Friday 11/27/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (0-16) at Rockets (5-10)

Date: November 27, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

As poorly as the Houston Rockets have fared lately, their next opponent has already endured much worse this season.

The Philadelphia 76ers will try to avoid hitting another new low Friday night with the longest losing streak in U.S. major professional sports history.

With 26 consecutive defeats dating back to March 27, Philadelphia tied a record established by the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976-77 for the second time in three seasons. The 76ers' other 26-game skid was from Jan. 31-March 27, 2014.

"How many streaks have I been a part of?" said coach Brett Brown, whose tenure began in 2013-14. "I'm numb to it."

The 76ers (0-16) have blown fourth-quarter leads in each of their last three defeats and squandered an 11-point advantage in Wednesday's 84-80 loss to Boston, scoring three points in the final 6:15.

"It is hard," forward Nerlens Noel said. "You're so close to getting that first W. There's couple of plays that you've got to sleep on."

Philadelphia is also on the verge of matching its franchise-worst 0-17 start from last season and two losses shy of equaling the New Jersey Nets' league-worst 0-18 mark in 2009-10. The 76ers, in the midst of a six-game trip that ends Sunday, have lost 14 straight on the road and are 0-9 this season.

Philadelphia's league-worst offense (89.8 points per game) will try to exploit one of the worst defenses. Houston is allowing 106.8 points per contest.

The 76ers have topped 90 just twice in its last eight games while the Rockets (5-10) have allowed fewer than 100 just once this season, a 96-84 loss in Memphis last Friday.

Another one of James Harden's high-scoring performances and Patrick Beverley's return from an injured left ankle did little to stem Houston's recent woes Wednesday. Harden had 40 points in a 102-93 home loss to Memphis and Beverley scored four in 19 minutes off the bench after missing five games.

The guard also missed two contests earlier this season because of a concussion.

Houston has lost seven of its last eight and earned that lone win, 108-103 in overtime against visiting Portland on Nov. 18, the same day coach Kevin McHale was fired. The Rockets are 1-3 under interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

"We've had meetings. We've talked too much. Now things have to turn around," said Harden, averaging a career-high 28.7 points. "Of course, we are all frustrated but the confidence is still there. We're getting a lot of open shots that we normally make but they're just not falling. So it's putting more pressure on our defense. We've got to continue to take those shots."

Houston has won three in a row over Philadelphia, but the latest victory against the moribund franchise was hardly easy. The Rockets needed Harden's layup with nine seconds left for an 88-87 win Nov. 14, 2014.

Harden had 35 points in the Rockets' fourth consecutive home win in the series and is averaging 31.6 in his past five matchups.

This game will feature one of the best emerging centers in the league, Jahlil Okafor, facing Houston's Dwight Howard for the first time.

Okafor, averaging 18.4 points and 8.1 rebounds, just missed his third consecutive double-double Wednesday with 19 points and nine boards. Howard, meanwhile, is averaging 13.6 points - his fewest since his 2004-05 rookie season - but is tied for second in the league with 12.7 rebounds per game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (10-7) at Grizzlies (9-7)

Date: November 27, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The early-season patterns have been opposite for hopeful title contenders Atlanta and Memphis.

While the Hawks seemed to cement their spot toward the top of the Eastern Conference in the opening two weeks, the Grizzlies' struggles left questions about their status in the West.

The trends have reversed since, and the Grizzlies look to continue their climb on Friday night as the visiting Hawks hope to regain their footing.

Atlanta (10-7) won eight of 10 out of the gate while looking much like the team that finished with the best record in the East last season. The Hawks, though, have stumbled since with five losses in seven games, including a 99-95 defeat at Minnesota on Wednesday to start a three-game road trip.

Paul Millsap finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds against the Timberwolves and Jeff Teague scored 22, but Atlanta dropped its fourth straight on the road.

'If a team can say they beat the No. 1 team in the East last year, it looks good on their resume, I guess,' Millsap said. 'But that's the bed that we made, and you know we've got to accept that. Any time we come into somebody else's place or even at home, we've got to understand that the target's on our backs and we've got to match the other team's physicality and aggression.'

Injuries have impacted the Hawks with Kyle Korver slow to return from offseason ankle surgery and Teague missing three consecutive games this month with a sprained ankle.

Contributors Kent Bazemore, Thabo Sefolosha and Tiago Splitter have each missed a handful of games. Splitter will miss his third straight on Friday due to a hip injury, while Bazemore is questionable with a sore ankle.

This time last season was when the Hawks took off, winning 33 of 35 from Nov. 28-Jan. 31 after opening 7-6. The hot stretch closed with a franchise-record 19 straight victories.

'Well, we didn't start off the season great last year either,' said Korver. 'I think everyone remembers it was after Thanksgiving we had a really good run.'

The clock starts now with the holiday in the rearview mirror. The Hawks close their trip at San Antonio on Saturday before opening a three-game homestand against Oklahoma City and Toronto next week - all three division leaders.

Atlanta has dropped three of four against Memphis, including the last two games at FedExForum.

The Grizzlies (9-7) averaged just 90.2 points while opening the season 3-6, but a rejuvenated offense has helped them win six of seven.

Memphis, which has won four straight at home, has scored more than 100 points five times during the spurt while averaging 103.9.

'In our case we knew it was us,' point guard Mike Conley said. 'When we can recognize and be accountable for our mistakes it's easier to fix than to start to think that all the teams are better than us.'

Conley finished with 19 points and five assists during a 102-93 win at Houston on Wednesday while Jeff Green had 20 and Courtney Lee scored 10 of his 17 in the fourth quarter.

After averaging 12.5 points on 34.7-percent shooting through Memphis' first 10 games, Conley has averaged 20.7 while making 54.9 percent of his shots in the last six.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (8-7) at Thunder (10-6)

Date: November 27, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Having proved himself in his opportunity with the Detroit Pistons, Reggie Jackson now gets a chance to show the Oklahoma City Thunder what they gave up.

Jackson returns to Oklahoma City to face his former team which is rolling again with Kevin Durant having returned.

The Pistons identified Jackson as a key piece to their rebuild when acquiring the point guard from Oklahoma City in a three-team trade Feb. 19 and signing him to a five-year, $80 million contract in July. The fourth-year pro has so far rewarded the team's faith by averaging a career-high 19.3 points and 6.0 assists in helping Detroit (8-7) to an encouraging start.

Jackson and the Pistons are coming off impressive performances, with his 18 points and seven assists against one turnover playing a big role in Detroit's 104-81 victory over Miami on Wednesday.

The Pistons halted a two-game skid with much-improved efforts at both ends following Monday's 109-88 loss at Milwaukee. Detroit shot a season-low 34.1 percent and was dominated in the paint by the Bucks, but was 8 of 14 from 3-point range en route to a 60-point first half against the Heat while limiting them to 40.5 percent from the field overall.

The Pistons were 16 of 31 from behind the arc for the game.

'We were upset about what happened in Milwaukee, and we had something to prove,' Jackson said. 'We can't shoot like that every game, but we can play defense and hustle, and we didn't do that in the last game.'

Andre Drummond put forth a particularly determined effort, compiling 18 points and 20 rebounds along with a season-high five blocks that neutralized Miami's inside game.

