Thursday 1/14/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (15-23) at Jazz (17-21)

Date: January 14, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

After failing once again to extend a modest win streak, the Utah Jazz will try to get back on track by extending their home dominance over the Sacramento Kings.

The Jazz also seek their fifth win in six games on their own floor Thursday night.

Utah (17-21) has had seven attempts to earn a season-high third consecutive win but has faltered in each one, losing 99-85 in Portland in its latest try Wednesday. The Jazz shot 40.8 percent and were outrebounded 54-38.

Gordon Hayward scored 19 points after totaling 59 in his previous two games, and Rodney Hood had 19 in his second game back from an ankle injury.

"We just stopped executing our game plan honestly, some breakdowns on the defensive end that led to open 3's that they knocked down," Hayward said. "There were too many breakdowns. We've just got to stay more focused. We've got to be sharp the whole game. ... We've just got to be better."

The Jazz look to bounce back with their 14th win in the past 17 home games against the Kings (15-23). Utah has won the past three meetings in Salt Lake City but had a three-game overall win streak in the series snapped with a 114-106 loss Dec. 8.

The Kings outshot the Jazz 55.8 to 41.3 percent in that victory and enter his one having alternated wins and losses in their last six road contests.

They nearly broke that pattern Jan. 5, taking Dallas to double overtime in a 117-116 defeat.

Sacramento then edged the Los Angeles Lakers 118-115 in the opener to a three-game homestand Jan. 7 but dropped the final two by 12 points apiece. DeMarcus Cousins' 32 points weren't enough to stave off a 109-97 loss to New Orleans on Wednesday.

"I think every guy in this locker room knows why we lost tonight," Cousins said. "It wasn't because they are better team. Whatever the case may be. The only thing it was is that they played harder than us and with more energy at the beginning of the game."

Cousins, averaging 32.3 points in his first six games in 2016, had a relatively more pedestrian 23 along with 12 rebounds in the win over Utah in December. Rudy Gay also had 23 points while making 10 of 13 shots.

Gay has connected at 50.0 percent or better in each of his last four games but was held to 12 points, well below his season average of 17.8, in the loss to the Pelicans.

Hayward had contrasting performances in last season's two home games against the Kings, scoring 30 in a 102-90 victory Feb. 7 and four in a 103-91 win April 8.

Hood had a team-leading 20 points in the latter game and is averaging 20.7 points on 51.2 percent shooting in his last three matchups with Sacramento.

Derrick Favors contributed 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 11 rebounds in the most recent home meeting but hasn't played since Dec. 23 because of back spasms.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (9-31) at Warriors (36-3)

Date: January 14, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Another blowout is likely to leave Stephen Curry on the bench for the Golden State Warriors. Nagging injuries are expected to limit Kobe Bryant's minutes, but he may not even play at all for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Curry and the Warriors seek a 37th straight home victory and continued dominance of the Lakers in what's scheduled to be Bryant's final appearance in Oakland on Thursday night.

Golden State (36-3) owns the NBA's best record and Curry is its leading scorer at 29.8 points per game. The Warriors have also won 36 straight home games and extending that one more will give them the third-longest streak in league history.

That mastery, which includes winning all 18 home games this season by an average of 15.3 points, affords the Warriors the luxury of resting Curry and other key players in lopsided contests.

That's been the case in the first two meetings with the Lakers (9-31) with both games resulting in wins by an average of 27.5 points. Curry hasn't played more than 30 minutes in either contest, totaling 41 points with 15 assists.

Golden State has won six straight at home against Los Angeles and seven of the last eight matchups overall after a 109-88 road victory Jan. 5.

That was part of the Warriors' seven-game winning streak, which ended with Wednesday's 112-110 defeat at Denver after Curry committed a costly turnover with 8 seconds left.

"It was a great opportunity to try to tie the game or take the lead," said Curry, who had 20 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter and a season high-tying eight turnovers. "Got stuck between looking for the open man and handling the ball."

The superstar guard is averaging 35.7 points over the last three games.

Bryant is just trying to get on the court after leaving Tuesday's 95-91 win over New Orleans before halftime with a sore Achilles tendon. That combined with a shoulder injury has forced the 37-year-old star to miss four of the last seven games, including last week's matchup with the Warriors.

Coach Byron Scott won't say if Bryant will play, but reiterated his desire to at least play in every city this season.

"He feels a certain responsibility to play in these arenas, which is admirable of him," Scott told the team's official website. "But my responsibility is to make sure he can play this (whole) season. I have to look past (Thursday) and Saturday's game (at Utah)."

Bryant leads the Lakers with 17.3 points per game, and he's scored 27.1 in 32 career games in Oakland. However, he only managed four on 1-of-14 shooting in a 111-77 loss on Nov. 24, his lowest production there since scoring three in his first appearance on Nov. 19, 1996.

Lou Williams scored 10 points in each of the two games against the Warriors this season, but he missed all seven of his field-goal attempts in this month's defeat.

