after routing Colgate 83-55 to open the season.

After defeating Drexel 78-65 in its opener Nov. 11, Monmouth overcame an 18-point deficit against South Carolina to send the game into overtime Tuesday before losing 70-69 on a buzzer-beater.

Last season, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season champ Hawks became a mid-major media darling by playing 17 road games and 23 games away from home and beating Power Five teams Notre Dame, USC, Georgetown, UCLA and Rutgers. Ultimately, the selection committee couldn't ignore Monmouth's eye-popping losses to Canisius, Army and Manhattan.

Led by reigning MAAC Player of the Year Justin Robinson, Monmouth was selected to finish first in the MAAC this season in a poll of the league's coaches.

Against South Carolina, the Hawks trailed 40-22 before mounting a 27-8 run to briefly take the lead. In overtime, the Gamecocks' Duane Notice blocked Robinson's layup with eight seconds left, and PJ Dozier's 15-footer at the buzzer won it for South Carolina.

"We were in the right place, they got a lucky shot," Monmouth coach King Rice said immediately after the game. "All you have to do is watch (South Carolina's) reaction. They knew they were in a big-time fight. Their kids are tired, they all hugged me and said, 'Man, coach, your guys. Whoo!'"

While they struggled offensively for three-quarters of the game, the Hawks stayed close by making 23 of 27 foul shots and holding South Carolina to 33.8 percent shooting from the floor. Senior center Chris Brady recorded the second double-double of his career with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The Orange steamrolled Holy Cross behind a 13-for-25 shooting effort from 3-point range. Fifth-year graduate senior transfer Andrew White sank all four of his shots from beyond the arc and led Syracuse with 19 points.

The Syracuse offense is directed by point guards Frank Howard and John Gillon, who have combined for 46 points, 27 assists and just five turnovers in two games.

"There is no answer if we are all hitting jumpers. and when you go to man-(to-man) you will get beaten that way, too," said Gillon, a fifth-year graduate senior transfer from Colorado State. "With our depth, our smarts and our athleticism, it is really hard to stop us."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Friday’s games

Tire Pros tourney, Orlando

Clemson beat Davidson 95-78 yesterday; four starters played 34+ minutes- their bench played only 36:00 total. Tigers got to line 32 times. Xavier was 2-22 on arc but survived with 83-82 OT win over Missouri- Musketeers got to line 38 times in game where Mizzou appeared to play harder. Xavier used only three subs yesterday; seven guys played 20+ minutes. ACC/Big East split last 12 meetings; favorites were 8-4 vs spread in those games. ACC teams are 13-5 vs spread this season; Big East teams are 8-7.

Missouri played their hearts out Thursday but lost; three kids played 40+ minutes yesterday, a 4th player 37:00; they lost in OT on last-second foul, but they’re a much-improved team. Davidson was 11-40 on arc yesterday, turned ball over 16 times, as Clemson damn near ran them off court with superior athleticism. A-14 teams are 6-5 in last 11 games vs SEC clubs; underdogs are 8-3 vs spread in those games. A-14 teams are 8-15 vs spread this season, SEC teams 9-14.

Northern Iowa was 13-30 on arc in surprisingly easy win over Arizona State yesterday; they used only two kids more than 27:00. Oklahoma graduated four guys LY who started 100+ games together so they’ve restocked shelves; they played 10 kids double figure minutes yesterday, none more than 31:00. MVC teams were 3-2 vs Big X teams LY; underdogs covered all five games. MVC teams are 6-6 vs spread this year, 3-3 as underdogs. Big X teams are 6-3, 4-3 as favorites.

Arizona State used four starters 31+ minutes in 19-point loss to UNI yesterday; giving up 82 points in 67 possessions isn’t good. Tulane was 11-22 on arc yesterday, still lost by 19; Green Wave used only one kid more than 29:00- they were -15 on boards. AAC/Pac-12 teams split six games LY; underdogs were 3-2 vs spread in those games. AAC teams are 7-8 vs spread this year, 3-4 as underdogs. Pac-12 teams are 13-7 vs spread, 12-7 as favorites.