'We had a talk (Tuesday) at practice about me not challenging shots, so I made that a job tonight,' he said. 'I was going after everything, knowing my teammates would have my back against the lob.'

Detroit might have a tougher time slowing down Oklahoma City (10-6), especially with Durant back from a six-game absence due to a strained hamstring. After scoring 27 points and shooting 10 of 13 in his return at Utah on Monday, the 2013-14 MVP was 5 of 8 from 3-point range in a 30-point outing in Wednesday's 110-99 win over Brooklyn.

'He makes it look easy,' teammate Russell Westbrook said. 'Obviously he makes everything he does look easy, but he works hard and he's put himself in position to come back and show how good a player he is.'

With Durant and Westbrook each averaging over 28 points, the Thunder rank second in the league with 109.8. They've averaged 112.7 points during a three-game winning streak and are 9-1 when scoring 110 or more.

Enes Kanter, obtained from the Jazz as part of the Jackson trade, has made a significant contribution as well. The center is averaging 12.2 points in 21.3 minutes as a core member of a strong second unit.

Conversely, the Pistons have received minimal production from their reserves, ranking last in the league with 22.3 bench points per game.

Detroit, losers of five of six on the road following a 3-0 start there, halted a six-game skid in Oklahoma City with a 96-89 overtime victory Nov. 14, 2014. That's the club's lone win in the 12 past games in the series.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (9-4) at Pacers (9-5)

Date: November 27, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Indiana Pacers are knocking down 3-pointers with ridiculous accuracy after a mediocre start, and they seem to be showing no signs of slowing down.

They'll try to stay hot from beyond the arc and avenge a loss earlier this month to the Chicago Bulls on Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Indiana is shooting a league-best 41.6 percent from 3-point range, an unusually good number for a franchise that hasn't finished better than 12th in that category over the last three seasons. The Pacers (9-5) also started off in relatively average fashion, shooting 34.2 percent in their first seven games.

They've won nine of 11 this month, however.

"We're still getting used to the system, but now we're flowing," said Paul George, who is shooting 45.7 percent from 3-point range.

They've shot a blistering 52.9 percent from deep over the last four games - the franchise's best mark for a four-game stretch since Jan. 16-23, 1998 - though they were 24 of 42 in that span compared to 55 for 104 during the current run.

Indiana hit a franchise-record 19 of 26 3-pointers in Tuesday's 123-106 win at Washington, and the 73.1 3-point percentage set a league mark with a minimum 25 attempts.

George scored 40 points and hit seven 3-pointers, while C.J. Miles knocked down eight and scored 32. The duo combined for only two misses and became just the fifth teammates in NBA history to hit seven apiece.

"We've been talking about making people try and pick their poison. There's a lot of space out there when he does what he does," Miles said of George. "There's a lot of space out there when he does what he does. I just try and move in the gaps and find spaces and be aggressive when I get my chances."

Indiana lost 96-95 at Chicago on Nov. 16, shooting 9 of 21 from beyond the arc but just 39.4 percent from 2-point range. George scored 26 while Derrick Rose led Chicago with 23.

The Bulls (9-4) are limiting opponents to 33.9 percent 3-point shooting and held Portland to 27.3 percent (6 for 22) in a 93-88 road win Tuesday.

Jimmy Butler scored 22 while Rose added 17 after missing two games with a sprained left ankle. Chicago shot 38.4 percent - the third time in four games it has shot 40.7 percent or worse - but scored a season high-matching 21 points off turnovers.

"I think we played an all-right game," Rose said. "We won so that's the only thing that matters."

Rose was 7 of 20 and has struggled with his shot all season, hitting 37.3 percent from the field - the seventh-worst among players averaging at least 30 minutes.

"I felt all right," he said. "There were some plays where I had no lift on my shot as far as like driving the ball, but that's going to come the more I play and the stronger it gets."

The Bulls are closing a four-game trip before playing nine of the next 10 games at home, while the Pacers are 5-2 at home and have won five of six there in the series. George has shot just 28.3 percent in his last three home meetings with Chicago, however.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (12-3) at Nuggets (6-9)

Date: November 27, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

In another season, San Antonio might have gotten heavy attention as the team off to the best start with the calendar nearing December.

That's not the case with the league's defending champions still unbeaten, but the Spurs have always been OK with quiet and unassuming - and 12-3 is still 12-3 even in the context and shadow of 16-0 Golden State.

After remaining perfect in San Antonio through a three-game homestand, a manageable road test comes Friday night against the sliding Denver Nuggets with winning and losing streaks on the line for each.

San Antonio (12-3) got to 8-0 at home with a third straight win and ninth in its last 10, beating Dallas 88-83 on Wednesday. It was the Spurs' worst scoring effort and their third-worst shooting night (40.7 percent), but they got 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting and 4 of 7 from 3-point range out of Kawhi Leonard.

While the 24-year-old Leonard has been a fixture in San Antonio for some time, winning the NBA Finals MVP two seasons ago, one of his newest teammates is beginning to appreciate his fellow forward's worth first hand.

"(Kawhi's) growing," LaMarcus Aldridge said. "I never really watched the Spurs play too much last year. I don't know if he played to this level last year, but he's definitely playing at a big-time level. He's taking big-time shots and making them for us."

Leonard has averaged 25.0 points and shot 58.8 percent with 10.5 rebounds in the last two games, but such efforts are becoming commonplace with the fifth-year man out of San Diego State scoring 21.8 per game for the season.

Aldridge is second on the team at 15.5 - modest by the former Portland star's standards - but it's allowed the aging trio of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili to defer some responsibility. Aldridge, who returned from a two-game absence due to a mild left ankle sprain, was 8 for 17 from the field against the Mavericks.

"I gained energy; fresh legs," Aldridge said. "Watching the games, I learned my spots a little bit better. I gained rather than lose anything."

The team results have been impressive throughout the frontcourt learning curve, maybe more so on the defensive end with the Spurs limiting teams to a league-low 90.5 points on 42.3 percent shooting, which ranks fourth. No team has hit 49.0 percent against them, and the average of 6.3 3-pointers they're allowing trails only the Warriors.

San Antonio limited the Nuggets (6-9) to 38.8 percent in a 109-98 home win Nov. 18, its eighth straight victory in the series with those wins coming by an average of 14.0 points. That includes four straight in Denver, and the Nuggets haven't shown any signs of being able to stop that losing streak or their four-game overall slide.

The latest loss to the Spurs began the skid and the last three have come at home after Tuesday's 111-94 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers marked the worst of the bunch.

"You have to have a short-term memory," coach Michael Malone said. "We have to be a little more mentally tough."

Danilo Gallinari had 20 points and 18 rebounds, but most of his offense continued to come from the foul line. He was 15 of 16 at the stripe and 2 of 10 from the field, dropping his field-goal percentage to 25.0 over the last three games.

It doesn't get any easier against the defense-savvy Leonard, who has also managed 21.7 points in his last three against the Nuggets.

Denver's Kenneth Faried will miss a third straight game with a sprained left ankle. Joffrey Lauvergne (low-back strain) has missed the last 12 but went through a full practice Thursday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (16-0) at Suns (7-8)

Date: November 27, 2015 9:30 PM EDT

The Golden State Warriors realize that, eventually, they're going to lose a game.