The guard is averaging 25.3 points in four games since, but that's skewed by a career-high 44 in a 117-113 loss to Oklahoma City on Friday. He had 19 points Tuesday while missing 10 of 14 from the floor, including 7 of 8 from 3-point range.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Toronto won five of last seven games (7-5AF).
-- Memphis won four of last five home games (5-0 last five HF). Detroit won three of its last four games (3-6 last nine AU).
-- Cavaliers won last eight games (3-1AU). Spurs won their last nine games, covered six of last seven.
-- Utah won four of last six games (5-3 last eight HF).
-- Warriors won seven of their last eight games (1-4 last five HF).

Cold teams
-- Orlando lost five of its last six games (1-3 last four HU).
-- Bulls lost their last three games (3-1AF). 76ers lost five of their last six games (2-8 last 10 HU).
-- Kings lost six of their last nine games (5-2 last seven AU).
-- Lakers lost four of their last five games (3-1 last four AU).

Series records
-- Raptors won nine of last ten games with Orlando.
-- Bulls won last eight games with Philly (3-1 last four vs spread).
-- Pistons lost nine of last ten games with Memphis.
-- Spurs won nine of last ten games with Cleveland.
-- Jazz won five of last seven games with Sacramento.
-- Warriors won seven of last eight games against the Lakers.

Totals
-- Seven of last ten Toronto games went over total; six of last eight Magic games stayed under.
-- Last five Chicago-Philly games went over total.
-- Three of last four Memphis games went over total.
-- Four of last five Cleveland games went over total.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Sacramento-Utah games.
-- Five of last seven Laker games stayed under total.

Back/backs
-- Sacramento is 5-4 vs spread if it played night before. Utah is 5-3.
-- Golden State is 8-2 vs spread if it played night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Raptors play Magic in London'

Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic meet at O2 Arena in London England with game time scheduled for Thursday 3:00 P.M. EST. The Raptors have played in London before. In 2011 at this same venue the then 17-44 Purple Dinos' lost a pair to the Nets dropping the first game 116-103 as 2.5 point underdogs then suffered a 137-136 OT loss the following night but grabbed the cash handed another 2.5 points of offense.

Raptors lead by Demar DeRozan (22.9), Kyle Lowry (20.7) a much improved team this time around at 24-15 should deliver positive results against Orlando which has lost some of its Magic lately dropping five of six by an average 12.0 points/game.

Sometimes in sports a team just has another team's number and that's the case for the Toronto when it comes to Orlando. In twelve meetings the result has been eleven wins vs one loss for the Raptors with an 8-3 record against the betting line. The four days rest between games is yet another nod towards the Raptors, since the team has compiled a near perfect 7-1 (6-2 ATS) record the last eight with three or more days off outscoring opponents by 10.8 points/game. Oddsmakers have given Raptors the nod making them -3.0 point favorite with the total set a 194.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

This Week's Best Spot Bets
Ben Burns

Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you're betting. Whether it's a team looking past this week's opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots. Ben Burns points out his favorites:

Letdown spot

Even the best teams in the NBA are susceptible to a letdown, especially after playing another of the NBA’s elite. The Cleveland Cavaliers visit Western rivals the San Antonio Spurs Thursday, in a possible Finals preview. LeBron James has plenty of history with San Antonio going back to his original stint with Cleveland and his Miami days and this will be a huge litmus test for the Cavs as they get their lineup back to form.

Following this stop in San Antonio, Cleveland takes the court at the Toyota Center in Houston the very next night. The Rockets play the seventh–fastest pace in the NBA and could take advantage of a tired Cavaliers squad coming off a big game. If this contest opens up and turns into a shootout, Houston could have the edge at home.

Lookahead spot

The San Diego Toreros have a big WCC meeting with Gonzaga this weekend, traveling up the coast to face the Bulldogs in Spokane Saturday. San Diego hits the road for an extended trip after losing four in a row, including the last two inside Jenny Craig Pavilion. A strong effort against Gonzaga could snap the Toreros out of this funk but it could also be setting them for a lookahead spot.

San Diego is in Portland two days earlier, playing the Pilots Thursday. Portland is coming off a loss at Gonzaga and is mired in a losing skid itself, dropping three in a row – all coming away from home. The Pilots haven’t played at home since before Christmas and could catch San Diego looking past them and to the WCC gatekeeper.

Schedule spot

The Ottawa Senators could be looking ahead to their upcoming West Coast road trip, if just to get away from the bitter Canadian cold and the equally chilly Ottawa media. The Senators have alternated wins and losses in their last four and have just three victories in their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s opener in Anaheim.

Following the clash with the Ducks, Ottawa takes on Los Angeles and San Jose, then comes back East to play at New Jersey on Jan. 21. Last year, this California swing served as a launch pad for the Sens’ second-half push, sweeping Anaheim, L.A., and San Jose as part of a 15-1-1 winning streak. Can the warm weather once again thaw Ottawa for a big run?

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawkeyes (12-3) at Spartans (16-1)

Date: January 14, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Michigan State's only defeat came during Denzel Valentine's four-game absence and dropped it from the No. 1 ranking.