Gildan Charleston Classic

Villanova was challenged by Western Michigan yesterday; Broncos shot 65% inside arc against them, but Wildcats were +6 in turnovers. Wake Forest scored 92.3 pts/game in winning first three games; they were a ridiculous 13-21 on arc yesterday- they led 63-44 at half. Deacons didn’t play anyone more than 29:00. Villanova used three kids 30+ minutes. ACC/Big East split last 12 meetings; favorites were 8-4 vs spread in those games. ACC teams are 13-5 vs spread this season; Big East teams are 8-7, 4-7 as favorites.

UTEP got blown out of water by Wake Forest’s shooting yesterday; Miners used two kids more than 26:00- they gave up 1.36 pts/possession- a lot. Western Michigan played their hearts out yesterday, were within handful of points in last 6:00 vs Villanova- Broncos used four kids 28+ minutes. C-USA/MAC teams split six meetings LY; favorites covered four of six games, with C-USA teams 4-2 vs spread. C-USA teams are 13-5 vs spread this season; MAC teams 10-8.

Charleston is 3-0, allowing 66.3 pts/game after beating Boise by 13 yesterday; they used five kids 28+ minutes, outscored Broncos 20-7 on foul line on their home court. Central Florida’s 7-6 center Fall had 26 points, 12 boards in easy win (53-33 at half) over Miss State yesterday. Knights only used six kids more than 11:00. CAA teams are 4-2 in last six games vs AAC squads (favorites 3-3 vs spread). CAA teams are 8-6 vs spread this season, 1-3 at home. AAC teams are 7-8 vs spread, 1-3 on road.

Mississippi State was crushed by host Charleston (53-33 at half) yesterday, losing by 13; Bulldogs shot 32% from arc, but UCF has a 7-6 center. MSU played four kids 28+ yesterday. Boise State had two starters play 27:00 yesterday but not score; they had only one player in double figures. Broncos played four guys 27+ minutes. SEC teams are 9-14 vs spread this season; Mountain West teams are 4-7.


2K Classic, NYC

Michigan scored 77.3 pts/game in winning first three games; they dismantled Marquette last night, shooting 60% inside arc- their rotation is seven kids playing 17+ minutes. SMU scored 79.7 pts/game in its 3-0 start; they beat Pitt by 9 last night, turning ball over only seven times. Mustangs played only eight kids, two more than 29:00. Big East/ACC teams split 12 games LY; favorites were 8-4 vs spread in those games. Big East teams are 8-7 vs spread this year; ACC teams are 13-5 vs spread this season.

Marquette played only three guys more than 21:00 in bad loss to Michigan last night (were down 50-26 at half). Golden Eagles shot 38.8% from arc in their 2-1 start. Pitt had two kids score 42 of their 67 points last night; Panthers are 2-1, but needed double OT to beat Eastern Michigan, a possible red flag- they allowed 82 pts/game in first three games. Big 14 teams were 6-4 vs AAC squads LY; favorites were 5-3 vs spread in those games. Big 14 teams are 10-10; this season; AAC teams are 7-8.


Paradise Jam, Virgin Islands

Ole Miss won its first two games 86-83/90-88, both at home; in 75-80 possession games, so they’re going to run. Rebels are turning ball over 24.7% of time, playing #17 pace in country. Oral Roberts lost by 15 at Baylor in only meaningful game so far; Eagles start two juniors, two seniors. SEC teams won last four games with Summit teams (3-1 vs spread). SEC teams are 9-13 vs spread this season, 8-11 as favorites. Summit teams are 9-7 vs spread, 7-5 as underdogs.

NC State beat couple of stiffs by 2-25 points to start season; Wolfpack’s best big guy isn’t eligible until Dec 15, so they’re little shorthanded now- they start a freshman and two sophs. Montana lost by point at home to Wyoming last game, after losing by 14 at USC. Griz is long way from home- they also start two sops and a freshman. ACC teams won/covered both games vs Big Sky teams LY, winning by 33-22 points. ACC teams are 13-5 vs spread this season, 13-4 as favorites; Big Sky teams are 8-10 vs spread, 8-9 as underdogs.