But the reigning NBA champions continue to live in the moment as they try to further their record-setting start Friday night in a road matchup with the Phoenix Suns.

The Warriors became the first team in NBA history to start 16-0 after demolishing the Los Angeles Lakers 111-77 on Tuesday. It was a status quo win for Golden State, which has 11 victories by double digits and comfortably leads the league in scoring at 114.3 points per game.

Making the start all the more impressive, coach Steve Kerr has yet to be on the sidelines as he continues to recover from offseason back surgeries, ceding game-day control to assistant Luke Walton. Kerr's impact on each victory, however, is clearly evident.

'Coach has been great, even behind the scenes. You can tell Luke is kind of an extension from him,' guard Klay Thompson said after Kerr left a white-board message listing the team's four tenets of joy, mindfulness, compassion and competition. 'It's great to hear from him again just to reiterate what we're all about. That's what's carried us over the top and we want to continue to do those four things.'

Thompson had 16 points Wednesday, nearly matching his season average, but that's well off his career-high 21.7 per game of last season. Stephen Curry had 24 points with nine assists and again enters this game well-rested, since the starters didn't play in the fourth quarter against the Lakers.

'So far we've been unblemished and done everything we need to do to get 16 wins. Hope to make that 17 on Friday,' Curry said. 'There most likely will come a time we take a loss and have to deal with the emotions of that, just like we have in years past.'

Curry's 70 points in his last three represents his lowest three-game total of the season, but he still easily leads the league with 32.1 points per game and has a 62.7 effective field-goal percentage. He's made 10 of 31 from 3-point range in that span, dropping his season mark to 43.1 percent.

The high-powered offense has drawn attention away from the club's strong defensive play. The Warriors have held opponents to a league-low 28.7 percent from 3-point range, and the 91 3s they've allowed are only 13 more than Curry has made.

Golden State has given up 95.8 points per 100 possessions, third-best in the league but an improvement from its NBA-leading 98.2 in 2014-15.

The "Splash Brothers" and the Warriors' perimeter defense should receive a challenge Friday since Phoenix has a high-scoring backcourt duo of its own in Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight. The pair is averaging 44.6 points, third-highest among guards behind Curry and Thompson (48.3) and Portland's Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum (45.0).

They had 47 and 17 assists Wednesday night, but Bledsoe was 5 of 16 from the field as the Suns (7-8) lost 120-114 at home to New Orleans. It was Phoenix's third straight defeat, with defense being the primary culprit - the Suns have allowed 113.3 points and 49.6 percent shooting during the skid.

'We gave them three 30-point quarters,' coach Jeff Hornacek said. 'Usually we say if you give up two it's a loss. It's a long game and we didn't put our foot on the gas. I thought our guys just relaxed and we gave them the confidence.'

The Warriors won the final three games between the teams last season after Thompson sat out a 107-95 loss Nov. 9, 2014 with a sprained right hand. Curry averaged 29.3 points in the four games and made 21 of 43 from 3-point range, while Thompson contributed 21.0 points a contest in the three wins.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Timberwolves (7-8) at Kings (6-10)

Date: November 27, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

Nobody is playing at a faster pace than the Sacramento Kings, who are finally seeing some positive results.

No team is getting more from players age 20 and younger than the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are also showing improvement.

The Kings may be without DeMarcus Cousins on Friday night when they try to stretch their home win streak to four, while the Timberwolves are in search of their first three-game overall run.

Sacramento (6-10) averages an NBA-best 102.8 possessions per 48 minutes and likes to get the ball to Cousins, who is helping the club average a league-leading 48.4 points in the paint.

Cousins, who is putting up team highs of 27.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, sat out Wednesday's 129-118 victory at Milwaukee with a strained lower back. The Kings had lost all five previous games that Cousins missed.

Without him, Sacramento capped a 2-3 trip by shooting 57.1 percent for its best mark in two seasons to bounce back from Monday's 127-122 overtime loss to Charlotte.

"We had a pretty damn good trip," coach George Karl said. "We lost three games but in all three games, we were in the game and could have played better in certain situations. I just thought the last two games we played some of the best basketball of the year."

Rudy Gay has totaled 64 points in the last two for the Kings, who are seeking their first four-game home win streak since Dec. 19-30, 2012.

"You go out there and desperately need a win so I had to do whatever I could to get it," Gay said after scoring a season-high 36 on Wednesday.

Minnesota (7-8) can win three straight for the first time since Feb. 4-8. The Timberwolves knocked off Atlanta 99-95 at home Wednesday to sweep the season series.

Andrew Wiggins averages 21.8 points, rookie Karl-Anthony Towns 14.7 and Zach LaVine 14.1 for Minnesota, which is getting an average of 49.1 points from players 20 or younger. No other team is getting more than 24.4 game from players that young.

"Every game we're getting better, we're growing, the chemistry is getting better each day so it's great," Wiggins said.

Minnesota point guard Ricky Rubio is questionable after he left Wednesday's game when he re-injured the ankle he had surgery on in the offseason.

"You start wondering why, putting in all the work I've been putting in," Rubio said. "But some things you can't control. I don't want to be worried. I just want to work hard and be ready for the next game."

Rubio averages 8.5 assists to rank third in the NBA and would match up with Rajon Rondo, who averages a league-best 10.9. Rondo, averaging a league-high 79.4 passes, is averaging 14.0 assists in his last 10 games with 33 in the last two.

The Timberwolves' 5-2 road record is second in the league to Golden State's 7-0 mark.

Sacramento won all three meetings last season. Gay averaged 22.7 points on 51.2 percent shooting with a 33-point effort in a 116-111 home win April 7 that Cousins missed.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (4-11) at Clippers (7-8)

Date: November 27, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

The New Orleans Pelicans appear to have overcome their early season struggles with a healthy Anthony Davis putting up big numbers.

Blake Griffin is doing the same, though it hasn't brought the Los Angeles Clippers out of their funk.

The resurgent Pelicans aim for a fourth straight win and the Clippers attempt to regain their previous form when the teams meet Friday night at Staples Center.

New Orleans (4-11) lost 11 of its first 12 while handcuffed by a host of key injuries, including a hip contusion that sidelined Davis for two games and a sore shoulder that kept him out of another. The All-Star forward has since returned with a flourish, recording three straight outings of at least 20 points and 17 rebounds.

"It's been a long time coming really," said coach Alvin Gentry, who also has been without starters Jrue Holiday and Omer Asik for stretches. "I think we're getting healthy and we're starting to figure it out a little bit."

Davis tallied 32 points and 19 boards in Sunday's 122-116 home victory over Phoenix, then scored 26 on 11-of-14 shooting with 17 rebounds Wednesday as the Pelicans beat the Suns again 120-114.

Eric Gordon scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half to help New Orleans overcome a 17-point deficit and earn their first road win of the season.

"We're playing for each other, playing together, sharing the ball," Davis said. "And when you do that and play hard, it's tough for a team to beat you."

Held under 99 points in eight of their first 11 games, the Pelicans are averaging 115.3 during the win streak behind Davis' return along with continued hot stretches by a pair of bench players.

