Monday 11/23/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Avalanche (7-12) at Jets (10-9)

Date: November 23, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Both the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche have questions surrounding their goaltending for Monday night's matchup.

It's unclear if either team will have its regular starter when the Central Division's two worst teams meet for the first time.

Winnipeg (10-9-2) lost Ondrej Pavelec to a lower-body injury after two periods in Saturday's 3-2 home win over Arizona. Michael Hutchinson entered and stopped all seven shots.

Pavelec won't be available and the Jets have recalled Connor Hellebuyck from the minors Sunday.

Colorado seeks to end a three-game losing streak and has activated Semyon Varlamov, who has missed the last seven games due to a groin injury.

The Avalanche (7-12-1) are finishing a seven-game trip that began with three victories before they allowed 16 goals in losing the next three, falling 7-3 to Washington on Saturday. Reto Berra, who has been filling in for Varlamov, was pulled after one period after yielding four goals for the third straight game.

'Our goalie was not at his best tonight,' coach Patrick Roy said. 'It was a tough task for him in some ways, because he played a lot of games for us lately."

While Colorado has been conceding plenty of goals, Winnipeg continues to hurt itself with poor discipline.

The Jets have conceded eight power-play goals in 25 chances in the last three games. They have committed the league's most penalties with 122 with an NHL-high 14:31 of average penalty minutes.

Coach Paul Maurice gave a humorous response as to how he is dealing with the penalties.

"Lots of tea really," Maurice said. "I was going to say vodka but that doesn't apply to me. I'm thinking of taking up cigar smoking, I hear that's good for you. I don't think they'd like that on the bench.

"Just kill 'em. We work hard at not complaining and kill penalties and we gotta work harder at staying out of the penalty box."

The Jets have won two straight following a six-game slide. Mark Scheifele has three goals with an assist in those wins after going pointless in six straight.

Chris Thorburn scored the winning goal in the third period Saturday with a short-handed tally, as Winnipeg rallied from a one-goal deficit after one.

"I'm just proud of our team the way we battled," he said. "There were times where things weren't pretty.'

Winnipeg seeks to improve on a 2-5-0 mark against Central foes. The Jets have taken four straight at home against the Avalanche, and went 3-0-2 in the 2014-15 season series.

Bryan Little scored five goals against the Avalanche last season and leads the Jets this season with nine, though only two have come at home. Jarome Iginla, Alex Tanguay and Matt Duchene combined for 14 points in the season series for Colorado.

Duchene has six goals and six assists in a six-game point streak.

The Avalanche lead the NHL with 17.8 blocks per game. Francois Beauchemin averages just under three per game to rank second.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Washington won five of tis last eight games.
-- Rangers won nine of their last ten games.
-- Bruins won three of their last four games. Toronto won five of its last seven.
-- Kings won three of their last four games.
-- Winnipeg won last two games 3-2/4-1, after losing previous six.

Cold teams
-- Buffalo lost last four games, outscored 11-4. Blues lost four of their last six games.
-- Flyers lost eight of their last ten games. Carolina lost five of last six games.
-- Edmonton lost five of its last seven games.
-- Nashville lost four of last five road games, got blanked last two games.
-- Florida lost seven of its last ten games.
-- Avalanche lost last three games, allowing 16 goals.

Series records
-- Hurricanes won eight of last ten games with Philly.
-- Washington is 5-3 in its last eight games with Edmonton.
-- Rangers won four of last six games with Nashville.
-- Blues won their last seven games with Buffalo.
-- Bruins won six of last ten games with Toronto.
-- Panthers lost eight of last ten games with Los Angeles.
-- Home side won last six Colorado-Winnipeg games; seven of last nine went OT/SO.

Totals
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Carolina-Philly games.
-- Eight of last ten Edmonton games went over total.
-- Under is 5-0-2 in last seven Ranger-Nashville games.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four Buffalo games.
-- Six of last nine Toronto games stayed under total.
-- Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Florida-LA games.
-- Last four Colorado games went over the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Kane 'absolutely' in Blackhawks' long-term plans
By The Sports Xchange

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said All-Star forward Patrick Kane "absolutely" remains part of the team's long-term plans.
Kane came under investigation in August for an alleged sexual assault at his offseason home in Hamburg, N.Y. On Nov. 5, the Erie County district attorney announced that Kane would not face rape charges because of a lack of credible evidence.
Bowman met with the media in Vancouver for the first time since prosecutors declined to charge Kane.
"You can't find talent like that," Bowman said Saturday. "You look at what he's done over the course of his career, whether it's this season, last season ... he's been a game changer. He's one of those guys that's, I've said it a lot over the years, he's able to elevate his game in pressure moments. Not too many guys are able to do that."
The 27-year-old Kane is in the first year of an eight-year, $84 million contract, a deal that includes a no movement clause, according to the Chicago Tribune. Kane is off to one of the best starts of his career with 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 21 games.

---The Boston Bruins claimed forward Landon Ferraro off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings and placed defenseman Kevan Miller on injured reserve Sunday.
Ferraro, 24, played in 10 games for Detroit this season, recording no points while registering seven penalty minutes. In 17 career NHL games, he has one goal and nine penalty minutes.
Miller hasn't played since suffering an upper-body injury on Nov. 17 against the San Jose Sharks. Prior to the injury, he had a goal and four assists in 17 games.

---The Nashville Predators claimed defenseman Petter Granberg off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Granberg, 23, has yet to suit up in 2015-16 due to offseason surgery, but has eight NHL games to his credit with the Maple Leafs, with no points and six penalty minutes. He has played in 126 AHL games with the Toronto Marlies since his first North American professional season in 2013-14, recording 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) and 58 penalty minutes.

---The Tampa Bay Lightning reassigned forwards Mike Blunden and Mike Angelidis and defenseman Luke Witkowski to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.
Blunden, 28, was recalled to Tampa Bay on Nov. 15. He played in two games with the Lightning, recording three shots on goal.
Angelidis, 30, was recalled Thursday and did not appear in any games.
Witkowski, 25, was also recalled Thursday. He played in two games, recording four penalty minutes and averaging 7:46 in ice time per contest.

---The Winnipeg Jets recalled goaltender Connor Hellebuyck from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.
Hellebuyck, 22, has played in 10 games this season with the Moose, posting a 2-7-1 record, .927 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average. The Commerce, Mich., native has played in 68 AHL games, with a 30-29-6 record.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (6-7) at Cavaliers (10-3)

Date: November 23, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

With much of the roster already bruised and battered, LeBron James and Kevin Love have been forced to do most of the heavy lifting for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Now Cleveland's only two healthy starters will try to extend the team's best home start in seven years Monday night without four key members of the rotation against the Orlando Magic.