Creighton had emotional home win over Wisconsin earlier this week; Bluejays scored 84 pts/game in winning first two games- they shot 43.9% from arc in those games. Washington State is worst team in Pac-12; they won first two games by total of 9 points, but one of those was vs a D-II team. Big East teams are 5-2 in last seven games with Pac-12 squads; underdogs were 4-3 vs spread in those games. Big East teams are 8-7 vs spread this season, 4-7 as favorites; Pac-12 teams are 13-7 vs spread, 1-0 as an underdog.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

StatFox Super Situations

CBB*|*S ILLINOIS*at*SIU EDWARDSVL
Play On - Any team (SIU EDWARDSVL) playing only their 3rd game in a week, bad team from last season (20% to 40%) playing a team that had a winning record last year
111-150*since 1997.**(*42.5%*|*25.4 units*)

CBB*|*ST JOHNS*at*MINNESOTA
Play Against - Underdogs of 2 to 3.5 points vs. the first half line (ST JOHNS) with just two starters returning from last year in the first 5 games of the season, first 5 games of the season, after closing out last season with 4 or more straight ATS losses
64-30*since 1997.**(*68.1%*|*31.0 units*)
1-0*this year.**(*100.0%*|*1.0 units*)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview and Prediction: Memphis Tigers (6-4) at Cincinnati Bearcats (4-6)
By Brett Nault
Friday, November 18, 2016 at 8:00 pm (Nippert Stadium)
The Line: Cincinnati Bearcats +7.5 -- Over/Under:
TV: CBS Sports Network

The Memphis Tigers will travel to Nippert Stadium to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats this Friday Night in College Football action.

The Memphis Tigers dropped to 6-4 (3-3 AAC) on the season after being defeated by the South Florida Bulls, 49-42, this past Saturday. In an exciting back and forth game Memphis couldn’t fight back after letting South Florida take the late lead on a 22-yard TD run by Quinton Flowers with just 1:46 left to play. Memphis was outgained by South Florida by a 679-608 margin and lost the turnover battle by a 1-0 margin. Leading the way for Memphis was QB Riley Ferguson who completed 29 of 46 passes for 331 yards, 3 TD, and an INT. On the season, Memphis is averaging 39.2 ppg on 465.1 total yards per game (297.1 passing, 168.0 rushing). Offensively, the Tigers have been led by QB Riley Ferguson who has completed 63.4% of his passes for 24 TD and 9 INT while averaging 289.6 passing yds/game. Memphis has a talented receiver group led by Anthony Miller (6.7 rec/g, 107.7 yds/g, 8 TD), Phil Mayhue (3.0 rec/g, 44.5 yds/g, 2 TD), Daniel Montiel (2.4 rec/g, 28.9 yds/g, 3 TD), and Daniel Hurd (1.6 rec/g, 19.8 yds/g, 2 TD). The Memphis backfield is led by Doroland Dorceus (9.9 att/g, 63.5 yds/g, 6 TD), Patrick Taylor Jr. (6.6 att/g, 43.8 yds/g, 2 TD), and Darrell Henderson (6.8 att/g, 42.8 yds/g, 4 TD). Defensively, Memphis is allowing their opponents to average 27.3 ppg on 444.4 total yards per game (227.9 passing, 216.5 rushing).

The Cincinnati Bearcats lost their 3rd straight game and dropped to 4-6 (1-5 AAC) on the season after being defeated by the UCF Knights, 24-3, this past Saturday. Cincinnati once again struggled on the offensive end and couldn’t fight back after falling behind by a 10-3 margin at halftime. Cincinnati outgained UCF by a 327-305 margin however, did lose the turnover battle by a 3-0 margin. Leading the way for the Bearcats was WR Kahlil Lewis who had 6 receptions for 84 yards. On the season, Cincinnati is averaging just 18.8 ppg on 371.1 total yards per game (252.7 passing, 118.4 rushing). Offensively, Cincinnati has been led by Hayden Moore who had completed 56.0% of his passes 7 TD and 5 INT while averaging 245.8 passing yds/game. The Bearcats backfield has been led by Tion Green (13.3 att/g, 63.5 yds/g, 2 TD) and Mike Boone (11.7 att/g, 43.1 yds/g, 2 TD). Devin Gray (4.9 rec/g, 68.4 yds/g, 3 TD), Kahlil Lewis (4.4 rec/g, ,57.4 yds/g, 5 TD), and Nate Cole (4.6 rec/g, 46.4 yds/g, 4 TD) are the leading receivers for Cincinnati. Defensively, Cincinnati is holding their opponents to an average of 24.9 ppg on 413.2 total yards per game (233.5 passing, 179.7 rushing).