Sixth man Ryan Anderson has averaged 26.6 points over the last five games while shooting 55.6 percent and hitting 16 3-pointers. Backup point guard Ish Smith is contributing 18.0 points and 9.5 assists per game over the previous four after amassing 20 points and 11 assists Wednesday.

Los Angeles (7-8) has been veering in the opposite direction. Despite Griffin's 40 points and 24 from Chris Paul, the Clippers lost for the eighth time in 11 outings with Wednesday's 102-91 defeat to Utah.

"We should be better than this," said Griffin, who finished 18 of 23 from the field. "It's frustrating. It's hard to pinpoint and say exactly what to do. We've got to stay together and not get too down."

Los Angeles received only 16 points from its reserves Wednesday, with sixth man Jamal Crawford held to a season-low three.

"We are at our best when we have a balanced attack and we didn't do that," Crawford said. "We didn't do our job."

The Clippers are 0-4 when Crawford fails to score in double figures and he's failed to do so twice in the past three games, a stretch in which he's 6 of 27 from the field.

Griffin comes in averaging career highs of 25.5 points and 55.1 percent shooting. He averaged 24.0 points as Los Angeles won two of three from New Orleans last season, and Paul added 21.7 per game along with 11.3 assists.

Davis scored 26 in each of the two matchups in which he played, but the Pelicans won the one he sat out.

They've lost five straight road games against the Clippers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Resurgent Pacers have been unstoppable ATS
Andrew Avery

Paul George has been a wonderful story so far this season and his stellar play has helped the Indiana Pacers to one of the best records against the spread in the league thus far.

George, who missed all but six games last season thanks to a grisly right leg injury with Team USA in August 2014, has put 25.9 points, 8.4 boards and 4.8 assists per game on the season and Pacers' backers have enjoyed a 10-4 ATS mark heading into Friday's action.

Indy has gone 10-1 ATS in its last 11 and has covered the spread in four-straight games, capped by a 123-106 win as 3-point road dogs at the Washington Wizards Tuesday evening.

The Chicago Bulls visit the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Friday evening and while books opened the home team as 2.5-point home faves, that has since moved to -3.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Over wagers red hot in Milwaukee Bucks' games
Andrew Avery

The Milwaukee Bucks' defense has not been what it was supposed to be this season and Over bettors have reaped the reward. The Bucks are tied with the Cleveland Cavs for the top Over record in the NBA at 10-5 heading into Friday's action.

Furthermore, the Over has cashed in seven-straight Bucks games, capped with Wednesday's 129-118 loss to the DeMarcus Cousins-less Sacramento Kings.

The Bucks ranked eighth in the NBA last season with 97.4 opponents points per game, but this season has seen a real drop off as the club heads into Friday's game ranked 25th in the league with 105.6 opponents points per.

Milwaukee visits the Orlando Magic Friday evening with books offering a total of 198.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hornets on nice streak both SU and ATS
Andrew Avery

Don't look now, but perhaps things are coming together for the Charlotte Hornets.

After a day off on Thanksgiving, the NBA resumes with a dozen games Friday, including the red-hot Hornets entertaining the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Hornets head into the contest winners of four consecutive games straight up and three straight against the spread.

The Hornets sit sixth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 9-6 SU and have gone 9-5-1 ATS in the process.

Books opened the Hornets as 4-point home dogs with the Cavs in town Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Friday, November 27 2015 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 11/26/2015

With the NBA going dark on Thanksgiving, it's a good time to catch up on updated futures odds around The Association heading into a busy Black Friday schedule. The site has a prop on whether the Warriors will break the Bulls' record of 72 regular-season wins. That Golden State will win 72 or fewer is -700 and 73 or more +450. I still don't think it happens. Obviously the Warriors are title favorites at +175 with Cleveland next at +275. The preseason Western Conference-favored Spurs are now +500 to win it all. Steph Curry is the heavy -150 favorite to win a second straight MVP; LeBron James is +600 along with Russell Westbrook. And for Rookie of the Year, Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns leads the way at +100.

Cavaliers at Hornets (+4, 203)

Cleveland had a three-game winning streak end Wednesday with a 103-99 loss in Toronto; it was the Cavs' third straight road loss. James had 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Mo Williams returned after missing two games but fellow point guard Matthew Dellavedova sat out. Charlotte won a fourth straight Wednesday, 101-87 over Washington. The Hornets closed on a 25-2 run. First meeting of the season and the Cavaliers swept three games last year. Charlotte never topped 90 points.

Key trends: Charlotte is 6-2 against the spread in the past eight meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in six of the past seven.

Early lean: Hornets and under.

Bucks at Magic (-3.5, 197.5)

This is the first of an NBA TV doubleheader and will have live betting at the sportsbooks. I'd be shocked if Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd is at this game. He slapped a ball out of the referee's hands during Wednesday's 11-point home loss to the Kings. Kidd was ejected -- he had to be restrained by players from the ref -- and that has to result in a suspension. Orlando ended a two-game skid with a nine-point home win over the Knicks on Wednesday. Victor Oladipo was demoted to a reserve role and responded with a season-high 24 points. These teams split four meetings last season.

Key trends: The Bucks are 2-5 ATS in the past seven meetings in Orlando. The under is 4-1 in the past five overall.

Early lean: Magic and under.

Wizards at Celtics (-4, 207.5)

Washington led in Charlotte 85-76 with five minutes left on Wednesday but then allowed the Hornets to score 25 straight points in a 101-87 loss. The Wizards, who look disinterested, dropped games on back-to-back nights after winning three straight. Boston ended a two-game skid with an 84-80 home win over the Sixers on Wednesday. The C's were down five late. The Celtics beat the visiting Wizards 118-98 on Nov. 6. Boston closed the first quarter on a 24-9 run and Washington never recovered.

Key trends: Washington is 1-8 ATS in its past nine vs. teams with a winning record. The over is 5-1 in the past six meetings in Boston.

Early lean: Celtics and over.

Heat at Knicks (+1, 188.5)

New York opens a four-game homestand here off back-to-back losses in Florida. The Knicks shot only 37.3 percent in Wednesday's nine-point defeat in Orlando. New York's bench was 3-for-20 from the field and scored only 12 points. Miami's three-game winning streak ended in a 104-81 loss in Detroit on Wednesday. Dwyane Wade scored two points on 1-for-9 shooting -- the fewest points he has ever scored in at least 20 minutes of action. Luol Deng missed his first game of the season due to an illness, but he should play here. Miami beat the visiting Knicks 95-78 on Monday as New York shot only 32.2 percent and scored a season low in points.

Key trends: The Heat are 7-0 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 10-1 in the past 11 in New York.

Early lean: Heat and under.

Bulls at Pacers (-2.5, 200.5)

Chicago concludes a four-game trip and is off a 93-88 win in Portland on Tuesday, the Bulls' first there since 2007. Derrick Rose returned from a two-game injury absence (ankle) and had 17 points and six assists. Indiana set a franchise record with 19 3-pointers in a 123-106 win at Washington on Tuesday. Paul George scored a season-high 40 points and hit seven 3-pointers; teammate C.J. Miles had 32 points and eight from long range. Indiana was 19-for-26 from beyond the arc and that 73.1 percent is the best percentage in league history for a team that had a minimum 25 attempts. Indiana has won five of the past six regular-season home meetings in this series, but Chicago beat the visiting Pacers 96-95 on Nov. 16 -- Indiana's last loss -- when Jimmy Butler played good defense on George as he attempted the winning jumper.