All-Star Kyrie Irving (fractured left kneecap) and fellow guard Iman Shumpert (right wrist surgery) have yet to play this season. Mo Williams - who had been starting for Irving - is expected to miss his third straight game due to a sore right ankle and center Timofey Mozgov could miss the next two weeks with a strained right shoulder.

The adversity hasn't kept Cleveland (10-3) from getting off to a strong start, especially at home. Love had a season-high 25 points and 11 rebounds and James added 19 points, 11 boards and eight assists in Saturday's 109-97 win over Atlanta.

'We're missing a lot of guys right now, a lot of very, very significant players, but the other guys are stepping up and doing the job," coach David Blatt said.

James has raised his play, averaging 29.4 points while hitting 15 of 34 (44.1 percent) from 3-point range to go along with 7.3 rebounds in his last eight games. He made just 2 of 12 from 3 but averaged 10.7 assists in last season's three-game sweep of the Magic (6-7).

Love also has heated up with 25.5 points per game and 10-of-25 shooting from 3-point range over his last four. The forward also has averaged 12.3 rebounds over that stretch.

'No matter who's in the lineup, we need to play Cavs basketball the right way,' James said. "We need to share the ball, we need to move it, play together and be aggressive defensively.'

The Cavaliers certainly did that Saturday, winning for the 27th time in the last 28 regular-season home games and extending their best home start (7-0) since opening 23-0 in 2008-09. They had 27 assists while limiting the Hawks to a season-low 37.2 percent shooting.

Cleveland hopes to continue that effort against an Orlando team that has shot 40.5 percent over its last six games. The Magic went 9 for 31 (29.0 percent) from 3-point range and had a season-low eight free-throw attempts in Saturday's 97-91 home loss to Sacramento.

'We just couldn't find a way to stabilize ourselves," coach Scott Skiles said.

Tobias Harris had 24 points while Evan Fournier contributed 17 but missed eight of 11 from beyond the arc. Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo have been benched late in the last two games. Neither played in the fourth quarter Saturday, finishing with 11 points apiece.

Oladipo had 25 points, Harris added 24 and Vucevic scored 22 with 15 boards in a 123-108 home loss March 15 in the most recent matchup with Cleveland. J.R. Smith scored 25 and James added 21 points, 13 assists and eight boards for the Cavaliers.

Since losing 10 in a row in this series from 2010-12, Cleveland has turned things around by averaging 107.1 points while winning the past 10 meetings by 14.1 per game.

The Magic, though, have held seven of their last eight opponents under 100 points in regulation. They've also limited opponents to 42.0 percent shooting this season after ranking 28th in defensive field-goal percentage (46.3) in 2014-15.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (5-9) at Hornets (7-6)

Date: November 23, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Al Jefferson is putting up his lowest point and rebound totals since he became an NBA starter, and he's drawing less frequent double teams than he did in his prime.

The Charlotte Hornets couldn't be happier.

Some vastly improved perimeter shooting has given the Hornets an offensive boost they haven't seen in a while, but Jefferson remains a vital part of Charlotte's success heading into a Monday night matchup with DeMarcus Cousins and the visiting Sacramento Kings.

The Hornets (7-6) shot an NBA-worst 31.8 percent from 3-point range last season, but the addition of Nicolas Batum and some previously nonexistent range from Kemba Walker (37.3 percent) have helped immensely. Charlotte is shooting 36.7 percent from long distance - seventh in the league - and is sixth in attempts at 26.4 per game after launching only 19.1 a season ago.

No one has shot the 3 better at home than the Hornets (41.5 percent), who made 12 of 25 from beyond the arc in Friday's 113-88 rout of Philadelphia to stretch their winning streak at Time Warner Cable Arena to five. Jefferson, whose averages are down to 15.2 points and 6.7 rebounds, put up 26 and 10 while largely dealing with single coverage.

"Last year (teams) would say, 'Not tonight, (Al's) not scoring,'" coach Steve Clifford said. "Now they can't do that. What it opens is a cutting game, a drive-and-kick game. To me, the basic tenet of offense is spacing, and your spacing is determined by how much shooting you have on the floor."

Jefferson's touches down low are leading to offense elsewhere. Charlotte averages an NBA-best 1.11 team points per post-up, and it's scoring 102.8 per game overall after averaging just 94.2 last season.

He'll have his hands full Monday with Cousins, but the Hornets probably can't spend too much time doubling Sacramento's All-Star center, either. The Kings (5-9) are shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc - 4.8 better than last season - with newcomer Marco Belinelli leading the way and even Rajon Rondo (36.4) and Cousins himself (38.9) getting involved.

The Kings improved to 5-4 when Cousins plays after he put up 29 points, 12 boards, six assists, three steals and three blocks in Saturday's 97-91 win at Orlando.

"He was the most dominant player on the court," said George Karl, who also rebuffed the notion that Cousins is tough to coach by saying "he cares, he wants to win and he lashes out sometimes in maybe a disruptive way."

One thing's for sure: Game-planning to slow Cousins isn't any fun - especially given the Kings' perimeter prowess. Sacramento is shooting a Western Conference-best 48.1 percent on corner 3s.

"You don't want a guy like Cousins ... to set up shop and go to work wherever he wants to," Clifford said. "But at the same time, they have a lot of perimeter scoring. If you double a guy like Cousins, who can pass, they not only have a chance to get 3, but your defense is spread out and they can drive."

One player Rondo and Darren Collison may not have the luxury of kicking it to is Rudy Gay, who missed Saturday's win with a left shoulder strain and is considered day to day.

Charlotte, on the other hand, may be getting some reinforcements. Cody Zeller (ankle) and P.J. Hairston (quad) could return from respective one- and three-game absences.

Cousins (20 points, 14 rebounds) badly outplayed Jefferson (nine, six) in a 113-106 win at Charlotte on March 11, while Ben McLemore had 27 and Gay 26.

Gay did the heavy lifting nine days later against the Hornets, putting up 33 in a 101-91 victory as Cousins sat out with a quad injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Knicks (8-6) at Heat (8-4)

Date: November 23, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Kristaps Porzingis was widely perceived as a long-term project when the New York Knicks drafted him fourth overall this year. Early returns suggest he's well ahead of schedule.