Coach Tom Izzo isn't blaming that loss on missing his best player, though.

Sixteenth-ranked Iowa has been one of the hottest teams in the country, and it'll look to snap an 18-game losing streak at the Breslin Center by beating the No. 4 Spartans for the second time in two weeks Thursday night.

Valentine underwent a minor knee procedure that kept him out of Michigan State's 83-70 loss to the Hawkeyes (12-3, 3-0 Big Ten) on Dec. 29. The Spartans (16-1, 3-1) looked completely outmatched as Iowa won for the first time in 10 meetings, but Izzo wouldn't use Valentine's absence as an excuse.

"Iowa is probably playing as well as anybody," he said. "I don't think anybody should think that loss was because Valentine wasn't with us.

"The energy level better be up (Thursday) because that to me was the most disappointing game I've played in in a couple years. Not with the loss, but with the way we played."

Michigan State has won three straight since and had Valentine back for Sunday's 92-65 victory at Penn State. Bryn Forbes had all 20 of his points in the first half and Valentine came off the bench to score all 10 of his in the second.

'It's tough to throw a player like me in where we've been playing with the same group for four games because I do some things and people may not be ready for (them),' Valentine said. 'So we have to get used to playing with each other."

Izzo said Valentine will be in the starting lineup against Iowa but that Eron Harris should get minutes similar to what he received while starting in place of Valentine.

Forbes has averaged 18.4 points and shot 57.1 percent from 3-point range in his last five, but he went 1 of 5 from the field and scored three points in the first meeting with the Hawkeyes. Izzo credited the defense of guard Anthony Clemmons, a Lansing native and high school teammate of Forbes and Valentine when they won back-to-back state championships.

Clemmons was a year from being born the last time Hawkeyes won at the Breslin Center in 1993. The Spartans are 8-0 at home this season while holding opponents averages of 50.9 points and 30.9 percent from the field.

"It's a tough place to play, the crowd is always into it and they feed off the fans," Clemmons told the team's official website. "They're a totally different team (from the first meeting). Denzel contributes 30 to 35 points per game with his points, assists, and pass to assists. He's valuable to their whole offense and they feed off his confidence. Playing with him, I know how that works."

Iowa comes into this matchup well-rested, having not played since a 77-66 win over Nebraska on Jan. 5. It has surged into the rankings with a five-game winning streak that also includes a victory at then-No. 14 Purdue on Jan. 2.

Mike Gesell, who scored a career-high 25 points against the Spartans, had 22 and 10 assists against the Cornhuskers. Jarrod Uthoff scored 25 for the second straight game after managing 10 points and battling foul trouble against Michigan State.

The Hawkeyes, though, face a completely different challenge in trying to win in East Lansing.

"You can't get rattled," Uthoff said. "Some things might not go your way, but you have to have the toughness to fight through them."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Huskies (11-4) at Wildcats (13-3)

Date: January 14, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Perhaps even worse than the fact that Arizona is riding a rare losing streak under coach Sean Miller is that its star freshman won't be around to help the team recover.

It's certainly not the way the Wildcats hoped things would be going as they take on surprising Pac-12 leader Washington, though a return home has always served them well.

After losing Allonzo Trier, No. 18 Arizona will try to avoid its first three-game slide in nearly six years by winning its 48th straight at home Thursday night.

The Wildcats (13-3, 1-2) are back in Tucson searching for answers after an 87-84 loss at UCLA last Thursday and a 103-101 quadruple-overtime defeat at USC on Saturday.

Arizona gave up an average of 61.8 points in its first 13 games before letting opponents score 90.7 in conference play.

'In many ways this trip will have great meaning for our future,' said Miller, whose squad hadn't suffered back-to-back losses since March 2012. 'It's good for our guys to see how we feel when we're not a good defensive team.'

Things got worse for the Wildcats when they learned Trier would be out for at least four weeks after breaking his right hand Saturday. The 6-foot-6 guard, averaging a team-high 14.8 points, was coming into his own with 20 or more in three of his last four games.

"I feel terrible for Allonzo because we've watched him grow since early November and I think he's getting better in all aspects of the game," Miller said.

Gabe York had 21 points and Kaleb Tarczewski added 16 and 12 rebounds against USC. Ryan Anderson, however, hopes to bounce back after finishing with five points on 2-of-7 shooting. The senior forward had averaged 15.5 points over his previous 11.

The Wildcats are happy to be home as they try to avoid their first three-game losing streak since Feb. 13-25, 2010. They've won by an average of 22.2 points during the longest active home winning streak in the nation, which dates to a 77-69 loss to California in February 2013.

That run, though, could be threatened by a young Washington team that has come out of the first two weeks of the Pac-12 schedule in sole possession of first place.

The Huskies (11-4, 3-0) beat then-No. 25 UCLA 96-93 in double overtime on Jan. 1 before rallying from 22 points down to defeat USC 87-85 two days later. They escaped with a 99-95 overtime win at Washington State on Saturday.