Key trends: The home team is 8-2 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The under is 4-0 in the past four.

Early lean: Pacers and under.

76ers at Rockets (-12, 201.5)

We should see history in this game as the 76ers bring an NBA record-tying 26-game losing streak into Houston. For the second straight game Wednesday they had a late lead but blew it, this time in Boston. The Sixers became the first team in NBA history to start 0-16 in consecutive seasons. They are two losses shy of matching the worst start ever. Philly played Boston without an injured Nik Stauskas (bruised knee). Houston lost a third straight Wednesday, 102-93 at home to Memphis despite 40 points from James Harden. Ty Lawson played just three minutes with fellow point guard Patrick Beverley returning from a five-game injury absence. Something is wrong on that team. Houston swept Philly last season. The Rockets averaged 96.0 points and the Sixers 90.0. Harden averaged 35.0 points and shot 31-of-34 from the line in the two games.

Key trends: The Rockets are 0-7 ATS in their past seven vs. the East. The under is 5-0 in Philly's past five vs. the West.

Early lean: Sixers cover. Go under.

Hawks at Grizzlies (TBA)

Memphis won a second straight without star forward Zach Randolph on Wednesday with a nine-point win in Houston. The Grizzlies are 9-0 this season when leading at the half. Randolph has missed four straight with a sore right knee, so consider him questionable here. Atlanta lost 99-95 in Minnesota on Wednesday. Both Kent Bazemore and Tiago Splitter sat out with injuries, and it's not looking great for them here. The teams split last season, each winning a low-scoring game at home.

Key trends: The home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 5-2 in the previous seven.

Early lean: Wait on Randolph (not so much Hawks guys) but go under.

Pistons at Thunder (-8, 207)

Detroit ended a two-game losing streak with an impressive 104-81 home win over Miami on Wednesday. Andre Drummond had 18 points and 20 rebounds, his fourth 20-board game of the season. He just missed a fourth 20-20 game this season. No other player has even one. Oklahoma City looks like it might start rolling with Kevin Durant back as it won a third straight Wednesday, beating the Nets 110-99. Durant had 30 points and Westbrook 27 points and 13 assists. Detroit and OKC split in 2014-15, each winning on the road. The Pistons snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Thunder with their 96-89 overtime win at OKC.

Key trends: The Pistons are 1-5 ATS in their past six on the road. The under is 5-0 in OKC's past five after a win.

Early lean: Thunder and over.

Spurs at Nuggets (TBA)

San Antonio won a third straight Wednesday, 88-83 at home over the Mavericks in a surprisingly low-scoring game. The Spurs never trailed but needed a Kawhi Leonard 3-pointer with 15.1 seconds left to ice it. He had 26 points. LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and seven rebounds in his return from a two-game absence due to a left ankle sprain. Denver lost 111-94 at home to the Clippers on Thursday, the Nuggets' fourth loss in a row. Forward Kenneth Faried missed a second straight with a sprained ankle and is questionable for Friday. The Spurs beat the visiting Nuggets 109-98 in the first meeting Nov. 18. Tony Parker had 25 points as San Antonio never trailed.

Key trends: The Spurs are 8-3 ATS in their past 11 vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 4-0 in the past four meetings.

Early lean: Over regardless of total. Guessing the TBA is for Faried, although be aware the Spurs are at home on Saturday night, so some guys could rest here.

Warriors at Suns (TBA)

Second game of the NBA TV doubleheader and also should have live betting. Is this the night? I think there's a pretty reasonable chance that Phoenix ends Golden State's record 16-0 start. I would imagine the Warriors, as good as they are, might be a tad flat off setting the record by slaughtering the Lakers on Tuesday. Phoenix enters on a three-game skid after a 120-114 home loss to New Orleans on Wednesday. Center Tyson Chandler was held out due to an upper respiratory infection, his first missed game of the season. The Suns need him here to pull the upset. Golden State has won three straight and 11 of the past 14 vs. Phoenix. But the Suns handed the Warriors their first loss last year.

Key trends: The home team is 8-3 ATS in the past 11 meetings. The over is 5-1 in Phoenix's past six after a loss.

Early lean: Presume the TBA for Chandler and the Warriors' Andrew Bogut, who missed practice Wednesday after tweaking his back. I actually think the Suns do win, so take any points you get -- and it should be a good amount. Should be very high-scoring as well.

Timberwolves at Kings (TBA)

Minnesota upset the visiting Hawks 99-95 on Wednesday (called that one) to sweep the season series. Ricky Rubio sat out with an ankle injury, and Zach LaVine stepped up and had 18 points, six assists and five rebounds. Rubio doesn't think his ankle injury is major and hopes that after a day off he would be ready to play against Sacramento. The Kings pulled a 129-118 upset in Milwaukee on Wednesday despite playing without DeMarcus Cousins (back). Rudy Gay stepped up with 36 points. The Kings had lost all five previous games that Cousins missed this season. The injury isn't serious, so Cousins might play Friday. Sacramento was 3-0 vs. Minnesota last year, all high scoring. Five of the teams' last eight contests have been decided by three points or fewer.

Key trends: The Wolves are 4-1 ATS in the past five in Sacramento. The over is 4-0 in the previous four meetings.

Early lean: Kings if Cousins plays. Over regardless.

Pelicans at Clippers (-7.5. 209.5)

New Orleans won a season-high third in a row Wednesday with a 120-114 victory in Phoenix. Anthony Davis had 26 points and 17 rebounds. The Pelicans trailed by as many as 17 in their first road win of the year. The team was hoping Tyreke Evans would make his season debut, but his right knee was still sore. The struggling Clippers fell under .500 with an 11-point home loss to Utah despite 40 points from Blake Griffin. Wesley Johnson, Paul Pierce and Lance Stephenson combined for as many points as I did. L.A. won two of three meetings last season, including both at home. The Clips have taken eight of the past 10 in the series overall.

Key trends: The home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 6-0 in L.A.'s past six after a double-digit loss at home.

Early lean: Pelicans cover, go over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Cavaliers won three of last four games (0-5AF). Charlotte won five of its last six games (1-0-1HU).
-- Miami won three of its last four games (1-1AF). Knicks are 3-1 in last four home games (2-2HU).
-- Celtics won three of last four home games (3-4HF).
-- Memphis won six of its last seven games (3-3HF).
-- Thunder won four of last five games (0-5 last five HF).
-- Bulls won five of their last six games (2-1AU). Indiana won eight of its last ten games (1-2HF).
-- Spurs won nine of their last ten games (4-2AF).
-- 16-0 Warriors are 6-1 as road favorites.
-- Minnesota won last two games by 4-5 points (7-0AU). Kings won their last three home games (1-1HF).
-- Pelicans won their last three games (3-5AU).