Porzingis and the Knicks look to run their season-high winning streak to five when they visit the Miami Heat on Monday night.

New York's selection of Porzingis in June drew the ire of fans and pundits alike, with many expecting the 20-year-old Latvian to need significant time to develop his game and make an impact in the NBA. He looks like he's already there, though, averaging 13.2 points - the most by a Knicks rookie since Mark Jackson's 13.6 in 1987-88 - and a team-high 8.8 rebounds.

Porzingis scored a season-high 29 and grabbed 11 rebounds in Tuesday's 102-94 win over Charlotte before being limited to a season-low seven points in Friday's 93-90 victory at Oklahoma City. He bounced back in a big way Saturday, finishing with 24 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocked shots in a season-high 36 minutes of a 107-102 win at Houston.

"It was concern from people who didn't know," said forward Carmelo Anthony, shooting 44.6 percent over the last eight games after making 36.6 percent in the first six. "People didn't know what to expect. Nobody had ever seen him before and people were all so upset that the Knicks drafted him."

Porzingis has been a major defensive asset with New York (8-6) allowing 99.3 points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor, second-fewest on the team.

"I know for a fact that that was one thing that jumped out to management and to Phil (Jackson) that was really impressive about his game on the defensive end," coach Derek Fisher said. "Everybody, of course, was fascinated by the shot-making, but we thought the activity on the defensive end was one thing that would really give him a chance to be good."

Miami (8-4) survived a scare Saturday, coming back from a 17-point third-quarter deficit in a 96-91 victory over winless Philadelphia behind Dwyane Wade's 27 points.

The Heat outscored the 76ers 29-17 in the fourth and have made a habit of saving their best for the final quarter. They're shooting 49.8 percent in those 12 minutes.

"You definitely have to give Philadelphia credit," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "They really came out and competed and played a very good basketball game. This is not how you, as a coach, design it. But I did like seeing the toughness that we had to reveal in the fourth quarter."

Wade has made 37.9 percent from the field in his last six games, though he's totaled 51 points in the past two.

The Heat have been limited from 3-point range, hitting 6.3 shots per game from beyond the arc - among the worst marks in the league. Meanwhile, New York's Langston Galloway is shooting an NBA-best 55.3 percent on 3s.

Miami has won 17 of 23 meetings, including six in a row by an average of 16.2 points. The Knicks haven't won five straight games since an eight-game run March 5-21, 2014.

The Heat, continuing a home-heavy early schedule, are 7-2 at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Knicks are 5-2 on the road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (0-14) at Timberwolves (5-8)

Date: November 23, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Minnesota Timberwolves initially appeared to be much improved defensively, but regression seems to have struck.

Shutting down the hapless Philadelphia 76ers shouldn't be too difficult, however.

Minnesota will still be seeking its first home victory Monday night against visiting Philadelphia.

The Timberwolves (5-8) gave up 106.5 points on 48.7 percent shooting in 2014-15, both the worst marks in the NBA. They allowed 98.5 and 41.2 during a 4-2 start, but have dropped six of seven with those numbers climbing to 106.4 and 47.3.

Even in Friday's 96-85 home loss to Detroit - just the second time in eight games they held the opposition below 100 - their offense didn't show up. Minnesota was 3 of 13 from 3-point range and 17 of 25 from the free-throw line.

"We can't score," coach Sam Mitchell said. "We're getting shots. We're missing them. We've just got to score better."

The team's starting guards, Andrew Wiggins and Ricky Rubio, were 1 for 7 from beyond the arc.

"I feel like we missed a lot of easy shots," Wiggins told the team's official website.

Mitchell is inserting Kevin Martin into the starting lineup in hopes of jump-starting the struggling offense. He will replace Tayshaun Prince in the first five and Wiggins will slide from shooting guard to small forward.

The Timberwolves were overwhelmed around the basket once again, surrendering 54 points in the paint, and they've given up 164 over the last three games.

Philadelphia (0-14) shouldn't be a tough assignment though, averaging 90.1 points on 41.4 percent shooting with 18.9 turnovers - all league worsts.

The 76ers blew their largest lead of the season Saturday, a 17-point edge early in the third quarter of a 96-91 loss at Miami. They were held without a field goal after Nerlens Noel's dunk with 7:14 remaining in the game until Robert Covington converted a layup with three seconds left.

"We were in a position to get our first win and we just couldn't get into anything at the end of the game," coach Brett Brown said. "I give credit to a veteran Miami team. Defensively they were fantastic and we just had a hard time finding a shot. We were in a late-clock a lot in the last five minutes and it's a part of cruel path that we are going to evidently have to take."

Philadelphia has now lost 24 in a row dating back to last season, two games shy of the longest losing streak in NBA history they endured in 2013-14. The 76ers were 0-17 last year before winning 85-77 at Minnesota.

The Timberwolves are 0-6 at home, their longest winless stretch at the Target Center to open a season since starting a franchise-worst 0-10 in 1994-95. They're giving up 107.5 points per game at home.

"It sucks not being able to win at home," said Wiggins, who is shooting 38.6 percent there compared to 45.7 elsewhere. "I know the fans want to see it and we want to be able to win at home you know. But we're going to get back in the gym (Saturday), practice, see what we're doing wrong, fix it and try to get the win next game."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (7-6) at Bucks (5-8)

Date: November 23, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

While Greg Monroe's new team continues to be a work in progress, his old one has at times shown signs of improvement since his departure.

The Detroit Pistons still have some areas to work on, however, ahead of visiting Monroe's Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night in a matchup of slumping Central Division teams.

Monroe's offseason addition was expected to further accelerate the Bucks' rise to contention in the Eastern Conference, but Milwaukee (5-8) has appeared to regress following a surprise playoff berth and 41-41 record in coach Jason Kidd's first season.

While constant lineup tinkering caused by a rash of early injuries has certainly played a part, a defense that's turned from a strength to a weakness has been the biggest factor in the Bucks' struggles.

Milwaukee is allowing 105.2 points per game on 46.4 percent shooting, ranking in the NBA's bottom tier in both categories. The problems have been pronounced during a three-game skid in which opponents have shot 53.4 percent and averaged 117.7 points.

The Bucks were particularly bad on the defensive end during the second half of Saturday's visit with Indiana, which shot 63.4 percent while scoring 68 points over the final two quarters of a 123-86 rout.

