Sunday 2/5/17 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: LeBron hits 28,000 points in win
By The Sports Xchange

NEW YORK -- LeBron James poured in 32 points and became the youngest player to score 28,000 in a career as the Cleveland Cavaliers knocked off the New York Knicks 111-104 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
The 32-year-old James has scored 28,020 points, good for eighth place on the NBA list. He also had 10 assists. James is two assists from passing Lenny Wilkens (7,211) for 13th place on the NBA's career list.
Kyrie Irving was out for the Cavaliers (34-15) with right quad soreness. He was replaced with DeAndre Liggins, who scored five points without an assist. Kevin Love returned to the Cavaliers after missing the past two games with lower back spasms. He had 23 points and 15 rebounds.
The Knicks (22-30), who haven't won two straight games since Dec. 20-22 (23 games), were led by Brandon Jennings' 23 points and 10 assists. Carmelo Anthony scored 17 points but was just 6 of 21 from the floor.

Sacramento 109, Golden State 106 (OT)
SACRAMENTO -- A spirited effort by Sacramento put Golden State on the ropes, and then the Kings knocked out the NBA's best team in overtime.
DeMarcus Cousins had 32 points -- six in overtime -- 12 rebounds and nine assists, and Matt Barnes had a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds as the Kings handed Golden State just its eighth loss of the season and snapped a 13-game losing streak to their Northern California counterparts.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors (43-8) with 35 points on eight 3-pointers and added nine assists. He had a pair of contested layup attempts that would've given Golden State the lead inside the final eight seconds of overtime, but neither would go down.

Wizards 105, Pelicans 91
WASHINGTON -- John Wall had 24 points and 13 assists as Washington extended its NBA-high home winning streak to 17 games with a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.
The Wizards (30-20) closed the game with a 15-0 run, holding the Pelicans without a point for the final 5:51. All five starters scored in double figures for the Wizards as they used a balanced attack to win their seventh in a row overall and fend off the Pelicans for the second time this week.
The victory improved Washington to 22-6 at home, matching last season's win total. They put both winning streaks on the line Monday against the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. Anthony Davis had 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Pelicans, who have lost four in a row and finished their road trip 0-3.

Heat 125, 76ers 102
MIAMI -- Hassan Whiteside produced 30 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks to lead Miami over Philadelphia for its 10th straight victory.
Miami also got strong games from its guards as Dion Waiters recorded 21 points and seven assists, Goran Dragic registered 16 points and eight assists, and Tyler Johnson had 16 points and six assists.
Miami also has the longest active win streak in the NBA and is tied for the second-longest run in the league this season. Philadelphia was led by Ersan Ilyasova's 19 points.

Spurs 121, Nuggets 97
SAN ANTONIO -- Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker scored 18 points apiece and combining to make 13 of 14 shots from the floor as San Antonio waltzed past Denver on a record-setting night for coach Gregg Popovich.
Popovich, in his 21st season leading the Spurs, moved to the top of the standings for coaching wins with one franchise in league history with the victory. Popovich has compiled a 1,128-496 record since replacing Bob Hill as San Antonio's coach on Dec. 10, 1996 (after the 18th game of the 1996-97 season) and passed former Utah coach Jerry Sloan. Legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach is third on the list with 795 wins.

Pacers 105, Pistons 84
INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul George led six players in double figures with 21 points and Indiana pulled away from Detroit.
The victory extended Indiana's season-long winning streak to six. Detroit had a two-game winning streak snapped. Lavoy Allen, on his 28th birthday, added a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana. CJ Miles, Al Jefferson and Myles Turner each scored 13 points and Jeff Teague had 11.
Marcus Morris led Detroit with 19 points, Jon Leurer had 14 and Andre Drummond finished with 13. The Pistons made only nine second-half field goals.

Hawks 113, Magic 86
ATLANTA -- Atlanta, which overcame a 20-point deficit in the final eight minutes at Houston in its previous game, didn't have to worry about staging a comeback this time.
The Hawks led by 26 points at halftime and coasted to their 15th victory in the past 20 games, defeating Orlando. Tim Hardaway Jr., who sparked the Atlanta comeback against Houston with 23 of his career-best 33 points in the fourth quarter, scored 21 against the Magic.
Aaron Gordon scored 16 points for the Magic, who couldn't follow up a home victory over Toronto on Friday. Orlando made just 7 of 27 3-point attempts and shot 35.1 percent overall, compared to 52.6 percent for Atlanta.

Jazz 105, Hornets 98
SALT LAKE CITY -- Gordon Hayward scored a season-high 33 points and George Hill added 25 points to help Utah rally late to beat Charlotte.
Joe Johnson chipped in 18 points off the bench to help Utah win its second straight at home. The Jazz shot 10 for 18 from the field in the fourth quarter while holding Charlotte to six points over the final 8 1/2 minutes.
Kemba Walker scored 18 points and dished out six assists and Marvin Williams added 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Hornets. Charlotte (23-28) lost its seventh straight game. Walker (7,448 points) passed Gerald Wallace for second place on the Hornets' all-time scoring list.

Bucks 137, Suns 112
PHOENIX -- Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 18 of his 30 points in the first quarter and Milwaukee weathered a 27-point second quarter by Phoenix guard Devin Booker and steamrolled the Suns.
Mirza Teletovic had 19 points and Jabari Parker added 18 for the Bucks, who ended a five game losing streak. Six Bucks finished in double figures and Milwaukee set a season high for points.
Booker finished with a game-high 31 points for the Suns, who have lost six of the last seven overall and five straight at home. Marquese Chriss added a career-high 27 points for Phoenix, which fell behind 25 points in the second quarter and couldn't recover even with Booker's flurry.