The Tigers are 12-1 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a losing home record however, just 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall. The Bearcats are 1-5 ATS in their last 8 conference games and 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall.

Memphis has lost 3 of their last 4 games as they continue to struggle against the better teams in the AAC despite their dangerous passing game. Cincinnati comes into this game with the 122nd ranked scoring offense and although they are once again starting Hayden Moore, which I feel is their best option for offensive production, have averaged just 6.3 ppg during their 3-game losing streak. Memphis should be able to score some points with their solid passing attack and as there is no way you can depend on Cincinnati scoring the football, I think the play here is to take Memphis to cover.

BRETT'S PICK
Memphis Tigers -7.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: UNLV Rebels (4-6) at Boise State Broncos (9-1)

Date: November 18, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

UNLV just did Boise State a big favor but the No. 23 Broncos are unlikely to take that into consideration on Friday night.

The Rebels' stunning 69-66 triple-overtime victory over Wyoming last Saturday has revived Boise State's Mountain West championship hopes and the Broncos look to strengthen their conference positioning when they host the Rebels (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

Boise State (9-1, 5-1) lost to Wyoming on Oct. 29 and that result gave the Cowboys the upper hand in terms of winning the Mountain Division of the Mountain West. Wyoming still controls its fate but UNLV's dramatic victory in the third-highest scoring game in FBS history has greatly improved the Broncos' chances.

Boise State needs to win its final two games and have the Cowboys lose one of their final two contests to have a chance at the conference championship and a possible Cotton Bowl berth.

Boise State coach Bryan Harsin doesn't want to get caught up in the what-if scenarios. He wants the focus to be only on Friday's game against UNLV.

"We can't control that," Harsin told reporters. "We know what happened, guys know the scores and all those things. But I said this two weeks ago, we don't feel we control anything until the end of the year. So we have UNLV and that's really it.

"The talk again is going to be about all this stuff we can't control. If we eat that up, then we're going to put ourselves in a really bad position. We have UNLV, that's it."

The Rebels (4-6, 3-3) are the type of team that could typically be easy to overlook. Not so after the wild victory over Wyoming.

UNLV rolled up 653 yards of total offense -- the second most in school history -- and punished the Cowboys by rushing for 401 yards.

"To be able to come up and get this one against a really good team is a big deal for us," Rebels coach Tony Sanchez said. "It's just another brick in the rebuilding process."

Junior quarterback Kurt Palandech made his first start of the season and he excelled by accounting for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) while establishing career highs for passing yardage (252) and rushing yardage (157).

The news wasn't all good for the Rebels as standout junior receiver Devonte Boyd was lost for the season with a broken left arm. Boyd finishes the season with 45 receptions for 746 yards and four touchdowns and nobody else on the Rebels has more than 13 receptions or reached the modest total of 200 yards.

Boise State doesn't lack productive receivers and features a fine duo in senior Thomas Sperbeck and junior Cedrick Wilson, who share the team lead with nine touchdown receptions.

Sperbeck has caught 62 passes for 1,023 yards and ranks fourth in school history with 206 career receptions. Wilson has 44 receptions for 827 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Brett Rypien has recovered from a shaky midseason stretch and has passed for 2,916 yards and 22 touchdowns.

"I think we're clicking a lot better than we have all year," Rypien said, "and you want to be playing your best football coming into the end of the year and I think we're doing that."

Junior running back Jeremy McNichols has been playing top-level football all season and he leads the nation with 22 touchdowns (18 rushing, four receiving). McNichols ranks fifth nationally with 1,369 rushing yards.

Boise State's run defense has been suspect on a few occasions this season and was gashed for 234 yards by Hawaii in last Saturday's 52-16 victory. The Broncos allowed 217 one week earlier to San Jose State and were carved up for 382 by New Mexico earlier this season.