"We would miss a shot and then not get back on defense," Kidd said. "In the last two games, we played pretty well in the second half, but that didn't happen tonight."

Monroe, signed to a three-year, $50 million contract in July, has averaged 16.2 points and 9.9 rebounds - similar numbers to his five seasons in Detroit - though he's been off his game during the losing streak with 10.7 points per game on 40.0 percent shooting.

Monroe was never part of a winning season with Detroit (7-6), which enters the Bradley Center sitting above .500 but has dropped five of seven following a 5-1 start.

The Pistons have gotten strong work from a starting unit that includes former Buck Ersan Ilyasova but little from a reserve corps that's contributing a league-low 19.6 points per game. They were outscored 51-15 by Washington's bench in a 97-95 home loss Saturday in which Detroit wore down and squandered an 11-point third-quarter lead.

"We can't play the starters that many minutes - in fact we need to get their minutes down - but we didn't have an option tonight," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Look at the plus/minus numbers, and (the starters) dominated the game, but our bench didn't do anything."

Ilyasova, traded to Detroit in June to clear cap space for Monroe, had 18 points in the loss and is averaging 14.7 over his last three. The stretch forward has been the Pistons' most effective perimeter shooter, making 45.8 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Andre Drummond has led Detroit's improvement by recording a league-leading 17.8 rebounds per game, though the standout center was denied a double-double for the first time this season with eight points against the Wizards.

"We were ready for him," Wizards center Marcin Gortat said. "We all focused on him every time, and we went at him offensively to make him tired."

Drummond averaged 17.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in Detroit's four meetings with Milwaukee last season, three of which the Bucks won by yielding 86 points or less.

The Pistons have lost three straight at the Bradley Center since a 105-98 victory on Dec. 4, 2013.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Suns (7-6) at Spurs (10-3)

Date: November 23, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

The Phoenix Suns haven't had a whole lot of success in the city where they'll make the final stop on their three-game road trip.

It's not an uncommon storyline for teams visiting San Antonio.

The Spurs will try to extend the NBA's second-longest active home winning streak Monday night with another victory at the AT&T Center over the Suns.

San Antonio (10-3) has opened the season with six home victories, extending its regular-season streak to 15 games - short of only Golden State's 26. But the Spurs aren't nearly satisfied with how they're winning of late, and they might be without one of their top players against the Suns.

LaMarcus Aldridge was a late scratch from a 92-82 win over Memphis on Saturday with a sprained left ankle. Aldridge, averaging 15.3 points and 9.9 rebounds, is questionable for Monday.

San Antonio's 18 turnovers irked coach Gregg Popovich, but the Spurs still managed to rebound from a lethargic 104-90 defeat at New Orleans on Friday that ended their six-game winning spurt.

When asked if the turnovers are a sign the team is still growing accustomed to a revamped roster, Popovich responded, "No, it was a sign of a team playing poorly."

Six for six at home looks good on paper, but only one of San Antonio's half-dozen opponents at the AT&T Center holds a record better than .500 - Charlotte at 7-6. The list includes 0-14 Philadelphia and 3-11 Brooklyn.

'We are building,' Manu Ginobili said. 'We really don't care about the record right now. Of course it's good to be 10-3, but we didn't have a super tough schedule, but it's going to get tougher soon.'

The Spurs, who have won 15 of 19 in this series, are 27-2 at the AT&T Center in the regular season since Jan. 9. The first win of that stretch came against Phoenix (7-6), which has lost 11 of 12 in San Antonio.

Phoenix won the first game of this trip by beating Denver 114-107 on Friday behind Brandon Knight's career-high 38 points, and making 17 of 36 3s in New Orleans on Sunday would have seemed to put it in good position again. But the Suns shot just 18 of 54 from inside the arc - 11 of 33 in the paint - in a 122-116 loss.

'We have to shoot better than that in the paint if we want to win,' coach Jeff Hornacek said. 'We didn't have enough stops at the end of the game and they made more plays.'

The Suns didn't make nearly enough plays early in games against the Spurs in dropping three of four last season, getting outscored 97-60 in the first quarter. Phoenix shot 28.6 percent in the first 12 minutes of last season's series, missing on all 12 3-point attempts.

The Suns have trailed by a combined 31 points after the first quarter in their last three games.

Fast starts have been routine for San Antonio at home. The Spurs have led by at least four after every first quarter at the AT&T Center this season, and they've had the lead after one in 18 of their last 19 regular-season home games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (8-6) at Jazz (6-6)

Date: November 23, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

The Oklahoma City Thunder are expecting Kevin Durant to soon return after going .500 so far without him, and things would be a lot worse if not for Russell Westbrook.

Durant hasn't been ruled out entirely for Monday night's game against the Jazz in Utah, but if he can't go, Westbrook will again try to pick up the slack for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City (8-6) has won three of six since Durant went down with a hamstring injury largely because of the standout play of Westbrook, who has averaged 32.7 points over that span and reached at least 40 twice - once in a losing effort against Memphis.

The Thunder went 22-18 last season when Durant was sidelined by injury and Westbrook played, and the star guard averaged 30.7 points and nearly 24 field-goal attempts in those contests while scoring 40 or more eight times. In the 30 games when they both took the floor, Westbrook averaged 25.0 points and 19.4 shots.

After launching the ball 76 times over the last three games, he may not have to shoulder the load much longer with Durant close to full strength.

"Right now, when I say 'a few days,' really what they're doing right now is I think they're re-evaluating every day," first-year coach Billy Donovan said of Durant. "I think they're trying to push him a little bit further each day, up unto a point. But I think he's responded very, very well."

If Durant is sidelined again, it could mean a third straight start for Dion Waiters, who has totaled 30 points over the last two games and was one of six Oklahoma City players to score in double digits a 117-114 victory Sunday that ended Dallas' six-game win streak.

However, it was Westbrook who again came up big by hitting three baskets in the final 2:02 to finish with a game-high 31 points and 11 assists.

"I thought this was the most complete game we've had offensively," Donovan said. "This is probably the closest I thought offensively, to an identity that I'd like to see us play with. The ball was moving. It was going from one side of the floor to the other. Guys made really good decisions. Hopefully we can build on it."

The Thunder have dropped three of their last four on the road and three straight at Utah (6-6), including the previous two without Durant. Westbrook's 37 points weren't enough in a 94-89 loss in their most recent visit to Salt Lake City on March 28.