Grizzlies 107, Timberwolves 99
MINNEAPOLIS -- JaMychal Green scored a career-high 29 points and Mike Conley added 20 points and eight assists as short-handed Memphis managed a gritty win against Minnesota.
James Ennis added 13 points for Memphis. Zach Randolph had nine points and 10 rebounds before fouling out with five minutes left for the Grizzlies, who were without three starters. Playing its sixth game in nine days, Memphis rested All-Star center Marc Gasol, forward Chandler Parsons and guard Tony Allen.
Karl-Anthony Towns had his 10th straight double-double with 27 points and 16 rebounds for Minnesota, which was playing its first game since guard Zach LaVine tore his ACL. Andrew Wiggins added 23 points and Ricky Rubio scored 14, but the Timberwolves lost their third straight game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (30-21) at Nets (9-41)

Date: February 05, 2017 12:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- Kyle Lowry was feeling under the weather and in no mood to talk on Friday night in Orlando.

For the last two weeks, the Toronto Raptors have been in a malaise and spent time discussing how frustrated they are as they did following a disappointing 102-94 loss to the Magic, when Lowry missed his first eight shots and 15 of 20 overall.

Losers of eight of their last 10 games and missing star DeMar DeRozan for a majority of those games, the Raptors visit the league's worst team on Sunday when they conclude the season series with the Brooklyn Nets.

When the Raptors exited Brooklyn on Jan. 17 following a 119-109 win over the Nets, they were 28-13 and in first place in the Atlantic Division.

The next night Toronto shot 39.5 percent in a five-point loss at Philadelphia and.

The loss in Philadelphia triggered a five-game losing streak which morphed into the current skid that is Toronto's worst in the last two seasons.

During this slide, Toronto is averaging 99.6 points per game, shooting 42.7 percent and hitting 30.4 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, the Raptors are allowing 103.7 points and teams are shooting 45.7 percent.

Making matters even worse was DeRozan injuring his right ankle in the fourth quarter of a 115-103 home loss to the Phoenix Suns.

DeRozan has missed six of the last seven games and in the one game he played against Orlando last Sunday at home, the guard was 6-of-18 in 36 minutes.

DeRozan is listed as questionable for Sunday and the Raptors are 2-4 when he sits. Norman Powell has started for DeRozan and fared decently by averaging 17.3 points and shooting 51.1 percent.

Powell scored 18 points and served as a voice for the team when Lowry was too upset to talk Friday.

"Everybody's mad," Powell said. "Everybody's frustrated, we're trying to get a win. Everybody's working, leaving it all on the floor. The ball is not bouncing our way right now.

"Everybody hates losing. Nobody's happy. Nobody is content with losing here. We know what we can do. We know how good we are. It's frustrating when you lose a lot of close ones."

The point about the close ones is correct.

During this skid, half of the defeats are by five points or fewer. Friday was the fifth by single digits, although it did not seem as close, as the Raptors scored 40 points after halftime, including 12 in the third quarter.

"We were flat and that's what set the tone in the second half, the start of the third quarter, and it usually does when you don't come out and compete like that, not compete, but execute offensively," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said.

During the dubious quarter, the Raptors shot 19 percent and missed nine of 10 3-point shots. Lowry was 0-of-5 and Toronto endured two lengthy scoring droughts totaling 9:31.

Besides DeRozan, the Raptors may also be without Patrick Patterson, who is listed as questionable because of a left knee contusion. Patterson exited in the first quarter on Friday and missed nine of 11 games from Jan. 1 to Jan. 22.

The Nets are on an eight-game losing streak and an 11-game home losing streak. The Nets have been more competitive in this skid than their 11-game slide, as six of their defeats are by single digits.

The culprit is how things unfold in the fourth quarter, especially in the last two games. In the five single digit losses, excluding last week in Cleveland, Brooklyn has been outscored by 42 points in the final 12 minutes.

The latest instance occurred Friday in a 106-97 loss to the Indiana Pacers. The Nets clawed back from a 19-point third quarter deficit to take two one-point leads but in the final six-plus minutes, Brooklyn missed 10 of 13 shots and committed four turnovers.

"It's not for lack of effort or lack of trying," Brooklyn center Brook Lopez said. "We just have to really get over that hump."

Offensively is where things have gone south for the Nets recently, who have been held under 100 in three straight games for the third time this season.

During this skid, Brooklyn is averaging 100.6 points, shooting 43.2 percent, including 33.3 percent from 3-point range while averaging 15.9 turnovers.

Lopez scored 23 points Friday after going 9-of-28 from the floor in his previous two games. Bojan Bogdanovic was rested and the rest of the starting lineup combined for 11 points on 3-of-20 shooting.

Without Bogdanovic, the Nets employed their 22nd starting lineup, as rookie Caris LeVert made his first start and the Nets had three reserves reach double figures to get back into the game.

Bogdanovic is expected to return Sunday and will look to end a 5-of- 22 slump from 3-point range.

"It's definitely just a learning experience being out there," Lopez said. "We've had a lot of changing lineups. People are playing with different people, so it's getting accustomed to one another."

One thing that Nets are not accustomed to doing is beating the Raptors recently.

Lowry rested in the last meeting but Cory Joseph scored a career-high 33 points and Toronto won its seventh straight in the series. Toronto is 9-2 against the Nets since the teams met in the first round of the 2014 playoffs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (22-29) at Thunder (29-22)

Date: February 05, 2017 3:00 PM EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Lost in the hysteria of Russell Westbrook's 25th triple double of the season and dynamic 15-point run to close out the Memphis Grizzlies Friday was the defensive effort by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Grizzlies held a three-point lead but scored one point in the final minutes and it was the type of defense sorely lacking during a three-game losing streak that featured double-digit defeats to the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls.

Now comes a chance to see if the Thunder can follow it up and they get their opportunity Sunday afternoon when they host the Portland Trail Blazers.