"We've played three games and have 15 to go,' said coach Lorenzo Romar, whose team of mostly freshmen was picked to finish 11th. 'We wouldn't trade it to be 0-3 but there is just so much time. Two weeks have gone by and there are nine weeks.'

Arizona will have to find a way to contain Andrew Andrews, who easily leads the conference with 21.6 points per game. The senior guard has been on a roll, scoring 35 against UCLA, 24 versus USC and 29 against Washington State.

He had 18 points and 11 rebounds in an 86-62 home loss in the only meeting last season. The Huskies have lost the last four in the series and seven of the past eight at Arizona.

'The last few years, we've just been outclassed,' Romar said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cougars (12-5) at Bulldogs (13-3)

Date: January 14, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Gonzaga returns to the Top 25 in time to face the only West Coast Conference team to win in Spokane in almost five years.

Looking for an eighth consecutive victory, the No. 25 Bulldogs try to avenge last season's home defeat to BYU on Thursday night.

Backed by preseason All-American Kyle Wiltjer and talented sophomore big man Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga (13-3, 5-0) was ninth in the AP Poll to start the season. However, the Bulldogs fell out after a 71-66 home loss to UCLA dropped them to 6-3 on Dec. 12. Making matters worse, they lost 7-foot-1 senior Przemek Karnowski to a season-ending back injury.

But Gonzaga has managed to turn things around while averaging 88.9 points and shooting 51.8 percent in the last seven games after scoring 73.9 per contest and shooting 47 percent in the first nine.

"We try to play well together," said Wiltjer, who has averaged 27 points and shot 57.4 percent in the last four after shooting 44.8 percent in the first 12 contests.

Though the Bulldogs have already dropped two home games for the first time since 2010-11, they press forward trying to improve to 4-0 at home in the WCC.

Gonzaga has lost only seven times in the last 142 conference contests at home. The most recent, a 73-70 defeat to BYU on Feb. 28, snapped a 41-game winning streak at the McCarthey Athletic Center and was the Bulldogs' first league defeat there since a two-point loss to Saint Mary's on Jan. 27, 2011.

Kyle Collinsworth (14.9 points per game) scored a game-high 20 points for the Cougars, who led throughout and overcame 42.4 percent shooting by holding the Bulldogs to 37 percent in the second half and having a 19-12 advantage in second-chance points.

"They came in here and were just far more aggressive than we were,' coach Mark Few said after his No. 3 Bulldogs were upset.

Collinsworth, leading scorer Chase Fischer (18.1 ppg) and backup center Corbin Kaufusi are the only current Cougars who played in that game. However, BYU (12-5, 3-1) has averaged 93.3 points and has won three straight - including its first road game in five tries - since an 85-74 loss at Saint Mary's to open league play.

That momentum could benefit the Cougars in a hostile environment Thursday.

"I'm very excited," said freshman Zac Seljaas, who has averaged 16 points and gone 14 of 26 from 3-point range in the last three games. "I like playing on the road. Going in and making the crowd mad because you're scoring more than them, there's nothing better. I feel like we can go in and play our game."

So too should the Bulldogs, who have scored at least 85 points and held opponents to 43.2 percent shooting in their first three conference home contests. Wiltjer scored 32 points and Sabonis had 28 with a career-high 17 boards in Saturday's 85-74 home victory over Portland. Gonzaga held the Pilots to 4-of-20 shooting from 3-point range and overcame a 42.2 percent effort from the floor and 16 turnovers.

"It's a good win," Few said. "Any time we can dig out a win in the league, with this group, we're going to celebrate it and feel good about it."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (14-1) at Cardinals (13-3)

Date: January 14, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

You can look at Thursday night's game between Pittsburgh and Louisville as a Top 25 matchup, but Panthers coach Jamie Dixon has another title for it: The Grad-Transfer Championship.

The 20th-ranked Panthers and their slew of new contributors seek an 11th straight win when they visit the No. 21 Cardinals, who have also taken advantage of the graduate-transfer loophole.

Both teams feature key members which completed undergraduate degrees elsewhere and transferred with their remaining eligibility. While normal transfers must sit out a full year, graduate transfers are eligible to play immediately.

Pittsburgh (14-1, 3-0 ACC) has used the rule to bolster the experience of an otherwise young group. Guard Sterling Smith has averaged 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds while starting each game, and forwards Rafael Maia and Alonzo Nelson-Ododa have switched off starting and combined for 5.3 points and 7.0 boards per game.

They will face guards Damion Lee and Trey Lewis, a pair of graduate transfers leading Louisville (13-3, 2-1) in scoring at 16.6 and 13.4 points per game.

"That's the story," Dixon said. "There's have done well, ours have done well. You need guys for different reasons, different spots, different roles. You can kind of find each role covered by our two teams."

With some new faces, it's some surprising offensive numbers that have pushed Pittsburgh into the Top 25. The Panthers, typically a defensive-oriented team, have averaged 85.3 points - the highest mark in program history and well above last season's 67.0. They have amassed 90 points six times and averaged 89.0 while shooting 51.4 percent in their last three.