UNLV, which averages 34.4 points per game, plans to test the Boise State defense with runs by Palandech and a backfield led by true freshman Charles Williams (665 yards, three touchdowns) and sophomore Lexington Thomas (632 yards, eight scores). Thomas missed the Wyoming game with a sprained ankle.

Defensively, the Rebels allow 35.4 points per game and are led by senior cornerback Torry McTyer (three interceptions) and senior weak-side linebacker Tau Lotulelei (96 tackles).

An upset of the Broncos would give UNLV its fifth victory -- matching the combined total of the previous two seasons.

But Boise State needs to only look at what happened to Wyoming last week to know that there is impending trouble ahead if it doesn't take care of business on its own end.

"We still have a lot of work to do," senior weak-side linebacker Ben Weaver told reporters. "... There's only two games left in the regular season but anything can still happen and we have to look at it way. (Wyoming) losing, obviously, is in our favor and so now it's time for us to put our heads down and continue to work."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Friday's NCAAF Game of the Day: UNLV at Boise State

UNLV Rebels at No. 20 Boise State Broncos (-28, 66)

No. 23 Boise State received some much-needed help from UNLV last Saturday but the Broncos figure to have a short memory when they host the Rebels on Friday night. UNLV posted a 69-66 triple-overtime victory over Wyoming and that outcome revitalized Boise State's odds of reaching the Mountain West conference title game and landing a possible Cotton Bowl bid.

The Broncos lost to Wyoming earlier this season and need to finish ahead of the Cowboys to win the Mountain Division. The two teams are currently tied thanks to UNLV's victory that featured the third-highest point total in FBS history but Boise State coach Bryan Harsin isn't interested in discussing anything but Friday's game versus the Rebels.

"We don't feel we control anything until the end of the year, so we have UNLV and that's really it," Harsin told reporters. "The talk again is going to be about all this stuff we can't control. If we eat that up, then we're going to put ourselves in a really bad position. We have UNLV, that's it." The Rebels suffered a blow during their impressive victory when standout junior receiver Devonte Boyd was lost for the season with a broken left arm.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2.

LINE HISTORY: The Broncos opened as massive 27-point him favorites but that spread was not large enough for bettors as, the line was quickly pushed up to 28. The total hit the board at 66 and has yet to move.

INJURY REPORT:

UNLV - QB Johnny Stanton (questionable, knee), RB Lexington Thomas (doubtful, ankle), WR Devonte Boyd (out for season, arm)

Boise State - No injuries to report

WEATHER REPORT: The playing conditions at Albertsons Stadium are expected to be favorable, with partly cloudy skies expected and temperatures in the low 40s at kickoff. Winds will blow out of the southeast at 7mph.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: 'We opened Boise State as a huge 27 point favourite earlier in the week and it was quickly bet up to our current number of Boise State -28 with 70% of the action on Boise St. to cover.' - Michael Stewart.

ABOUT UNLV (4-6 SU, 5-5 ATS, 8-2 O/U) The Rebels rolled up 401 rushing yards against Wyoming and their 653 yards of total offense was the second most in school history. Junior quarterback Kurt Palandech was outstanding in his first start of the season by accounting for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and he also set career highs of 252 passing yards and 157 on the ground. The defense has been nicked for an average of 35.4 points per game but features a couple good players in senior cornerback Torry McTyer (three interceptions) and senior weak-side linebacker Tau Lotulelei (96 tackles).

ABOUT Boise State 9-1 SU, 3-7 ATS, 4-6 O/U) UNLV intends to run the ball a lot and that could pose a problem for the Broncos, who allowed 217 rushing yards to San Jose State on Nov. 4 and a whopping 382 to New Mexico earlier in the campaign. Boise State is pretty good at running the ball with junior Jeremy McNichols ranking fifth nationally with 1,369 rushing yards and first in the nation with 22 touchdowns (18 rushing, four receiving). Sophomore quarterback Brett Rypien has passed for 2,916 yards and 22 touchdowns, while senior Thomas Sperbeck (62 catches for 1,023 yards) and junior Cedrick Wilson (44 for 827) have both corralled nine touchdown receptions.