"Coming out of those three games, I tried to evaluate almost every single possession," Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan said after Westbrook scored 19 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter. "I do think the one area of our team where we are really effective and I think we're really really good at is in transition. And transition always comes from getting stops."

For a good part of the 114-102 win, the Thunder were not getting those stops. Center Marc Gasol and Mike Conley were scoring at will.

Then, as if a switched was flipped, the Thunder defense decided to show up to the party.

The defense was ignited by a couple of athletic defensive plays from Westbrook. One was a failed steal attempt that Memphis was unable to capitalize on. The other was a steal on the sideline that led led to a pair of free throws for Westbrook in the final minute.

According to Donovan, Westbrook makes those type of supremely athletic plays a lot, but they are often overlooked due to his triple-double numbers.

"You don't have a chance and people don't get a chance because they write so much about his triple-doubles, his numbers, his stats, his minutes, his usage and all this other stuff, that I really think people miss it," Donovan said. "Those things really are remarkable and they are incredible and I'm not undervaluing what he has done statistically but it's the constant awareness of what is going on in the game, it's surveying things, its recognizing what's going on.

"There are a lot of things that he does in my opinion that don't show up on a stat sheet. I get that the stats are remarkable, but there is so much more to him as a leader and as a player in my opinion."

Portland (22-29) is eighth in the NBA in scoring at 107.7 per game. They are led by dynamic point guard Damian Lillard, who is averaging almost 26 points and six assists a night.

The Trail Blazers Blazers are coming off a 108-104 loss to Dallas Friday night. They freely admit it was one of their toughest defeats of the season.

"It's frustrating," Portland coach Terry Stotts told Oregonlive.com. "There are a lot of frustrating losses throughout the season. It's not so much about the loss as we didn't play as well as we have been playing. We were a little bit of a step slow."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Sunday’s games

Toronto won its last seven games with Brooklyn (5-2 vs spread); they won last three games in Barclays Center, by 17-7-10 points. Last two series games went over. Raptors lost 8 of last 10 games, are 3-9 vs spread in their last twelve road games. Under is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Brooklyn lost eight games in row and 19 of last 20; they’re 2-7 vs spread in last nine home tilts. Nets’ last three games stayed under the total.

Clippers won five of last six games with Boston; they won three of last five visits to Beantown (over 4-1). Los Angeles is 2-5 since Paul got hurt but they did play Golden State twice in there; Clippers are 4-9 vs spread in last 13 road games- their last five games went over the total. Celtics won their last six games, but are 2-5 vs spread in their last seven home games. Over is 6-3 in their last nine games.

Home side won last seven Blazers-Thunder games; OKC covered five of last seven series games. Portland lost their last three visits here, by 34-16-11 points. Portland won four of its last six games, is 5-10 vs spread in its last fifteen road games. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games. Thunder lost three of last four games, is 6-1 vs spread in last seven home games. Under is 8-5 in their last thirteen games overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Top 25 roundup: Unranked Iowa State ends No. 3 Kansas' 50-game home win streak
By The Sports Xchange

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Junior reserve guard Donovan Jackson canned a 3-pointer from the corner with 28 seconds remaining for the crucial overtime basket as unranked Iowa State stunned No. 3 Kansas 92-89 in Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.
Sophomore guard Devonte Graham responded with a 3-pointer for the Jayhawks to narrow the gap to 90-89 with 10 seconds left.
Senior guard Monte Morris then made two free throws with 7.5 seconds for the Cyclones (14-8, 6-4 Big 12), and a missed trey by Kansas junior guard Svi Mykhailiuk sealed the outcome.
Iowa State's win ended a 50-game homecourt win streak for Kansas, which was the longest in the country. In addition, a 37-game streak over Big 12 rivals ended for the Jayhawks (20-3, 8-2).
Senior guard Deonte Burton led Iowa State with 29 points, including 19 in the second half, while going 7 of 9 from 3-point range. Morris added 25 and Mitrou-Long 22. The Cyclones made 18 3-pointers.
Senior point guard Frank Mason scored a career-high 32 points on 9-for-11 shooting for Kansas.

No. 1 Gonzaga 90, Santa Clara 55
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Top-ranked Gonzaga won its 24th consecutive game in convincing fashion despite missing injured starting point guard Nigel Williams-Goss, routing Santa Clara in West Coast Conference action.
Williams-Goss, Gonzaga's leading scorer at 15.6 points per game, did not play because of a sprained ankle he suffered at Brigham Young on Thursday. Josh Perkins played point guard in Williams-Goss' absence and had 15 points and eight assists. Jordan Mathews scored 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field for the Bulldogs (12-0 WCC).
Guard K.J. Feagin scored 18 points for the Broncos (13-12, 7-5). Jared Brownridge added 13 points.

Kansas State 56, No. 2 Baylor 54
WACO, Texas -- Kamau Stokes scored 15 points and Kansas State held off a furious comeback in its upset of No. 2 Baylor.
The Wildcats (16-7, 5-5 Big 12) held a double-digit lead for more than 20 minutes and led by as many as 18 points in the second half. And when Baylor cut the margin to one in the final minute, Kansas State refused to flinch.
Forward Johnathan Motley led Baylor (20-3, 7-3) with 17 points, but he was the only Baylor player to reach double figures. Kansas State held Baylor to a season low in scoring as the Bears shot 38.5 percent from the field.

No. 4 Villanova 92, St. John's 79
PHILADELPHIA -- Josh Hart had 26 points and nine rebounds and Donte DiVincenzo added a career-high 20 points as No. 4 Villanova cruised past St. John's in Big East play.
Kris Jenkins scored 15 points, Mikal Bridges contributed 14 and Jalen Brunson had 12 for the Wildcats (22-2, 9-2), who won their third in a row. Villanova swept all four home games at the Wells Fargo Center, which houses the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and NHL's Flyers. It previously defeated Marquette, Providence and Virginia.
Marcus LoVett led St. John's (11-14, 5-7) with 23 points. Shamorie Ponds and Bashir Ahmed contributed 15 points apiece for the Red Storm.