Pittsburgh made 10 3-pointers for the fourth time in Saturday's 86-82 win at Notre Dame, the Panthers' first true road game and third win to open conference play - just the second time they have done that in the last five seasons after doing it in eight of the previous 10.

The last time Pittsburgh won 11 straight was its 16-game run to open the 2008-09 season.

A step back offensively resulted in the first ACC loss for Louisville. The Cardinals had averaged 83.2 points through their first 15 games - well above last season's 69.0 mark - but fell 66-62 at Clemson on Sunday.

Louisville shot a season-low 35.3 percent and missed its first 15 3-pointers before finishing 3 of 23 from long range. The defense couldn't make up the difference despite holding the Tigers to 32.6 percent shooting.

"I knew this type of game was going to happen sooner or later," coach Rick Pitino said. "I've been trying to warn our guys about it. You've got to have your defense every night and we haven't. We got burned because of it."

After combining for 42 points in a 75-73 loss at then-No. 12 Kentucky on Dec. 26, Lee and Lewis have struggled the last three games, averaging a combined 18.0 points while shooting 27.6 percent.

The Cardinals, who have won the last six meetings in this series and have taken the past five in Louisville, will try to improve to 12-0 at the KFC Yum! Center. They have shot 52.0 percent at home while holding opponents to 34.1 percent.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Notes for Thursday's games..........

Home side won both UConn-Tulsa games LY; Huskies lost 66-58 here, won 70-45 at home. UConn won six of last seven games; they won both true road games, by 5 at Texas, by 8 at Tulane. Tulsa is 2-5 vs top 100 teams, beating (VanVleet-less) Wichita, Okla State; they won last couple games by 12-14 points, but split their last six home games. AAC home underdogs are 3-3 against the spread.

Michigan State's only loss was 83-70 at Iowa 15 days ago; Spartans are 14-2 in last 16 games with Iowa, winning nine of last 10; Hawkeyes lost last 9+ visits here, with last thee all by 10+ points. Iowa won its last five games; they're 2-1 in true road games, winning at Marquette/Purdue- they were down 17 at half to Boilers. Spartans didn't have Valentine for that first meeting at Iowa; he is back. Big 14 home favorites are 13-7.

Home side won last four Wm & Mary-Charleston games; Tribe lost last two visits here, by 33-8 points. W&M won last three games by 8-9-18 points; they're 3-3 in true road games, 6-2 vs teams outside the top 100. Cougars split last six games; Canyon Barry has been hurt; they turn ball over 19.4% of time. Charleston is 2-2 vs top 100 teams, with wins over LSU, Hofstra. CAA home underdogs are 3-5 vs spread.

Valparaiso won seven of last eight games with Milwaukee, winning three in row here by 31-13-25 points; Crusaders won first three Horizon tilts by 28-17-18 points; they've got #12 eFG% defense- teams shoot 40.9% inside arc against them. Panthers won last three games, allowing 64.7 ppg; they get 36.9% of points from arc (#28)- they split two top 100 games, with win at Wisconsin. Horizon League home favorites are 7-4.

UAB beat Old Dominion by 9-13 points in first two C-USA meetings in games played at UAB. Blazers won first three C-USA games by 11-22-7 points; they're 3-1 in true road games, all vs teams ranked #177 or lower. #110 ODU won five of last six games but lost last game as favorite of 12 points at Southern Miss; Monarchs are 8-0 at home this season. C-USA home favorites are 8-9 against the spread.

Washington is 3-0 in Pac-12, with two OT wins, another by a hoop; they won in OT at Wazzu Saturday, their first true road game. Huskies lost last four games vs Arizona, losing last two visits here by 18-9 points. Wildcats' leading scorer Trier (hand) is out; Arizona got swept in LA last week after a 13-1 start; their last six wins are by 12+ points. Home faves are 6-4 against the spread in Pac-12 games.

Gonzaga is 8-3 vs BYU in WCC games, 3-2 in last five; Cougars are 1-3 in Spokane, winning 73-70 (+13) here LY. Zags won last six games, but in last three games allowed 81.7 ppg- they're 2-1 as WCC home favorites, winning by 26-23-11 at home. BYU is 1-4 in true road games, losing by 11 at St Mary's; they're 1-3 in top 100 games, with best win over #89 Northern Iowa. WCC single digit home favorites are 4-6 vs spread.

Louisville won its last six games with Pittsburgh, winning last five here by 6-3-3-3-13 points. Cardinals split last four games, all of which were decided by 8 or less points; they're 0-2 vs top 50 teams- their best win was over #85 NC State. Pitt won its last 10 games; its win at Notre Dame Saturday was Panthers' first true road game all season. ACC home faves are 8-11 vs spread, 3-6 if spread was 7 or less points.