The Jazz are entering a stretch in which they get 10 of their next 14 at home after playing just three times there this season, winning twice.

They've dropped four of their last six overall after falling 102-93 to the Mavericks on Friday despite getting 22 points from Gordon Hayward.

The forward is scoring 16.3 points per game - a drop from his career-best 19.3 last season - but he's averaging 18.0 at home and 22.3 in his last six against the Thunder.

Derrick Favors has a 19.7 average while shooting 62.8 percent over the last three games after scoring 18 and sinking 9 of 14 shots Friday.

The forward had 22 and 11 while adding three blocks in a 99-94 loss at Oklahoma City in his most recent meeting with the Thunder on Jan. 9. Back spasms forced him to miss the most recent matchup at home in March.

Jazz point guard Trey Burke has totaled 42 points over the last two meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Cavaliers won eight of their last ten games (4-3HF). Orlando won three of last five games (3-2AU).
-- Kings won four of their last six games (3-2AU). Charlotte is 7-3 in its last ten games (2-2HF).
-- Knicks won their last four games (6-1AU). Miami won five of its last six games (0-4 last four HF).
-- San Antonio won seven of its last eight games (4-2HF). Suns won four of their last six games (3-2AU).

Cold teams
-- Winless 76ers are 4-3 vs spread as road underdogs. Minnesota lost six of its last seven games (0-1HF).
-- Pistons lost five of their last seven games (3-2AU). Milwaukee lost five of its last six games (1-2HF).
-- Thunder lost three of their last five games. Jazz lost four of its last six games.

Series records
-- Cavaliers won last ten games with Orlando (9-0-1 vs spread).
-- Kings won five of last seven games with Charlotte.
-- Knicks lost their last six games with Miami.
-- 76ers won their last two games with Minnesota.
-- Bucks won their last three games with Detroit.
-- Spurs won six of last eight games with Phoenix.
-- Thunder lost their last three visits to Utah.

Totals
-- Seven of last eight Cleveland games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Sacramento games stayed under total.
-- Under is 7-2-1 in New York's last ten games.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Philly-Minnesota games.
-- Seven of last ten Detroit games stayed under total.
-- Four of Spurs' last five games stayed under total.
-- Last four Thunder-Jazz games stayed under total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs November 23, 8:30 EST

The Phoenix Suns travel to San Antonio for a Monday night game against the Spurs. Suns off a road game Sunday vs Pelicans is good news for San Antonio. That's because Spurs are 12-4 ATS with one days rest playing an unrested opponent. Additionally, Spurs have a 6-1 ATS streak as home chalk vs a team with a winning record, 9-2 ATS record on home court laying less than double digits, 3-0-2 ATS mark handing Suns less than 10 points of offense at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Storm (3-0) at Commodores (3-0)

Date: November 23, 2015 2:30 PM EDT

Chris Mullin's transition into coaching has gone flawlessly, though the competition is about to become considerably tougher for St. John's.

Mullin's unbeaten Red Storm gets their biggest test to date when they open a loaded Maui Invitational against No. 17 Vanderbilt Monday.

After leaving the Sacramento Kings' front office for a return to his alma mater, Mullin has guided the rebuilding Red Storm to three wins over a relatively light slate of opponents. That won't be the case when St. John's plays its first games outside of Carnesecca Arena in the prestigious Maui tournament that also contains ranked teams Kansas and Indiana as well as UCLA and UNLV among the field.

Vanderbilt (3-0) looms as a contender as well after returning six of its top seven scorers, including NBA prospect Damian Jones, from last season's 21-14 squad that reached the NIT quarterfinals. That's a vast experience edge on a St. John's program gutted by graduations and transfers during the offseason.

Mullin inherited a group whose top returning scorer averaged 1.5 points per game, with the Red Storm losing every key member from last season's NCAA Tournament participant under Steve Lavin. The revamped roster has received boosts from graduate transfers Ron Mvouika (Missouri State) and Durand Johnson (Pittsburgh) while also receiving early contributions from freshmen Federico Mussini (16.3 ppg) and Yankuba Sima.

Felix Balamou also is being counted on for an increased impact and did just that in his season debut. The senior guard compiled eight points and set career highs with 11 rebounds and seven assists off the bench to help rally the Red Storm to a 61-59 win over Rutgers on Thursday.

Balamou sat out the first two games due to an eligibility issue.

"That is huge at any level," said Mullin of Balamou's performance. "He chipped in with eight points and played tremendous defense. He's our best perimeter defender. Credit to Felix for practicing really hard, staying ready and focused, and being able to transfer all of that work from practice to the game."

Sima aided St. John's comeback from a 16-point halftime deficit with 13 points and six blocks. The 6-foot-11 Spanish center has 12 rejections and anchored a defense that's held opponents to 33.2 percent shooting.

"Our defense is ahead of our offense," Mullin said. "I thought we hung in there, stayed positive and gave ourselves a shot."

The balanced Commodores figure to present a challenge for Mullin's defense. Vanderbilt has averaged 85.7 points and has five players currently in double figures, with Jones (11.7 ppg) and fellow 7-footer Luke Kornet (10.7 ppg) forming an imposing frontcourt and guards Wade Baldwin III (14.7 ppg), Riley LaChance (11.0 ppg) and Matthew Fisher-Davis each shooting 40 percent or better from 3-point range.

Baldwin did not start Thursday against Stony Brook due to a bruised back but tallied a career-high 21 points off the bench, helping Vanderbilt to a hard-earned 79-72 overtime win. The Commodores trailed the Seawolves, the America East preseason favorites, by 10 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

'We were outplayed for the better part of 35 minutes,' coach Kevin Stallings said. 'Fortunately, in the last four minutes our guys dug in. We had some big shots, we had some big stops."

Vanderbilt has lost five of six against St. John's, though the schools haven't met since November 1977.

The teams will face either No. 14 Indiana or Wake Forest on Tuesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Demon Deacons (2-1) at Hoosiers (3-0)

Date: November 23, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

With a showdown against the reigning national champions drawing closer, Indiana takes its high-powered offense well to the west to face another ACC opponent.

The 14th-ranked Hoosiers look to continue their early season roll at the Maui Invitational, where they draw Wake Forest in Monday's opening round of the marquee event.

Indiana has lived up to the lofty expectations bestowed upon the program off last season's NCAA Tournament appearance, averaging 92.0 points and shooting 56.0 percent in three blowout wins. The Hoosiers have scored at least 49 first-half points in each game and been one of the nation's most dangerous teams from the perimeter, having made 42.7 percent of 3-point attempts.