No. 13 Oregon 85, No. 5 Arizona 58
EUGENE, Ore. -- Tyler Dorsey scored 23 points as No. 13 Oregon routed No. 5 Arizona and moved into a tie for first place in the Pac-12 Conference.
Junior forward Dillon Brooks added 18 points as Oregon (21-3) shot 65.2 percent from the field and made 16 three-pointers. Guard Casey Benson scored 13 points and center Chris Boucher added 12 points.
Guard Rawle Alkins scored 16 points to lead Arizona (21-3).

No. 6 Louisville 90, Boston College 67
BOSTON -- Deng Adel scored a career-high 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting and Donovan Mitchell added 19 as No. 6 Louisville beat Boston College.
Mangok Mathiang added 16 points for Louisville (19-4, 7-3 ACC), which won its third consecutive game after a 73-68 loss at No. 10 Florida State on Jan. 21.
Ky Bowman scored 18 points, Jerome Robinson had 13 and Jordan Chatman added 10 points as Boston College (9-15, 2-9) lost its seventh in a row.

Oklahoma State 82, No. 7 West Virginia 75
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Jeffrey Carroll was unstoppable in the first half, Jawun Evans was brilliant in the second half and Oklahoma State continued a day of Big 12 road upsets by shocking No. 7 West Virginia.
Carroll scored 20 points and Evans added 18 as Oklahoma State (15-8, 4-6 Big 12) won its fifth straight game by shooting 63 percent. Phil Forte added 13 for the Cowboys.
Reserve Lamont West scored a career-high 21 points for West Virginia (18-5, 6-4)

No. 24 Florida 88, No. 8 Kentucky 64
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- No. 24 Florida shot 68 percent in the second half and outrebounded Kentucky 54-29 while handing No. 8 Kentucky its worst loss of the season.
Senior guard Kasey Hill paced Florida with a career-best 21 points as the Gators (18-5, 8-2 SEC) posted their fourth straight win. Junior forward Robinson added 16 points, sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen had 12 and senior guard Canyon Barry scored 11.
Kentucky (18-5, 8-2) has now lost three of the last four. Freshman guard De'Aaron Fox scored 19 points while star freshman guard Malik Monk was held to 11.

Syracuse 66, No. 9 Virginia 62
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Tyus Battle and Andrew White scored 23 points apiece and Syracuse erased a 12-point halftime deficit to knock off No. 9 Virginia.
The Orange (15-9, 7-4) outscored the Cavaliers 44-28 in the second half and won their fourth straight. In last year's NCAA tournament, 10th-seeded Syracuse rallied from 16 points down in the second half to stun No. 1 seed Virginia and advance to the Final Four.
Kyle Guy led the Cavaliers (17-5, 7-3) with 14 points, and London Perrantes added 11 points and eight assists.

No. 11 UCLA 107, Washington 66
SEATTLE -- UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball had 22 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals in a marquee matchup with Washington's Markelle Fultz, but the game was a mismatch as No. 11 UCLA routed Washington in Pac-12 play.
More than 20 NBA scouts were in attendance to see the potential top two picks in the 2017 NBA Draft. But while the freshman point guards mostly sizzled, the game fizzled as high-powered UCLA (21-3, 8-3) roared early, leading start to finish while shooting 60.6 percent (43 of 71) from the field.
Fultz matched Ball's production with 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. But he didn't have enough help and wasn't aggressive early as Washington (9-14, 2-9) dropped its fifth consecutive game.

No. 14 Cincinnati 82, Connecticut 68
CINCINNATI --- Kyle Washington scored a career-high 27 points and No. 14 Cincinnati extended its winning streak to 14 games by beating Connecticut.
Gary Clark added 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Bearcats (21-2, 10-0 American Athletic Conference) led by as many as 26 points and won their 22nd straight home game.
Rodney Purvis scored 20 points for the Huskies (10-12, 5-5).

No. 18 St. Mary's 71, San Diego 27
SAN DIEGO -- Jock Landale posted 14 points and six rebounds to lead No. 18 Saint Mary's to a resounding victory over San Diego.
Calvin Hermanson also scored 14 points for Saint Mary's (21-2, 11-1 WCC), which won its sixth straight and 15th in the last 16 games. Joe Rahon had seven points, six rebounds and five assists.
Olin Carter III scored 11 points and made 3 of 10 field-goal attempts for San Diego (11-13, 4-8), which has lost four of its last five.

No. 19 South Carolina 77, Georgia 75
COLUMBIA, S.C -- Sophomore guard PJ Dozier scored 21 points to help No. 19 South Carolina hold off Georgia.
Senior point guard Sindarius Thornwell contributed 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals for the Gamecocks (19-4, 9-1), who have won four straight contests. Senior guard Duane Notice added 15 points.
Junior forward Yante Maten and senior point guard J.J. Frazier scored 18 points apiece for the Bulldogs (13-10, 4-6). Junior guard Juwan Parker tallied 11 for Georgia, which has lost four of its past five games.

No. 21 Duke 72, Pittsburgh 64
DURHAM, N.C. -- Freshman guard Frank Jackson scored eight points in a late four-minute stretch and Grayson Allen had 21 points to ignite No. 21 Duke, which marked the return of Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski to the bench, with a victory against Pittsburgh.
Krzyzewski missed the previous seven games after undergoing surgery on his lower back Jan. 6. He was credited with his 500th victory in games at Duke's storied home arena.
Amile Jefferson scored 15 points, Jayson Tatum added 12 points and Luke Kennard had 10 points for Duke (18-5, 6-4 ACC), which has a three-game winning streak in ACC play for the first time this season. Jackson scored all eight of his points in the last nine minutes.
Michael Young's 24 points and Jamel Artis' 17 points led last-place Pittsburgh (12-11, 1-9), which has an eight-game losing streak.