TRENDS:

* Over is 11-1 in Rebels last 12 games in November
* Over is 21-5 in Rebels last 26 games overall.
* Over is 6-0 in Broncos last 6 Friday games.
* Over is 4-1 in Broncos last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.

CONSENSUS: 56 percent are taking the home favorite while 68 percent of total bets are on the over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF

Friday’s games

Memphis beat Cincinnati 53-46/41-14 last two years; underdogs covered four of last five series games. Bearcats lost LY despite gaining 752 yards in game, 620 in air. Tigers lost three of last four games after a 5-1 start; they’re 2-2 on road, 1-2 as road favorite this year, winning 24-14 at Tulane, 51-7 at SMU. Cincinnati is 1-7 vs spread in its last eight games, 0-3 as a home underdog this year, losing 40-16 to Houston, 45-20 to USF, 20-3 to BYU- they were outscored 44-6 in losing last two games without scoring a TD. AAC home underdogs are 6-7 vs spread in league play this year.

UNLV is 4-6 after outlasting Wyoming 69-66 in OT LW; Rebels ran ball for 401 yards- they’ve scored 41+ points in all four wins, averaged 20.8 in losses. UNLV is 2-3 as road underdog this year, wth only SU win at Hawai’i; their road losses are by 21-23-19-6 points. Boise State threw for 473 yards outgained UNLV 705-457 in 55-27 win in Las Vegas LY; Broncos are 1-4 vs spread in last five games, 0-5 as a home favorite this year- their home wins are by 3-11-5-1-14 points. Mountain West home favorites are 8-13 vs spread in league play this year. UNLV’s best WR Boyd broke his arm last week, is out for year.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF

Friday’s games

Memphis beat Cincinnati 53-46/41-14 last two years; underdogs covered four of last five series games. Bearcats lost LY despite gaining 752 yards in game, 620 in air. Tigers lost three of last four games after a 5-1 start; they’re 2-2 on road, 1-2 as road favorite this year, winning 24-14 at Tulane, 51-7 at SMU. Cincinnati is 1-7 vs spread in its last eight games, 0-3 as a home underdog this year, losing 40-16 to Houston, 45-20 to USF, 20-3 to BYU- they were outscored 44-6 in losing last two games without scoring a TD. AAC home underdogs are 6-7 vs spread in league play this year.

UNLV is 4-6 after outlasting Wyoming 69-66 in OT LW; Rebels ran ball for 401 yards- they’ve scored 41+ points in all four wins, averaged 20.8 in losses. UNLV is 2-3 as road underdog this year, wth only SU win at Hawai’i; their road losses are by 21-23-19-6 points. Boise State threw for 473 yards outgained UNLV 705-457 in 55-27 win in Las Vegas LY; Broncos are 1-4 vs spread in last five games, 0-5 as a home favorite this year- their home wins are by 3-11-5-1-14 points. Mountain West home favorites are 8-13 vs spread in league play this year. UNLV’s best WR Boyd broke his arm last week, is out for year.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Harrah's Philadelphia

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.

Race 4 - Post: 1:40 - 1 mile. TROT - Class Rating: 76 - Purse:$14000 - 4 YR. OLDS & UNDER NW 3 EXT. PM RACES OR $30,000 LIFETIME 2 YEAR OLDS DRAW INSIDE PA PREFERENCE NO. 5 TSM TITUS T FIRST TIME LASIX
CONSORTIUM*CHOICES

# 4 DARK POOL 12/1
# 8 EDINBURGH 5/2
# 1 BETTER CALL SAUL 7/2

The pick for this race is DARK POOL and the potential win price justifies the long odds. This trainer, and the driver Miller, go together like cookies and milk. Their results together are top notch. EDINBURGH - Good for a win wager just off the amazing prior class stats. Have to like this nice horse. Had one of the best TrackMaster Speed Ratings of the group of animals in his last race. Must use in your bets. BETTER CALL SAUL - The panel of smart guys knows that speed is very important in harness racing. This entrant will unlock our way to a nice score. Very likely the class of the field with an average rating of 78. A nice contender.