"I just feel like everyone on our team can bring scoring and shooting," said guard James Blackmon Jr., who averages a team-high 18.7 points. "I don't think there is one guy on our team that can't shoot."

Blackmon is shooting 55.0 percent on 3s and sixth man Nick Zeisloft is 9 of 14. Both went 4 of 6 from deep and were two of five Hoosiers in double figures in Thursday's 86-65 rout of Creighton.

Heralded freshman center Thomas Bryant added 17 points and seven rebounds while providing an interior defensive presence, an area Indiana often lacked last season.

'They've got a lot of pieces,' Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. 'Bryant adds another dimension to them that I don't think they had last year with his ability to protect the rim.'

Indiana's Dec. 2 matchup at No. 5 Duke figures to be among the highlights of this year's ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and the Hoosiers should be well prepared by a tough Maui Field that includes Kansas, Vanderbilt, UCLA and UNLV.

They'll face either the Commodores or St. John's on Tuesday after taking on a Demon Deacons team still in the rebuilding stage under second-year coach Danny Manning.

Wake Forest (2-1) went 5-13 in the ACC and 13-19 overall in Manning's debut and is picked 11th in the conference this season. The Deacons have been starting four underclassmen with senior guard Codi Miller-McIntyre, the team's leading scorer in 2014-15, yet to play due to a broken foot.

That relative inexperience was evident in Wednesday's 91-82 home loss to Richmond, in which the Spiders scored 27 points off 20 Wake Forest turnovers.

'We gave up far too many baskets,' Manning said. 'And then when you turn the ball over as many times as we did, that's hard to overcome.'

Wake Forest also struggled at the foul line, making just 19 of 33 attempts to offset a 57.1 field goal percentage.

On the positive side, freshman Bryant Crawford had his second consecutive 21-point effort and is averaging 17.0 points, tied with senior Devin Thomas for the team lead. Thomas has posted double-doubles in all three games and forward Konstantinos Mitoglou has two, helping the Deacons outrebound their opponents by a plus-17.3 margin.

Miller-McIntyre, who averaged 14.5 points and 4.3 assists in 2014-15 to earn honorable mention all-ACC honors, will make the trip to Hawaii along with forward Cornelius Hudson, suspended for the first three games for violating departmental policy. Manning said he does not expect Miller-McIntyre to play.

Wake Forest is aiming for its first win over a ranked team since an 82-72 decision over No. 4 Duke on March 5, 2014. The Deacons were 0-7 against Top 25 opponents last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Eagles (2-1) at Spartans (3-0)

Date: November 23, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Tom Izzo hasn't been shy about discussing a culture change for the Michigan State program in order to bring it to a championship level, something that might seem a bit strange considering he's appeared in seven Final Fours in 20 seasons as its coach.

He wants the Spartans to be viewed as true title contenders, and he's trying to instill in his players that on a night when they double up their opponent, there are still things to improve.

Thirteenth-ranked Michigan State will continue trying to live up to its coach's lofty standards when it hosts Eastern Michigan in a non-bracketed game of the Wooden Legacy tournament Monday night.

The Spartans (3-0) won their opener by 27 over Florida Atlantic, rallied to beat No. 4 Kansas in Chicago 79-73 and routed Arkansas-Pine Bluff 92-46 on Friday, but Izzo wasn't gloating about his squad's most recent performance.

He focused more on how Michigan State looked lethargic in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Izzo said some players took a step backward with their play.

"If we're going to change things around here, we've got to figure out when we get a team down, we've got to step on it in the second half," Izzo said. "So I've got to make a fool of myself - which I don't have a problem doing - but you would hope that somebody would pick that up. I don't think our leaders jumped on it.

"Everybody's telling me around the conference and around the country that (quality) teams are getting beat, so I guess I should just shut my mouth, take a win, move on."

That hasn't been Izzo's style, though, and likely never will be, but the overall positives still seem to outweigh the negatives.

The Spartans' plus-22.7 rebound differential ranks second in the nation, and their average of 23.7 assists is tied with Iowa for second in the country.

Denzel Valentine is averaging 10.7 assists to lead the nation. He had 11 against UAPB, adding seven points and seven rebounds while shooting just 1 of 8 from 3-point range after recording a triple-double against the Jayhawks.

Bryn Forbes scored 14 points and Matt Costello had his first double-double with 10 and 10 rebounds.

"Denzel would have had 15 or 16 assists (if more shots were made)," Izzo said. "We have to make sure we don't forget about Denzel either. He was so unselfish offensively. We weren't looking for him, but he was still our key guy."

Valentine attempted only six shots in last season's meeting with Eastern Michigan and had eight assists in a 66-46 victory Dec. 17. Guard Raven Lee led the Eagles with 12 points, but he's yet to play this year after being suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules earlier this month.

Junior college transfer Willie Mangum IV has stepped up in Lee's absence, averaging 21.0 points after netting 29 in Friday's 79-34 victory over NAIA foe Siena Heights.

The Eagles (2-1) forced 25 turnovers and are tied for third in the nation in steals with 13.0 per game.

If Eastern Michigan can pull off the upset, it would be the first team to beat the Spartans at home in November since David Robinson-led Navy won in overtime Nov. 29, 1986, at Jenison Fieldhouse. Michigan State hasn't lost during this month at Breslin Center since it opened in 1989.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (3-0) at Golden Eagles (1-2)

Date: November 23, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

LSU's Ben Simmons and Marquette's Henry Ellenson are off to vastly different starts to their college careers.

These highly regarded freshmen meet Monday night when Simmons and the 23rd-ranked Tigers take on Ellenson's Golden Eagles in a Legends Classic semifinal at Barclays Center.

Simmons and Ellenson are considered among the best freshmen in the country, with the LSU forward garnering consideration as the top player in college basketball and Ellenson being seen as a possible NBA lottery pick.

Simmons is averaging 18.7 points and 63.2 percent shooting for the Tigers, finishing with 23 points and 16 rebounds in Thursday's 78-66 victory over South Alabama.

'I'm just trying to win, so my focus was on being aggressive and assertive the whole game,' Simmons said. 'As soon as I started driving, I got into a rhythm and felt comfortable."

Simmons has helped LSU (3-0) get off to its best start since opening 6-0 in 2012-13.