Cold teams
-- Bucks lost four of their last five games (3-4AU). Orlando is 2-3 in its last five games (1-3HF).
-- Washington is 3-5 in its last eight games (1-3AU).
-- 0-16 Philly is 6-3 as a road underdog. Houston lost seven of its last eight games (0-8HF).
-- Hawks lost five of their last seven games (1-1AU).
-- Pistons lost five of last six road games (3-2AU).
-- Nuggets lost five of their last six games (2-4HU).
-- Suns lost four of last five games (1-0HU).
-- Clippers lost six of their last eight games (2-6HF).

Series records
-- Bucks won four of their last six games with Orlando.
-- Cavaliers won last three games with Charlotte by 39-4-9 points.
-- Knicks lost their last seven games with Miami.
-- Wizards won four of last six games with Boston.
-- 76ers lost five of last seven games with Houston.
-- Grizzlies won three of last four games with Atlanta.
-- Thunder won nine of last ten games with Detroit.
-- Bulls won three of last four games with Indiana.
-- Spurs won their last eight games with Denver.
-- Suns lost four of last five games with Golden State.
-- Kings won their last four games with Minnesota.
-- Clippers won eight of last ten games with New Orleans.

Totals
-- Last seven Milwaukee games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Cleveland-Charlotte games stayed under.
-- Nine of last ten Miami games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Boston-Washington games went over.
-- Six of last eight Philly games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Atlanta-Memphis games stayed under.
-- Six of last nine Detroit games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Chicago-Indiana games stayed under.
-- Five of last six San Antonio-Denver games went over.
-- Three of last four Phoenix games went over the total.
-- Last four Sacramento-Minnesota games went over.
-- Four of last five New Orleans games went over total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Crimson Tide (2-2) at Shockers (2-2)

Date: November 27, 2015 12:00 PM EDT

With three starters back from a 30-win team that reached the round of 16, Wichita State was expected to continue the success it has had under coach Gregg Marshall.

The Shockers, however, are in an unfamiliar position following an injury to their senior leader.

Fred VanVleet is expected to be sidelined Friday when No. 20 Wichita State looks to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time in 33 months against Alabama in the consolation round of the AdvoCare Invitational at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

With their top two scorers, VanVleet and Ron Baker, and fellow starting guard Evan Wessel returning, the Shockers (2-2) carried a top 10 ranking into the season following their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under Marshall in 2014-15.

After winning 65 of 71 games in the previous two seasons, the promise of another blistering start subsided in the opener Nov. 13 when VanVleet twisted his ankle in the early moments of an 88-63 win over Charleston Southern. The All-America candidate then struggled through a sore hamstring four days later, finishing with 11 points on 3-of-10 shooting in a 77-67 loss at Tulsa.

Wichita State eased past Division II Emporia State without VanVleet on Saturday, but dropped its second November game for the first time in four years with a 72-69 loss to USC in Thursday's opening round. Baker had 25 points and hit 6 of 10 from 3-point range, while Markis McDuffie scored 14.

'We're banged up," Baker said. 'We've got to capitalize on our runs."

With VanVleet expected to miss the rest of the tournament, Baker hopes to keep playing well with a team-high 21.5 points per game and 13-of-30 (43.3 percent) shooting from 3-point range. Anton Grady, second on the team in scoring at 10.5 per game, has totaled 12 on 5-of-15 shooting in his last two.

Making matters worse, Landry Shamet is sidelined for at least 10 weeks because of a stress fracture in his foot. The promising freshman guard was averaging 8.7 points in his first three games.

The Shockers, who are likely to fall out of the Top 25, will try to avoid dropping back-to-back games for the first time since losing to Evansville on Feb. 27 and then Creighton on March 2, 2013.

They could get it done against an Alabama team that hasn't been competitive when facing tougher competition. The Crimson Tide have beaten Kennesaw State and Louisiana-Lafayette by a total of 25 points but have also lost to Dayton and Xavier by a combined 51.

Alabama (2-2) has particularly scuffled offensively in those contests, averaging just 46.5 points on 30.4 percent shooting while committing 38 turnovers. Shannon Hale and Justin Coleman were the only players to score in double figures with 10 on Thursday when the Tide went 5 for 28 (17.9 percent) from 3-point range in a 64-45 loss to the 23rd-ranked Musketeers.

Retin Obasohan has totaled 35 points on 11-of-18 shooting in the two victories, but has scored a combined nine while missing 14 of 16 field-goal attempts in the two defeats.

''When we've had a game like this, we seem to bounce back," coach Avery Johnson said.

Although the Shockers have taken three of four meetings over the past four years, they had to rally from an 11-point deficit with 5:50 remaining in a 53-52 home victory Dec. 16, 2014.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Huskies (4-1) at Bulldogs (3-1)

Date: November 27, 2015 12:30 PM EDT

The two highest-ranked teams at the Battle 4 Atlantis were placed on opposite sides of the bracket with the chance they'd meet in the championship game.

After No. 10 Gonzaga and 18th-ranked Connecticut each suffered tough losses in the semifinals, they'll have to settle for a date in the third-place game Friday.

Both the Bulldogs (3-1) and Huskies (4-1) hoped this matchup would have more importance than playing for a consolation prize. Gonzaga led No. 25 Texas A&M for much of Thursday's semifinal contest but finished just 4 of 11 from the free-throw line and fell 62-61.

Kyle Wiltjer finished with 18 points and hit 4 of 8 from 3-point range, while Josh Perkins added 15. Silas Melson's missed the potential winning shot at the buzzer.

"I was proud of our guys, especially in the second half I thought we really toughened up," said coach Mark Few, whose team made 30 of 44 free throws in an 80-64 quarterfinal win over Washington on Wednesday. "We just missed a ton of free throws where we could have extended that lead."

The Aggies shot 44.7 percent from the field after the Bulldogs held their first three opponents to 29.9 percent. The opposition is averaging just 58.5 points per game, but Gonzaga scored its fewest points of the season after finishing with at least 80 in its first three.

"We played great defensively and held them to six baskets (in the second half)," Few said. "And the way we were playing defense it probably would have been good enough to get us over the hump."

Part of the reason UConn is in the third-place game is because of its struggles from the field in the semifinals. It shot a season-low 43.3 percent and committed a season-high 13 turnovers in a 79-76 loss to Syracuse.

The Huskies also were outrebounded 41-33 after holding a plus-9.8 average through their first four. They struggled against Syracuse's zone defense and couldn't get much going down low, attempting 26 3-pointers and hitting 10.

UConn held its first four opponents to 33.2 percent shooting, but the Orange made 47.9 percent from the floor and hit 9 of 20 from 3-point range. They also shot 39 free throws, 11 more than any other UConn opponent.

'The second half they really just took it to us offensively,' coach Kevin Ollie said. 'We were in a drought in the first half and the second half and really allowed them to take over the game, and in transition they really hurt us with the 3s.'

Daniel Hamilton had another solid game, finishing with 18 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists after having 18, nine and nine in Wednesday's 74-60 quarterfinal win over Michigan.

The sophomore has been more aggressive in this tournament, going a combined 14 of 27 from the field after shooting 9 for 22 over his first three.

"We've got to learn from it," Hamilton said. "Bounce back and recover. We didn't get back on defense and that's what we got to key in on."