Xavier 82, No. 22 Creighton 80
OMAHA, Neb. -- Trevor Bluiett scored 16 points and Xavier survived three late turnovers and held on to beat No. 22 Creighton.
Xavier (17-6, 7-3 Big East) had three inbounds passes stolen in the final 45 seconds but each time Creighton (20-4, 7-4) was unable to capitalize.
Tyrique Jones also scored 16 points for Xavier. Quentin Goodin and J.P. Macura each added 15.
Creighton's Marcus Foster led all scorers with 17 points.

No. 23 Purdue 73, No. 17 Maryland 72
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Carsen Edwards hit two free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining and No. 23 Purdue rallied from a 12-point deficit to slip past No. 17 Maryland.
Edwards free throws capped an eventful final minutes for Purdue's Isaac Haas. Haas was called for a technical foul and then for traveling when he began celebrating the win as time wound down.
After a review Maryland was given the ball and freshman Kevin Huerter of the Terps missed a shot in front of his bench, although it appeared the shot came after the buzzer anyway.
Caleb Swanigan paced Purdue (19-5, 8-3 Big Ten) with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
Purdue (19-5, 8-3 in the Big Ten) got a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds from forward Caleb Swanigan before he fouled out in the last minute.
Melo Trimble made 14 of 15 free throws and scored 22 points for Maryland (20-3, 8-2).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clemson Tigers (13-8) at Florida State Seminoles (19-4)

Date: February 05, 2017 12:30 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State on the road this year?

Eh, not so hot.

But Florida State at home? That's where the Seminoles have been unstoppable.

No. 15 Florida State (19-4 overall, 7-3 ACC) returns from a three-game road trip Sunday to the Donald L. Tucker Center, where the Seminoles will host Clemson (13-8, 3-6) and put their unbeaten home record of 14-0 this season on the line against the Tigers.

"(Playing at home) energizes our players," said Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton, whose team has won 17 games in a row at the Tucker Center dating to last season. "It's tough playing on the road, especially in the ACC. But when we're home, it gives us a chance to return the favor."

All four of the Seminoles' losses this season have come on the road, including dropping two of their last three games during that recent three-game stretch away from Tallahassee. Florida State opened its road swing by getting trounced by both Georgia Tech and Syracuse, then righted the ship Wednesday night with a comeback win against bitter in-state foe Miami.

The victory against the Hurricanes was only Florida State's third true road win of the season, the other two coming at Virginia and at George Washington.

Seminoles guard C.J. Walker said he can't wait to suit up for the home fans Sunday. After all, there hasn't been one time this season that the garnet and gold crowd has left disappointed -- and Florida State wants to keep it that way.

"It's just so much better to be home," Walker said "It gets me excited and hype to play."

Clemson enters the game on a two-game win streak -- a stark contrast to how most of the Tigers' January went. Clemson was 0-6 last month until snapping the skid on Jan. 28 with a win at Pittsburgh, then they followed that up Wednesday with a 74-62 victory against Georgia Tech -- the same Georgia Tech team that just hammered the Seminoles by 22 points (78-56) two weeks ago in Atlanta.

So while the Tigers don't have very many ACC wins this season, they do have confidence heading into the showdown with Florida State.

"Our guys have bounced back from a couple of tough weeks," Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. "Really pleased (these last two games). We've had balanced scoring, our defense was better again. We've really been working on our rebounding and transition defense, and our guys have taken the message to heart."

A big reason for that recent surge has been the play of Tigers forward Elijah Thomas, who got his first start of the season against Georgia Tech and responded with his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 boards.

"He did a great job. I thought we got him the ball right away, first possession he got it on the low block and he turned and scored," Brownell said. "He competed on the glass. He had seven defensive rebounds. He did a tremendous job."

Also doing a tremendous job -- all season -- for the Tigers is forward Jaron Blossomgame, who is one of the conference's top scorers, averaging 18 points and 5.7 rebounds a game.

Florida State counters with a star of its own: Guard Dwayne Bacon extended his double-figure scoring streak to 32 games, dating to last season, when he finished with 15 points Wednesday against Miami.

Bacon is leading the Seminoles with an average of 17.1 points per game, followed by freshman phenom forward Jonathan Isaac, who is averaging 13.3 points and eight boards. Isaac is coming off a 15-point, seven-rebound, three-steal performance against Miami.

While Florida State leads the all-time series 38-31, the Tigers are in search of their third win against Florida State in the last four trips to Tallahassee. The Seminoles won the most recent meeting at home, 76-65.

Florida State, which was ranked as high as No. 6 a week ago, can assure it will stay in the AP Top 25 Poll for the ninth straight week with a win Sunday. But a third loss in four games could send the Seminoles tumbling again. And guard Terance Mann knows this is not the time in the season to get caught slipping.

"Sometimes you want to have a walk in the park like some conferences have," Mann said. "But there's nothing like that in the ACC."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indiana Hoosiers (15-8) at Wisconsin Badgers (19-3)

Date: February 05, 2017 1:00 PM EDT

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin will aim to gain back its rhythm on offense following cold-shooting efforts in back-to-back road wins.

The No. 10 Badgers (19-3, 8-1 Big Ten) host Indiana (15-8, 5-5) on Sunday afternoon at the friendly confines of the Kohl Center, where Wisconsin has collected 18 straight victories. The Hoosiers haven't won in Madison since 1998.

Wisconsin shot 40.7 and 33.3 percent, respectively, in wins at Illinois (57-43) and Rutgers (61-54 in overtime), but Badgers coach Greg Gard said considering the maturity of the senior-laden team, he doesn't get frustrated with its shooting.