Oregon is 7-1 vs Utah in Pac-12 play, winning last four- they've won two of three visits here, with only loss three years ago. Ducks are 13-3, 0-3 in true road games, losing at UNLV, Boise, Oregon State- they're 6-3 vs top 100 teams. Utah's first three Pac-12 games (1-2) were on road; they're 5-4 vs top 100 teams with a neutral floor win over Duke. Pac-12 home teams are 12-6 vs spread if spread was 5 or less points.

Cal-Irvine won five of last six games with Long Beach, winning last two visits here by total of three points. Anteaters are 3-3 in true road games; its last four losses were all to top 50 teams. #118 Long Beach won first two league games by 15-12 points over stiffs; 49ers are 2-8 vs top 100 teams, with last win Nov 19- they're 5-1 at home, with loss to San Diego State by 4. Big West single digit home favorites are 0-3 vs spread.

Stanford won five of last six games with Cal; Golden Bears lost four of last five visits here- road team won four of last five in series. Cardinal is 9-6 vs schedule #10- they lost two of last three games, are 3-2 in last five at home. Cal lost last three true road games by total of 10 points; they've got #8 eFG% defense while forcing 2nd-fewest turnovers in US. Pac-12 home underdogs are 7-2 against the spread.

Home side won last four Fort Wayne-South Dakota State games; IPFW is 0-8 in last eight visits here, with last five all by 20+ points. Mastodons are improved at 14-4, 3-0; three of their four losses are to top 50 teams. Jackrabbits won three of last four games, winning by 4-9-4 points; all of their four losses were in true road games. Summit League home favorites are 3-11 vs spread. Fort Wayne's best win is over #135 Cal Poly.

Belmont scored 87.7 ppg in winning first three OVC games by 10-8-26 points; Bruins are 3-2 vs Murray State in series where home team won all four regular season meetings, Racers losing 70-68/88-87 here. Belmont is shooting 61.2% inside arc, #1 in US. Murray State lost six of last eight to D-I teams; they're 0-4 in true road games, with three losses by 11+. OVC single digit home favorites are 6-8 vs spread.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Thursday
By Mike Dempsey

Entries were drawn yesterday for Saturday’s Sunshine Millions Day card at Gulfstream Park. We have an 11-race card with six stakes with over $1 million in purses up for grabs.

The headliner is the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Classic which drew a field of 10. I was surprised to see Mr. Jordan entered by trainer Ed Plesa.

The colt ran last Saturday in the Hal’s Hope (G3) but was bumped around coming out of the gate and checked in a distant fifth, beaten 15 ¼ lengths.

The race looks wide open. Among the main contenders are Sunshine Millions Classic Preview winner Saraguaro, recent second level optional claimer winner Abounding Legacy and Claiming Crown Iron Horse winner Runs With Bulls.

The $200,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff drew a field of 10 led by talented Flutterby, who was the beaten chalk in the Sunshine Millions Distaff Preview where she had to settle for third behind a couple of foes she faces again-Legal Laura and My Miss Venezuela.

I will have selections for the Classic along with the $200,000 LeComte (G3) from Fair Grounds in Saturday’s column. The LeComte is a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race.

Here is today’s opener from Gulfstream Park to get the day off to a good start:

GP Race 1 Clm $35,000 (12:35 ET)
#8 Tetradrachm 8-1
#5 Riviere Du Loup 7-2
#6 Star Contender 5-1
#9 Gunderson 4-1

Analysis: Tetradrachm drops back in for a tag after checking in sixth last out against Alw-2 optional claimers. The Mott barn claimed this guy for $35,000 two back where he made a mild late rally to finish fourth. This guy is graded stakes placed but has not lost 23 straight races. Mott was the trainer when he last won in '13. He catches an easier spot and we should catch a fair price.

Riviere Du Loup beat $35,000 foes last out after beating non-winners of three in his previous start. He has now landed in the exacta in 6 of 9 career starts on turf. He comes in here in the sharpest form of his career and looks capable of winning right back.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 9-2 or better.
EX: 5,8 / 5,6,8,9
TRI: 5,8 / 5,6,8,9 / 5,6,8,9,10

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

GP Race 8 OClm $16,000SAL (4:05 ET)
#2 Market Blaster 10-1
#11 Saturday Special 4-1
#1 Afleet Accompli 6-1
#3 Percussion 6-1

Analysis: Market Blaster faded badly and was pulled up last out in the slop in the Claiming Crown Jewel. The gelding came into that race having won three of his four previous starts. He sports a pair of works since and fact barn brings him back protected looks like a good sign he is going to rebound here. He beat Alw-3 optional claimers at Philly back in August. Decent value if he goes off near his 10-1 morning line.