Gonzaga and UConn haven't met since 2008, but this contest also could be a tight battle if history is an indication. The last four matchups have been decided by a total of 15 points, with the Huskies winning three.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trojans (5-0) at Musketeers (5-0)

Date: November 27, 2015 2:30 PM EDT

Xavier might have cruised in the opening round of the AdvoCare Invitational, but it could be argued it was Southern California who impressed.

The 23th-ranked Musketeers brace for a Trojans squad fresh off a win over another ranked team when the schools meet in Friday's semifinals in Orlando.

Xavier (5-0) had little trouble with Alabama Thursday, advancing 64-45 to win its first five games for the third straight season. The previous two haven't reached 6-0 - Xavier last did that as part of an 8-0 start in 2011-12 - and it could be a third straight season with such a setback if the Trojans (5-0) keep it up.

Southern Cal, off to its best start since going 8-0 in 2000-01, started the tournament with Thursday's 72-69 win over No. 20 Wichita State.

"We feel like that we have a very young, talented team, but need some more experience," USC coach Andy Enfield said. "We're certainly not a great team yet, we have a lot of things to work on, but this is a big win for us. It means a lot."

Bennie Boatwright is one of the players Enfield speaks of, and the freshman forward took some strides against Wichita State with his best game of the season, scoring 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting and 5 of 9 from 3-point range.

"Bennie had it rolling today," Enfield said.

Prior to that, it had been Jordan McLaughlin on a roll. The sophomore guard didn't exactly slow down with 15 points on 6 of 10 Thursday, but he's averaging 19.2 points and shooting 61.1 percent with an 11-of-21 mark from 3-point range for the season.

In all, the Trojans are averaging 88.4 points per game and hitting 42.0 percent of their shots from long range.

USC had lost its previous five against the Top 25 and it's 2-12 against ranked foes since last winning consecutive games against such opponents in 2010-11.

Xavier, meanwhile, has won its last seven against unranked opponents. It's also faced some relatively strong early season competition with wins at home over Miami (Ohio) and Missouri, at then-No. 24 Michigan and home versus Northern Kentucky prior to taking down the Crimson Tide.

Coach Chris Mack still isn't thrilled with the Musketeers' offensive effort. They're averaging 77.4 points on 40.6 percent, including 34.0 from long range.

"Hopefully as we settle in, we'll get better on offense," Mack said. "I thought we were much better in the second half than we were in the first."

While Trevon Bluiett led with 15 points, the rest of the starting five combined for 18 on 6 of 25. J.P. Macura came off the bench for 14 points in 21 minutes, and is averaging 11.4 in 21.4 minutes so far.

"I just needed to provide energy to the team," Macura said.

Mack, however, can't ask for a whole lot more on the other end. The Musketeers have held teams to 63.8 points per game while shooting 39.2 percent. Xavier outrebounded Alabama 47-31 to continue a trend that's resulted in a 44.2-29.4 advantage on the glass thus far, including a ridiculous 15.0-6.8 advantage on the offensive end. That could come into play against USC, which has allowed 16.4 offensive rebounds so far.

The all-time series is tied 1-1 with USC winning 84-78 on Nov. 30, 2013, in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

The winner advances to play the winner of Monmouth and Dayton in Sunday's title game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orange (5-0) at Aggies (6-0)

Date: November 27, 2015 3:00 PM EDT

Syracuse wasn't allowed to compete in a postseason tournament in 2014-15, so it is making the most of its first opportunity to play in a bracketed event this season.

The Orange look to beat a second ranked opponent in the Bahamas when they face No. 25 Texas A&M in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship Friday afternoon.

Following an investigation into a cheating scandal, Syracuse banned itself from competing in the ACC and NCAA tournaments following last season, and the NCAA later stepped in and suspended coach Jim Boeheim for the first nine conference games this season for a lack of program control.

He's got the Orange off to a 5-0 start, though, and hasn't let the negative attention affect his players. After scoring a season-high 26 points in an 83-70 quarterfinal win over Charlotte, Michael Gbinije finished with 17, seven assists and six steals in Thursday's 79-76 victory over No. 18 Connecticut.

Trevor Cooney also scored 17 points and freshman Tyler Lydon had 16 in 35 minutes off the bench as Syracuse essentially used a six-man rotation. Franklin Howard and Kaleb Joseph played a combined five minutes.

Lydon has yet to start but hasn't played fewer than 26 minutes and is averaging 11.2 points and had 18 against Charlotte. He's becoming more aggressive as well, going 11 for 20 from the field in the tournament after attempting a total of 15 shots over his first three.

'Tyler Lydon's done an unbelievable job. In the middle of the defense, and offensively he sees plays that nobody sees,' coach Jim Boeheim said. 'He's had two monstrous games down here.'

The Aggies (6-0) pulled off a surprise of their own in the semifinals, knocking off No. 10 Gonzaga 62-61 earlier Thursday. Danuel House scored the last of his game-high 19 points on a free throw with 1:05 left that proved to be the winner.

Tonny Trocha-Morels hit all four of his 3-point attempts and was the only other A&M player in double figures with 14 points.

'Any time we have a tough game, it's teaching us all how to be poised, how to play under control and how to execute so we can give ourselves a chance to win a game,' House said.

The Aggies hadn't played any close ones prior to facing Gonzaga. They won their first five by an average of 29.2 points, with the slimmest margin of victory being an 84-73 win over Texas in Wednesday's quarterfinals.

Their 44.7 shooting percentage Thursday was their worst of the season, but they hit 7 of 14 from behind the arc. Gonzaga's 46.2 percent mark from the field was the best of any Texas A&M opponent, but the Aggies allowed fewer than their average of 62.2 points per game.

'I was really proud of our guys defensively down the stretch," coach Billy Kennedy said. "Our goal was to hold their big three guys to 30 points or less and we were able to do that.

The best thing about our team is we didn't panic. Emotionally I thought we were locked in the whole game.'

These teams last faced each other when 12th-seeded Texas A&M upset fifth-seeded Syracuse 66-58 in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Yellow Jackets (4-1) at Wildcats (5-0)

Date: November 27, 2015 3:00 PM EDT

Villanova overcame its worst shooting effort of the season and being dominated on the boards to reach the championship game of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

It's not going to be any easier on the glass against Georgia Tech.

The eighth-ranked Wildcats look to remain undefeated by getting their first win over the Yellow Jackets on Friday in New York.

Villanova (5-0) arrived at Barclays Center averaging 84.8 points while shooting 46.6 percent from the field through four games. The Wildcats weren't anywhere near those numbers Thursday at 30.6 percent, including 7 of 34 from beyond the arc, and were outrebounded 55-35, but still came through with a 59-45 win over Stanford.

"I didn't think it would be this ugly on the boards but if we could have made a couple of shots it might not have been as ugly," coach Jay Wright said. "But I was proud the guys really grinded defensively."

The Wildcats are in for another tough battle in the post against Georgia Tech (4-1), which is dominating opponents by an average of 13.8 rebounds.

The Yellow Jackets were even better Thursday, holding a 50-32 advantage on their way to an 83-73 win over Arkansas. Charles Mitchell did a lot of the damage with 18 points and 18 rebounds - 11 defensive - for his fifth straight double-double to start the season.

"Chuck has always been a great offensive rebounder because he just goes," coach Brian Gregory said. "He's got a hunger and a pretty good feel. He has not been a great defensive rebounder because it's a different dynamic."