"You can't yell people into shooting better," Gard said. "We get emotional about how we play in transition defensively; we get emotional about how physical we are, and some of those things.

"But the shooting component, you can't make that an emotional as the feel and the relaxed instinct that they need to draw upon."

The Badgers got the job done on defense at Illinois, holding the Illini to season lows in points (43) and field-goal percentage (27.6).

It's a younger player, sophomore forward Ethan Happ, who has stepped up his performance for the Badgers, who have won six consecutive games. Wisconsin holds first place in the Big Ten standings after No. 23 Purdue won 73-72 at No. 17 Maryland on Saturday, handing the Terrapins their second league loss.

Happ is the only NCAA Division I player to pace a team in five categories: points (16.8 points per game), rebounds (8.7), assists (2.9), blocks (1.3) and steals (2.7).

Senior guard Bronson Koenig played well in Wisconsin's 75-69 win at Indiana one month ago with a perfect performance from beyond the arc, scoring 17 points and delivering 5-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.

Indiana, missing several key players due to injuries, also is relying on a sophomore big man to lead its team. Sophomore center Thomas Bryant has registered 67 points and 24 rebounds in the last three games, including a career-high 31 points in a 110-102 triple overtime win over Penn State on Wednesday.

Junior guards Josh Newkirk and Robert Johnson scored 27 points each against the Nittany Lions.

Indiana coach Tom Crean said sophomore forward OG Anunoby underwent successful surgery to repair his right knee on Tuesday. Anunoby, who was sidelined with the injury Jan. 19, won't play the remainder of the season but junior G James Blackmon Jr. likely will return to the lineup.

Blackmon, the team's scoring leader at 17.6 points per game, has missed two games after sustaining a lower leg injury in a loss to Michigan on Jan. 26.

Anunoby and Blackmon combined for 19 points in the first meeting against Wisconsin.

Indiana senior F Collin Hartman, who has not played all season, is undergoing rehabilitation on his surgically-repaired left knee.

The Hoosiers started one freshman and two sophomores in the Penn State game, and Crean said they need to gain better communication skills "effectively, often, real time and consistently."

"When you've got a team that's got to continue to mature, they have to understand that even when the shots aren't going in, you have to be a real high level defensively," Crean said. "We're not a great communication team. I'd like to find one that is because I would take every off day now and walk to where that practice would be, so I can learn that."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's Tip Sheet
By David Schwab

Super Bowl LI may be the biggest game on the betting board this Sunday, but to help get you ready for all the action at NRG Stadium later in the afternoon are a pair of college basketball matchups in the ACC and Big Ten. Starting with a 12:30 p.m. tip in Tallahassee, the No. 15 Florida State Seminoles play host to the Clemson Tigers in one of the more heated rivalries in the ACC. At 1 p.m., the Indiana Hoosiers will square off against the No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers in a Big Ten battle in Madison.

Clemson Tigers at No. 15 Florida State Seminoles (ESPNU, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Florida State -7 ½

Betting Matchup

Clemson followed up a 67-60 victory against Pittsburgh last Saturday as a three-point road favorite with Wednesday’s 74-62 win at home against Georgia Tech as an 11-point favorite to post its third ACC win this season against six previous straight-up losses. The Tigers (13-8 SU, 9-10 ATS) are also 3-6 against the spread in conference play and the total has gone OVER in seven of the nine games.

Senior guard Avery Holmes paced Wednesday’s win with 18 points while going a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range. All five Clemson starters ended that game in double figures. Overall, the Tigers are averaging 75.4 points per game while allowing an average of 69 points at the other end of the court.

The Seminoles snapped a SU two-game skid in a big way with Wednesday’s 75-57 rout of rival Miami as 3 ½-point underdogs on the road. They are now 19-4 SU (14-9 ATS) on the year with a 7-3 record in ACC play. The total stayed UNDER 143 ½ points in that win and it has stayed UNDER in three of their last four games. Florida State returns home with a 10-4 record ATS on its home court this season.

Sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon leads the team in scoring with 17.1 PPG, but he has only exceeded that average once in his last five starts. Freshman forward Jonathan Isaac matched Bacon’s 15 points in Wednesday’s win and he added a game-high seven rebounds to the winning effort.

Betting Trends

-- The Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win, but they fall to 2-6 ATS in their last eight games against a team with a SU winning record. The total has stayed UNDER in 30 of their last 38 games played on Sunday.

-- The Seminoles have gone 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games against a team with a SU winning record, but they have covered in seven of their last eight Sunday games. The total has gone OVER in 18 of their last 28 games following a SU win.

-- Head-to-head in this conference tilt, the underdog has gone 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in 10 of the last 14 meetings at Florida State.

Super Bowl LI Cross-Sport Prop Odds

-- Clemson’s Total Points (-22 ½) vs. Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman’s total rushing yards

-- Florida State’s Total Points vs. New England’s Julian Edelman’s total receiving yards (-6 ½)


Indiana Hoosiers at No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers (CBS, 1 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Wisconsin -11

Betting Matchup

After suffering back-to-back road losses to Michigan and Northwestern both SU and ATS as underdogs, the Hoosiers returned home to cover as six-point favorites in Wednesday’s thrilling triple-overtime 110-102 victory against Penn State. Indiana is now an even 5-5 SU (4-6 ATS) in Big Ten play as part of an overall record of 15-8 (10-11 ATS).

The total went well OVER the 144 ½-point closing line against the Nittany Lions and it has gone OVER in four of Indiana’s last five games. Sophomore center Thomas Bryant led all scorers in that game with 31 points and guards Robert Johnson and Josh Newkirk ended the night with 27 points each. The Hoosiers are averaging 83 PPG.