Saturday Special was not much of a threat in the Claiming Crown Iron Horse last out and fits better in this spot. He reeled off three straight this summer at Monmouth Park before coming up short two back at Delaware Park against $8,000 starter allowance foes. The cut back to one turn here should suit and he will be forwardly placed likely get sent from his outside post.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 9-2 or better.
EX: 2,11 / 1,2,3,11
TRI: 2,11 / 1,2,3,11 / 1,2,3,5,11

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
R1: #8 Tetradrachm 8-1
R2: #2 El Kracken 8-1
R2: #3 Never in Trouble 10-1
R3: #6 Just Like Kaki 10-1
R5: #9 Hanover Honey 10-1
R5: #1 Check Your Six 8-1
R5: #5 Livin for Love 8-1
R6: #2 In Excessiveness 8-1
R7: #1 Mystic Sky 8-1
R8: #2 Market Blaster 10-1
R9: #5 Sing Lady Sing 12-1
R10: #4 Bay Point Count 12-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Woodbine Harness: Thursday 1/14 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale

DRF HARNESS

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

20-CENT PICK 5: 1,7/4,6,7/2,3,4/5,7,10/1,4 = $14.40

EARLY PICK 4: 2,6/1,4/1,3,5,8/3,6,7,8 = $64

LATE PICK 4: 3,6,7,8/3,4/4/2,3,6 = $24

MEET STATS: 192 - 584 / $1035.80 BEST BETS: 30 - 53 / $102.60

SPOT PLAYS: 16 - 53 / $183.80

Best Bet: IWILLNOTBEMACHED (9th)

Spot Play: NEW STANDARD (7th)


Race 1

(7) BAD AS LEADER ripped off a lifetime-best score in the opening leg of this series last week and should repeat here. (1) MATTJESTIC TEMPO makes her second start back from a break and gets a better post. She could threaten the choice with the right trip. (2) TILIKUM looks best of the rest.

Race 2

(6) WANAKA finished quickly in both of her last two starts and won't be held off much longer. (7) BIG RED LAVEC has tractable speed and looks like the main threat. (4) ERJA could give the top two a tussle if she stays flat.

Race 3

(3) TWIN B SWEETHEART got stung early last time and paid the price. Post relief here should mean an easier trip. She will need instant results to make the final of this series, too. (4) DOUBLE OLIVES raced aggressively last time but was nailed by the pocket-sitter. She might be better coming off a helmet. (2) CAMPS BAY looks good off her last start but always seems to be coming too late; minor share predicted.

Race 4

(7) SANDY DE VIE made an aggressive move in the third quarter but couldn't sustain it last time. She could do much better here if she can latch onto some cover. (5) WINDSUN GLORY is a full-sister to one that won 12 of 29 last year as a 3-year-old and took a mark of 1:54 2/5. Stable is typically patient but this one could be ready at first asking. (10) MONEY MAGIC is logical but needs to clear quickly to have a shot. (2) JENS CREDIT is out of a dam that has produced 7 winners of 98 races total; consider for exotic wagers.

Race 5

(1) VEGILANTE HANOVER drops in class here to a more logical spot and he could attract a claim halving in value. Look for Christoforou to move earlier this time. (4) REGAL FAME just about lasted despite the pace picking up considerably late in the mile last week. Keep him on your Pick 4 tickets. (2) JENKINS CRREK gets major post relief for his second start in this class. He could make some noise at a big price.

Race 6

(8) CALIFORNIA RACHEL stopped when racing over an off track last time. Look for a more patient drive here and a better result. (5) CRAZY BLUE has faced better in many of his recent starts and should go better here. (1) COUNTRY PROPHET has three races in his past six that would make him ultra-tough tonight. Complicating matters is a 4-week break after a poor finish; head scratcher.

Race 7

(7) NEW STANDARD raced okay in his debut behind a dominant winner. The 3rd-place finisher has already come back to win in his 2nd lifetime try; top call. (8) COME ON AARON is from a decently producing dam and finished quickly in his Jan. 4 qualifier; using. (3) DANCINTHESHADOW faces substantially easier here and should wake up with a better try. (6) KWICKY KWANZAA gets a significant driver change; take note.

Race 8

(4) AMAZING CONTROL was the easiest of winners last week in the opening leg of this series and looks good to repeat here. (3) CRACKLIN ROSIE made a big recovery after breaking when racing following a 3-week layoff. Returning in 7 days should help here. (8) DONTBRUISECARRIE converted off a perfect trip but that journey will be hard to duplicate from this post.

Race 9

(4) IWILLNOTBEMACHED dropped to this condition last week, set a solid pace and won easily. He seems to have found his level; call to repeat. (1) SURF REPORT moves back to a 7-day cycle here after missing a month and is in with a good chance. (7) JIMMY BE GOOD closed nicely late to score an upset last week and his good form should be respected.

Race 10

(6) BIG BANG BOOM qualified sharply on the 7th indicating he might have some issues worked out; top call. (2) BAD GAMER looked hopelessly out of it at the three quarters last week and rallied strongly late to win. He's a must-use in the late Pick 4. (3) BIEBER HANOVER can get a good piece of this racing from close range. (10) GIOVANNI raced well last week and has done well from the 10-hole in the past. (7) SPORTY MERCEDES could share returning from a break here.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Thursday 1/14 Analysis
By Brewster Smith

DRF HARNESS

FINAL 2015 STATS: 246 - 1167 / $1,690.80

BEST BETS: 29 - 97 / $127.80

Best Bet: MONTREAL PHIL (6th)

Spot Play: CRUISINWITHMYBABY (2nd)


Race 1

(1) AMASA AL's last trip to the post was sitting in the 3-hole for a half; came outside with dull cover and could not move forward. This should be a better spot for this 10-year-old gelding to return to the winner's circle; we shall see. (4) BIG BAMBU gets a better slot to work with after coming from the 7-hole last time out and not firing; maybe. (7) SAINT WILLIAM A moves down in class; should help his cause.