Marquette has lost two of its first three for the second straight season under second-year coach Steve Wojciechowski, who is building around Ellenson. The 6-foot-10 forward scored 39 points in his first two games before being limited to three on 1-of-8 shooting in Thursday's 89-61 home defeat to Iowa.

Ellenson is shooting 34.3 percent.

"With Henry, people are game planning for him and that's new," Wojciechowski said. "This is a different level to high school. He's going to be at the top of everybody's scouting report. We have to help him better and he can play better."

The Golden Eagles suffered their worst home loss since an 84-56 defeat to DePaul on Jan. 28, 1991. They trailed 48-21 at halftime.

'I take full responsibility for it,' Wojciechowski said. 'I didn't have my team ready to play in that level of game. I take full responsibility for it.'

One way to take pressure off Ellenson would be to get the ball more consistently to center Luke Fischer, who has made 13 of 17 shots and is averaging 12.3 points. Fischer fouled out in 16 minutes with eight points against the Hawkeyes, making all four shots.

Marquette entered play Sunday ranked last among major college teams in 3-point shooting at 21.9 percent.

"We have not shot the ball well," Wojciechowski said.

LSU freshman Antonio Blakeney has taken advantage of the attention on Simmons to average a team-high 19.3 points. The shooting guard scored 22 on Thursday.

"I just saw opportunities and open shots so I had to try and knock them down," he said.

The Tigers are uncertain if starting center Elbert Robinson will be available after he sprained his ankle Thursday. Coach Johnnie Jones said he'll see if Robinson can practice Sunday.

Marquette has taken two of three meetings with LSU, winning 84-80 in the last one Dec. 22, 2012.

The winner will face Arizona State or North Carolina State in Tuesday's title game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Moccasins (3-0) at Cyclones (2-0)

Date: November 23, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

With 6-foot-9 Jameel McKay patrolling the paint, Iowa State possesses a strong interior defense.

It's the seventh-ranked Cyclones' perimeter D, however, that will be tested against visiting Chattanooga on Monday night in an Emerald Coast Classic Tipoff game.

McKay, second in the Big 12 in blocked shots with 2.4 per game last season, recorded his first two of this season in last Monday's 106-64 win over Chicago State - coach Steve Prohm's home debut with Iowa State (2-0).

The preseason all-Big 12 pick overpowered the Cougars inside, dunking 10 times and finishing with a career-high 25 points. He also had 11 rebounds after getting 10 boards in the opener against Colorado.

'The thing about Jameel is that he brings a ton of energy,' senior forward Georges Niang said. 'He runs the floor better than any big man I've ever seen, and really we just feed off his energy. He's the key guy for us.'

Niang and Abdel Nader are also key components in Iowa State's offense, with Niang totaling 28 points and 10 assists and Nader scoring 31.

The Cyclones, trying to move to 3-0 for a fourth straight season, have five players averaging at least 13.0 points.

'We're still learning each other,' Prohm said. 'I know we've got a talented team ... and I think we're just going to continue to get better in November, December, January and February as we continue to get a better feel for one another.'

Iowa State has won 28 straight at home against nonconference opponents, but Chattanooga won't be intimated coming to Hilton Coliseum having knocked off a couple of power-conference teams on the road.

The Mocs (3-0) jumped out to a 15-point lead at Illinois on Saturday and rallied late for an 81-77 win. Down by nine with just over six minutes to play, Chattanooga got five straight 3-pointers from four players to regain the lead.

Seeking their first 4-0 start since 1989-90, the Mocs have made 12 3s in each game, shooting 41.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Eric Robertson had a team-high 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range against the Illini. Chattanooga placed six scorers in double figures.

"That's what we want every single night," coach Matt McCall said of the balanced attack. "We want our guys having a high number of assists and sharing the basketball, so we're going to get five or six guys in double figures. We have the firepower and the depth on offense to be able to do that almost every single night."

The Mocs, who opened with a win at Georgia, have defeated two power-conference opponents for the first time since 1996-97, when they also upset Georgia and Illinois in the NCAA Tournament.

The victory over the No. 19 Illini in the 1997 NCAAs, however, marks their last against a ranked opponent. They've lost 20 straight to Top 25 teams, falling 89-45 to No. 3 Wisconsin in their only matchup with one last season.

This will be Chattanooga's first meeting with Iowa State, which is 10-0 against the Southern Conference.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jayhawks (1-1) at (0-0)

Date: November 23, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

With some early season stress setting in, perhaps a trip to Maui will provide the change of scenery Kansas needs.

The fourth-ranked Jayhawks look to get back on course Monday night when they open the Maui Invitational with a matchup against Chaminade.

While working through some struggles on the court, Kansas (1-1) has also been dealing with some headaches off of it.

The Jayhawks suspended reserve guard Brannen Greene six games on Friday for conduct detrimental to the team, and the junior won't make the trip to Maui - tough he can practice with his teammates upon their return to Lawrence.

Green has logged only 23 total minutes but he led Kansas with 18 points while making all six of his field goal attempts, including five 3-pointers, during a 109-72 win over Northern Colorado in the season opener Nov. 13.

Another off-court issue weighing on the Jayhawks is the unknown status of prized prospect Cheick Diallo. His availability remains cloudy as the NCAA looks into his relationship with guardian Tidiane Drame. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound freshman has been allowed to travel to Maui, but he has not been cleared to play.

And then there's the basketball. After the 37-point win in their opener, the Jayhawks fizzled late in their first big matchup Tuesday, losing 79-73 to No. 13 Michigan State in the State Farms Champions Classic at United Center in Chicago.

Kansas led by 13 twice in the first half and held a 61-50 advantage with less than 9 1/2 minutes to play, but Spartans senior Denzel Valentine scored 21 of his game-high 29 points in the second half and controlled the Jayhawks late on his way to a triple-double.

Michigan State made its final five shots in the closing five minutes.

"We have to learn how to get stops and just keep pushing," senior forward Perry Ellis said. "You have to get those stops and we didn't."

Ellis led Kansas with 21 points, Frank Mason III chipped in 14 and Wayne Selden Jr. had 12. The Jayhawks' three starting guards - Mason, Selden and Devonte' Graham - combined to make just 9 of 36 shots, including 2 of 13 from 3-point range. They are shooting a combined 31.1 percent through two games.

Graham has made just 4 of 20 field-goal attempts and 2 of 10 from long range after shooting 39.3 percent during his freshman season.