Mitchell, who lost more than 20 pounds during the offseason, is averaging 15.2 points and 12.8 rebounds after scoring 9.8 per game with 7.0 boards last season.

"I'm just trying to give my team second-chance possessions," said the senior forward.

Marcus Georges-Hunt leads Georgia Tech with 17.2 points per game. He scored 19 against the Razorbacks, hitting three 3-pointers and all six free throws to overcome a 5-for-13 performance from the field.

Villanova could use better performances from Ryan Arcidiacono and Josh Hart. Arcidiacono had a season-low eight points Thursday while missing 9 of 11 attempts from the floor and 8 of 9 from behind the arc. Hart wasn't much better with 10 points while making 4 of 13 from the floor and missing all six 3-point attempts.

Despite the effort, Hart is averaging 15.2 points while Arcidiacono is scoring 12.2.

Jalen Brunson, however, is coming off his best performance. The freshman guard had 18 points against the Cardinal, doubling his total from each of the previous three games.

"I was doing what I always do," Brunson said. "I try to play aggressive all the time."

Villanova has lost all three meetings with Georgia Tech but the most recent came in December 1991.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Huskies (4-1) at Hurricanes (5-0)

Date: November 27, 2015 4:00 PM EDT

It wouldn't be hard at all to make the case that no team has been more impressive this season than Miami.

Clearly, the voters in the AP poll were impressed.

After bursting into the national rankings, the No. 15 Hurricanes hope to avoid a letdown Friday when they return home to face Northeastern.

Few noticed when Miami (5-0) rolled through its first three games, but consecutive victories over ranked opponents to win the Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship were too much to ignore.

The Hurricanes became just the sixth team to be unranked one week and rise to at least No. 15 in the following week's poll. Their current ranking is the highest ever for the program during the month of November.

The short trip to Puerto Rico proved very beneficial for Miami, which opened the tournament with a 26-point rout of Mississippi State before coasting to a 90-66 victory over then-No. 16 Utah. The championship game was a little tougher, but the Hurricanes hung on to beat then-No. 22 Butler 85-75 on Sunday.

Angel Rodriguez scored 19 points and Ja'Quan Newton added a career-high 17 for Miami, which went 20 of 22 at the foul line after halftime and 22 of 24 overall.

The Hurricanes have outscored their last four opponents by 19.0 points per game while shooting 54.7 percent, including 50.6 from 3-point range.

'It's only November,' coach Jim Larranaga said. 'Teams are going to get better. The really great teams are going to improve dramatically between now and March. And we want to be one of those teams. ... Whether we're ranked or not, ranked is not the motivation.'

Rodriguez was named tournament MVP after averaging 13.7 points on 54.2 percent from the field. Senior guard Sheldon McClellan also made the all-tournament team, connecting on 60.7 percent of his shots while scoring 17.7 per game.

Center Tonye Jekiri appears poised to become more of an offensive presence, averaging 13.3 points and 11.3 rebounds in Puerto Rico. He was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday.

McClellan (17.4), Rodriguez (12.8), Newton (11.8) and Jekiri (10.2) are joined in double-figure scoring by Davon Reed (10.8) and Ivan Cruz Uceda (10.0).

Fast starts are not uncommon for the Hurricanes, who are 5-0 for the second straight year. They won last season's Charleston Classic, only to return home and suffer losses to Green Bay and Eastern Kentucky.

Rodriguez said players were already bringing that up after winning Sunday.

'That to me is truly more special than just simply winning this tournament,' he said, 'to know that the guys are hungry for more.'

Northeastern (4-1) is hoping for a better result after its four-game win streak was snapped with Sunday's 67-61 loss to Miami (Ohio).

David Walker scored 21 points and Quincy Ford added 14 for the Huskies, who had a season-high 18 turnovers.

Walker is the focal point of the offense, averaging 20.8 points to rank second in the Colonial Athletic Association. The senior guard is shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 45.5 from long range.

This contest closes a four-game road trip for Northeastern, loser of 19 straight to ranked opponents since knocking off No. 2 Louisville in 1986.

Miami has won both meetings against Northeastern, the most recent in 2000.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (5-0) at Bulls (1-4)

Date: November 27, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

Kentucky wasn't totally dominant in its first game as the nation's No. 1 team. It might have some added incentive to aim for a more complete effort in the next one.

Facing their former assistant and current South Florida coach Orlando Antigua, the Wildcats meet the Bulls on Friday in the Hoophall Miami Invitational.

'O is my dude,' Kentucky forward Alex Poythress said. '... I can't wait to see him when we go down to Miami. He's been one of my guys ever since he recruited me and I can't wait to see him again.'

Poythress had 14 points with 10 rebounds and freshman Skal Labissiere had 16 points as Kentucky (5-0) won 82-62 over Boston University on Tuesday - one day after ascending to the top of the AP poll.

Though the Wildcats shot 51.6 percent, they trailed by one with 3:14 remaining in the first half before taking a seven-point advantage into the break. They closed the game on a 22-9 run to improve to 63-5 as a No. 1 under coach John Calipari.

"We're going to play teams like that all year long," said Poythress, who has two straight double-doubles after averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 boards in the first games.

"We just have to fight through it and grind it out. We have to keep on chipping away."

That might not be necessary in this first meeting with South Florida (1-4), which won nine games in 2014-15 and earned its first victory this season Tuesday, 63-61 over Albany. The Bulls are in their second season under Antigua, who assisted Calipari for one at Memphis and five with Kentucky.

"I hope he loses the next one," Calipari said. "But after that I hope he wins them all.

"He's somebody that's helped me in two different situations ... I think not only is he a great guy, a good person, a great heart, good family man, he's also a terrific basketball coach."

South Florida is 0-4 when facing No. 1 teams and has lost 17 straight against ranked opponents since beating then-No. 19 Louisville on Feb. 29, 2012.

"I obviously have a lot of great respect for that program, and for Cal and the staff and the players there. But that's all the personal stuff," said Antigua, who played for the Harlem Globetrotters.

"For us, it's another opportunity to go out and compete against a good team to see how we can continue to grow and mature."

The challenge is quite daunting for a South Florida squad that's shooting 39.5 percent and went 1 for 21 from 3-point range in the last two games. Six-foot-11 senior Jaleel Cousins, brother of Sacramento Kings big man and former Kentucky star DeMarcus Cousins, has scored 27 points in the last two games and grabbed 35 boards in the last three.

He'll face a major test against the 6-11 Labissiere, who is averaging 14.2 points on 61.7 percent shooting and has recorded 11 blocks.

'Just his length - he reminds me of Sam Perkins," Boston University coach Joe Jones said. "He has a very soft touch and is a very skilled player. He's hard to guard. I really like him as a player and think his upside is phenomenal at the next level."

Tyler Ulis is averaging 18.0 points in the last three games, but he's 4 of 19 from 3-point range this season and Kentucky is at 26.0 percent. The Wildcats could improve on that mark against a Bulls team which let Boston University hit 10 of 22 from beyond the arc in a 78-66 home loss Saturday.

'This opportunity is once in a lifetime," USF forward Chris Perry said, "going up against some guys that are supposed to be the best.'