The Badgers (19-3 SU, 11-8 ATS) are tied with Maryland at 8-1 SU for first place in the Big Ten standings. Their current SU winning streak stands at six games following Tuesday’s 57-43 road victory against Illinois as 7 ½-point favorites. They are now 5-4 ATS in conference play and the total has stayed UNDER in three of their last five games.

Wisconsin is ranked fourth in the nation in points allowed this season (59.8) and with Tuesday’s stellar defensive effort it has not allowed more than 55 points in each of its last three outings. The Badgers are averaging 75 PPG led by sophomore forward Ethan Happ’s 14.5 points a game. He recently posted 32 points in last Saturday’s 61-54 overtime victory against Rutgers.

Betting Trends

-- The Hoosiers have failed to cover in their last five road games and they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games following a SU win. The total has stayed UNDER in their last four Sunday games.

-- The Badgers are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games against a team with a SU losing record on the road. The total has stayed UNDER in 11 of their last 14 games at home and it has also stayed UNDER in 13 of their last 18 Big Ten games.

-- The road team in this matchup has covered in nine of the last 13 meetings and the total has gone OVER in six of the last eight meetings at Wisconsin. The Badgers won the first meeting this season 75-68 as one-point road favorites with the total going OVER the 140 ½-point closing line.

Super Bowl LI Cross-Sport Prop Odds

-- Indiana and Wisconsin’s first half total points vs. Tom Brady and Matt Ryan’s total passing attempts (-6 ½)

-- Indiana’s first half points (-1/2) vs. New England’s total points

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Sunday’s games

Clemson won its last two games, allowing 61 pts/game, following their 6-game losing skid. Tigers are 2-3 on ACC road, winning at Pitt/Wake, losing other three games by 5-12-32 points. Florida State is home for first time in 15 days; they lost two of last three games, are 5-0 at home in ACC, beating Duke-Louisville-Notre Dame. Clemson/Florida State split their last six meetings; Tigers won two of last three visits here. Clemson is 1-4 in ACC games decided by 6 or less points. Single digit home favorites are 19-13 vs spread in ACC this season.

Wisconsin won its last six games, is 8-1 in Big 14, 3-1 on road with last two road wins in OT and only loss by 11 at Purdue. Indiana has major injury issues; they used four guys 44:00+ in triple OT win over Penn State in last game Wednesday. Hoosiers are 1-3 on Big 14 road, with losses by 3-30-13 points. Wisconsin won four of last five games with Indiana, beating Hoosiers 75-68 in first meeting Jan 3. Badgers made 10-20 3’s in game they led 16-2 early on. Double digit home favorites are 11-4 vs spread in Big 14 games this season.

Temple is 3-7 in AAC, 2-2 at home, with wins by 19-11 points over East Carolina/Memphis. Owls are 4-0 vs teams ranked outside top 200, with wins by 21-5-19-8 points. South Florida is turning ball over 24.6% of time in AAC games; they’re 0-10 in conference, losing home games by 11-19-6-22-41 points. Bulls’ last five losses were all by 10+ points. Temple won its last six games with South Florida, winning by 25-12 points in last two played here. Double digit home favorites are 6-10 vs spread in AAC games this season.

Nebraska lost six of its last seven games, losing last three road games by 6-1-12 points- they beat Iowa 93-90 in double OT Jan 5, rallying back from down 4 in last minute of first OT; win snapped a 5-game skid vs Iowa. Cornhuskers lost their last four visits to Iowa, by 14-10-11-11 points. Hawkeyes scored 85-83 points in winning last two games; they’re 4-2 at home in Big 14 games, with only loss to Maryland- their home wins are by 3-6-5-13 points. Big 14 home favorites of 7 or less points are 20-11 vs spread this season.

Colorado won its last three games by 7-9-7 points after starting Pac-12 play 0-7; Buffaloes are are 1-5 on Pac-12 road, with three losses by 1 point or in OT- their only road win was in last game at Stanford. California won six of its last seven games, is 5-1 at home in Pac-12, beating Utah in double OT in last game after jumping out to an early 18-4 lead. Cal Bears won four of their last six games with Colorado, winning last four meetings here, by 7-16-1-14 points. Pac-12 home favorites of 6+ points are 11-14-1 vs spread.

Notre Dame-UNC game is in Greensboro after water main break in Chapel Hill Friday. Teams split six ACC meetings; Carolina pounded Irish 78-47 in ACC tourney in last meeting last March. Irish lost four of last five games after a 16-2 start; they lost last two road games, at Florida St by 3, at Ga Tech by a hoop. North Carolina has their rivalry game with Duke on deck; they beat Pitt by hoop last game, after losing previous game to Miami. Single digit home favorites are 19-13 vs spread in ACC this season; remember, this is not UNC’s home court, but they’ll have fans on their side.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Sunday
By Mike Dempsey

If you are holding a Kentucky Derby future wager on Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Classic Empire, you might want to hedge your bet after he tossed in a disappointing effort in a third-place finish in the $350,000 Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

The outing was his first off a three-month break and he was not fully cranked, so I would not toss him as a contender for the Run for the Roses, but the Derby certainly looks more wide open than it did 24 hours ago.

Sportsbooks still have Classic Empire listed at 5-2 in future betting for the Derby, which was way too low before the Holy Bull and looks very low now.

We had three Derby points races on Saturday and two were won by colts that broke their maiden at Laurel Park.

Irish War Cry was bet down from his 15-1 morning line, paying $10.80 and remained undefeated by winning the Holy Bull for trainer Graham Motion, who has a Derby win under his belt with Animal Kingdom.

El Areeb broke his maiden at Laurel Park in his third career start and now has reeled off four straight wins, taking the Withers (G3) by 4 ¼ lengths. He has dropped to 4-1 in early Derby betting, good for third choice in the betting.

Royal Mo won the $150,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita, beating four foes for trainer John Shirreffs and owner Jerry Moss, the connections of Kentucky Debry upsetter Giacomo as well as the great Zenyatta.