"(Coach Bill Self) told me he can live with not making shots, just got to stay aggressive," Graham said. "Nobody has told me not to shoot the ball because they all have confidence in me."

Ellis is pulling his weight, averaging 18.5 points while shooting 56.0 percent. He was 9 of 18 from the field against the Spartans, but the other starters went 10 for 37.

Kansas faces UCLA or UNLV in the second round of the eight-team bracket Tuesday.

Chaminade (0-2) seems to offer a good bounce-back opportunity for Kansas' offense. The Silverswords surrendered at least 90 points in each of their losses, which came 92-90 against Alaska-Anchorage on Nov. 13 and 112-102 at Alaska on Nov. 14.

Kansas has won both previous matchups, each coming at the Maui Invitational. The Jayhawks blew out Chaminade 102-54 in the 2005 seventh-place game and 89-62 in the opening round in 1987.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (3-0) at Tar Heels (3-1)

Date: November 23, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

North Carolina's next opponent is coached by a man that is very familiar with one of the nation's most storied programs.

Northwestern is led by former Duke star Chris Collins, and he'll bring an unbeaten squad into Monday night's CBE Classic semifinal against the Tar Heels, who are set to lose their No. 1 ranking in the wake of their first defeat.

Collins played at Duke from 1992-96 and served there for 13 seasons as Mike Krzyzewski's assistant. The second-year Wildcats coach is excited to see how his underdog 3-0 squad will fare against one of the favorites to win the national title.

"It's going to be pretty challenging," Collins said. "From firsthand experience, I know, I've had the opportunity to compete against that program for a lot of lot of years and I have nothing but amazing respect for Coach (Roy) Williams and everything that Carolina basketball stands for."

Williams' team has yet to play with star Marcus Paige, who averaged a team-high 14.1 points last season and is out because of a broken bone in his right hand.

Paige's absence was magnified in Saturday's stunning 71-67 loss at Northern Iowa - a game scheduled as a homecoming for the Iowa native. It turned into a nightmare as the Tar Heels (3-1) blew a 16-point lead in the second half.

'He's our best player offensively and defensively and as fine a young man as I've ever been around in my life, so I'd like to have him on the court,' Williams said. 'But North Carolina still plays.'

Justin Jackson scored 25 points and was the only Tar Heels starter to get to the free-throw line.

Joel Berry, Paige's replacement, had five points on 2-of-7 shooting after averaging 15.0 points in the first three games. Nate Britt, who totaled 39 points in those contests, was held to four.

'Very disappointed in me, more so than my team. We acted like a team that had not been coached very well out there,' Williams said.

Northwestern survived an upset bid by rallying from 12 down to win 83-80 in overtime over Columbia on Friday. Bryant McIntosh scored a career-high 32 points and senior guard Tre Demps added 22.

Demps went 9 of 19 from the field after a 7-of-25 effort and 24 points over his first two games.

"I thought Tre was back to being Tre tonight," Collins said. "Tre was putting a lot of pressure on himself the first two nights because he cares so much."

McIntosh is the Big Ten's leading scorer with 21.3 points per game. He's eager to test himself against the Tar Heels.

'They play a lot like Michigan State in the fact that they push the ball so much,' McIntosh said. 'It'll give us great preparation for being in the league, and our younger guys can get a look at what it's like in that game."

North Carolina has taken three of four from Northwestern, winning 97-67 in the last matchup Nov. 29, 1978.

The winner will face Missouri or Kansas State in Tuesday's championship.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bearkats (1-2) at Golden Bears (3-0)

Date: November 23, 2015 11:00 PM EDT

After putting up a lot of points in a pair of easy victories, California had a tough time getting into a rhythm when it had to face a zone defense for the first time.

That could be Sam Houston State's formula for success, though the Bearkats have struggled to find the defensive form that has led to 50 wins over the previous two seasons.

As Tyrone Wallace looks to stay hot at home, the 15th-ranked Golden Bears will try to improve offensively while moving to 2-0 in the Las Vegas Invitational on Monday night.

California opened the season in a bit of a groove, averaging 91.0 points while shooting 50 percent in beating Rice and Santa Barbara by a combined 50.

That changed Friday when the Bears shot just 43.6 percent - including 3 for 23 from 3-point range - and committed 15 turnovers while facing a 2-3 zone in a hard-fought 70-62 victory over visiting East Carolina in the first of four games in the Las Vegas Invitational.

'You want this early, you want to see that against a team that normally plays zone,' said Cuonzo Martin, who became the first coach in school history to open 3-0 in each of his first two seasons. 'I'd rather have it now, just to feel it.'

Wallace, the active leader among Pac-12 players in scoring (1,260), assists (316) and steals (114), led the way with 20 points against the Pirates. Jaylen Brown had 16 points and 10 rebounds and fellow prized freshman Ivan Rabb added 14 points, 13 boards and five blocks.

Wallace leads all Pac-12 players with 21.3 points per game after becoming the first player since Allen Crabbe in 2012-13 to score at least 20 in the first three games. Crabbe was also the last Golden Bear to have four straight 20-point performances to open a season.

Sam Houston State (1-2) ranked second in the Southland Conference in defensive field-goal percentage (44.0) en route to 24 victories in 2013-14 and led the league in that category (39.0) during a 26-win campaign in 2014-15.

The Bearkats, however, haven't been nearly as stingy so far in November. They've allowed an average of 87.7 points on 50.9 percent shooting - including a 41.3 mark from 3-point range.

Sam Houston State let Southern Illinois hit 9 of 18 from beyond the arc and sent the Salukis to the free-throw line 33 times in Saturday's 86-81 overtime home defeat.

Dakarai Henderson finished with 18 points for the Bearkats, Aurimas Majauskas scored 16 and Ameer Jackson had 14 off the bench. Henderson ranks third among all Southland players with 20.7 points per game while sinking 8 of 20 from 3-point range.

Aside from a 114-92 home win over St. Thomas (NAIA), the Bearkats have been outrebounded by a combined 73-61 in losses to SMU and Southern Illinois. That doesn't bode well heading into a matchup with a Cal team that has a plus-15.0 rebounding margin.

Rabb has posted a 14-point, 13-board double-double in two of his first three career games.

"California has an outstanding team," Sam Houston State coach Jason Hooten told the team's official website. "We're going to learn a lot about ourselves on this trip."

The Bears, who face the Bearkats for the first time, conclude the tournament in Las Vegas against San Diego State on Thursday and either West Virginia or Richmond on Friday.