The colt is currently listed at 30-1 in early Derby wagering.

My Best Plays Report for Sunday includes my nine strongest plays from Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park.


Here is the opening race from Gulfstream Park to get the day off to a good start:

GP Race 1 Clm $6,250N2L (12:00 ET)
#9 Dungeness 7-2
#5 Starship Hurricane 5-1
#3 Tale of Preeli 4-1
#6 Queeb 9-2

Analysis: Dungeness stalked the early pace and came with a good late bid to finish third last out, placed second via a DQ in her first start off a two-month break. Three back at GP West she was a game second, beaten just 3/4 of a length for the top spot. She should work out a good trip from the outside for the Barboza barn that is having a solid meeting.

Starship Hurricane cuts back from a mile last out where she tracked the early pace and did not have enough punch left late in a sixth-place finish in her second start against winners. She broke her maiden three back at GP West at seven panels. The cut back in distance should suit this filly.

Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 5,9 / 3,5,6,9
TRI: 5,9 / 3,5,6,9 / 1,3,5,6,9

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 8 The Biogio's Rose (4:20 ET)
#2 Jules N Rome 3-1
#3 Isabelle 9-5
#4 Super Surprise 2-1
#5 Daisy Cutter 6-1

Analysis: Jules N Rome set the early fractions and faded to finish fourth last out in the state bred Bay Ridge checking in behind a couple of foes she faces again today. The mare set slow early fractions over a track that was playing slowly that day. There is no speed in here and willing to give her another look here. She landed in the exacta in her first six trips on the inner track.

Isabelle tracked that slow pace and drew off easily to win the Bay Ridge by 5 1/2 lengths at 9-1 for the Mott barn. She has won three of her five trips on the inner track, the first two coming in sprints. She earned a career top and Mott has been sending out live runners at the meeting here. She might even be closer to the led here and tough to leave out of the exacta but likely gets bet down from her 9-5 morning line.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 2,3 / 2,3,4
TRI: no play

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Gulfstream Park:

GP Race 9 Md Sp Wt (4:03 ET)
#5 Mongo Nation 5-2
#6 Straightaway May 8-1
#3 Poker Chips 4-1
#11 Archvillain 3-1

Analysis: Mongo Nation takes the blinkers off for his third career start here for the Fawkes barn. The colt was third in his debut at the Spa at 7-2 and then was the beaten favorite last out at Kentucky Downs where he set the early fractions and weakened to finish third going six furlongs. The $140,000 Keeneland purchase is out of the stakes winner Ciao ($292,718) who has dropped two other foals to race, both turf winners.

Straightaway May is back on turf here for his third career start. He checked in fourth in his debut on turf at GP West. He stalked the early pace and finished evenly. The runner up In His Image came back to graduate in his next outing on Oct. 28. The Ward barn is 21% winners moving runners from dirt to turf. On the light side on turf pedigree he looks as if he has some upside and Rosario picks up the call for a sharp barn that does well in turf sprints.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 5,6 / 3,5,6,11
TRI: 5,6 / 3,5,6,11 / 1,3,5,6,11

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Gulfstream Park
R2: #3 Gem Digger 8-1
R2: #4 Roraima Dos 12-1
R3: #6 Classic Move 12-1
R4: #4 Kept 8-1
R6: #9 Hey Bear 8-1
R9: #6 Straightaway May 8-1
R10: #9 Stone 10-1
R11: #8 Spinning Wheel 10-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Spot Plays

For Sunday

TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE

Aqueduct (7th) She’s So Fine, 3-1
(9th) Katie Ice, 3-1


Golden Gate Fields (2nd) Excentra, 4-1
(6th) Cape Nelo, 7-2


Gulfstream Park (7th) Santa Americana, 7-2
(9th) Archvillian, 3-1


Laurel Park (4th) Jumpin’ Nancy, 5-1
(9th) Spirit of Freedom, 6-1


Oaklawn Park (4th) Quick Sand, 8-1
(7th) Rippin Ranger, 5-1


Santa Anita (2nd) Outa Here, 7-2
(7th) Gustnado, 6-1


Sunland Park (2nd) Fear the Stranger, 5-1
(6th) Holiday Clover, 4-1


Tampa Bay Downs (3rd) Swing Hard, 7-2
(5th) Dixie Spirit, 3-1

 

[SalD'Amore]

Stu Feiner
IT'S ALL FUCKING TOM BRADY AND THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS TO CRUSH THE ATLANTA FALCONS. MINUS POINTS, MONEYLINE FOR EVERYTHING YOU OWN. 38 TO 14 PROJECTED FINAL. Blunt mvp at 20 to 1. Over 60.5 blunt rushing yards. Over rushing attempts 14.5. Blunt will score touchdown -175. Largest lead by either team over 16.5. Over 1.5 field goals -150 Gostkowski . Total sacks go over 2 for patriots -130. Total sack for Atlanta under 1.5 +130.

 

[SalD'Amore]

Pretty obvious Feiner has the Falcons if he's taking Freeman to win the MVP......damn it!!! I needed him to take NE!!! Oh well.....now we have Lang vs Feiner again! Last time was Clemson/Bama....Lang came out on top.

Stu Feiner
IT'S ALL FUCKING TOM BRADY AND THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS TO CRUSH THE ATLANTA FALCONS. MINUS POINTS, MONEYLINE FOR EVERYTHING YOU OWN. 38 TO 14 PROJECTED FINAL. Blunt mvp at 20 to 1. Over 60.5 blunt rushing yards. Over rushing attempts 14.5. Blunt will score touchdown -175. Largest lead by either team over 16.5. Over 1.5 field goals -150 Gostkowski . Total sacks go over 2 for patriots -130. Total sack for Atlanta under 1.5 +130.