Race 2

(2) CRUISINWITHMYBABY showed good speed against some of these last out, but could not get past Born to Dream and Simple Saver N. Good chance this pacing mare can make amends; logical for win honors. (4) FOUR HOUR NAP caught a good trip at the Meadowlands last week to just miss the score by only a neck; beware. (3) SIMPLE SAVER N has put in two seconds in a row; the one to catch.

Race 3

(4) SENTIMENTAL LADY was sent down the road by Sears to just hold off Ginger Spice N for all the glory last week. Mare seems to be heading in the right direction; two straight is not out of the question. (2) HUSTLEONHOME came outside to grab the lead briefly but did not have the fire to close the deal last out; big threat. (6) M A REFLING clearly did not appreciate the 8-hole last out, but she should be geared up for this event; maybe.

Race 4

It's been quite a while since (1) MACHO CHICK met the cameraman for pictures. Nine-year-old miss showed signs of life in her Jersey finale, coming wide off the turn to nail down the show spot; ready for action. (7) DEREK DELIGHT is a fast pacing mare that was on her way for her third straight victory, but tired in the final strides. Post hurts tonight, but she is very capable. (2) BAD GIRL VEGAS returns inside where she was a game second two trips ago; watch out.

Race 5

(7) LITTLE MISS HENRY was on the engine for Sears last out and never looked back for the score. Now she will have to boss these from the seven path; quite possible. (4) I DO IT MYSELF had live cover but could not get to the winner Little Miss Henry in their last outing. She could turn the tables on that rival, but she will need a favorable trip. (5) DELICIOUSLYNAUGHTY flashed speed in her first attempt at Yonkers but did not have the fire to go forward. She needs different tactics to contend, just like the race at Saratoga on December 11th.

Race 6

You have to like the way this 12-year-old pro (1) MONTREAL PHIL keeps on going, with a solid placing at the Big M on January 2nd. He gets his feet back on Yonkers ground and desrves the call. (4) IDEAL CARVER was caught on the rim and went flat in the final stretch drive recently; could have a say in the outcome. Bartlett sent (3) ZIGGY SKY right to the front and never looked back in his first 2016 start; major player in all the exotic slots.

Race 7

(5) THESEYESRCRYING was out of touch with some of these last out, but gelding does leave the 8-hole. He is clearly better than his latest; primed to move forward. (6) HARDTS OR BETTOR made his 2016 debut a winning one while charging down the lane; dangerous for the repeat. (3) UNCLE GOODFELLOW is quite fast out of the gate, but tired badly at even money last time out; don't overlook.

Race 8

(8) JUST PLAIN LUCK is a consistent gelding with tactical speed, so good position should not be a problem; ready to put it all together. (2) MAGIC MANNY did not pick his feet up until 3/4's where he was flying fast to miss the score by a length and a half; big threat. (4) THEREISAPACEFORUS does have closing kick, but needs to go back to his December 11th run to contend with these; maybe.

Race 9

(1) WANNA ROCK N ROLL gets the best of the draw and moves down in class; capable of being the boss over these with a fine-timed drive from Carlson. (6) QUICK AINT FAIR has hit the board in 12 of 19 trips last year and is coming off her fourth straight score; very dangerous. (7) VALENTINA DE VIE was facing open foes, so this class drop can only help her cause; we shall see.

Race 10

(4) IMAGE OF FELICA takes a nice drop in class and with a favorable trip, this gal can mow these down for all the glory. (2) KIDDIE MCCARDLE was very wide turning for home and blew past them all for her second straight score recently; contender despite the rise in class. (5) JENNAS PATRIOT put in an even finish last out, and hey, she lost the score by only a half-a-length; watch out.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Thursday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Aqueduct (4th) Jai Alai, 3-1
(5th) Distinctive Lady, 6-1

Delta Downs (3rd) Father of Storms, 4-1
(6th) Witch Hunt, 9-2

Fair Grounds (3rd) Amazing Arlie, 9-2
(7th) Pomeroys Uprising, 6-1


Golden Gate Fields (6th) Drouillard, 4-1
(7th) Doubledeesonthetees, 3-1


Gulfstream Park (9th) Twenty in One, 4-1
(10th) Unspoken Quality, 4-1


Penn National (2nd) Forest Breeze, 7-2
(4th) Bears Personality, 8-1


Santa Anita (1st) Knock Em Flat, 6-1
(8th) Profound Visionary, 4-1


Turfway Park (2nd) Fields Road, 9-2
(4th) Proper Impulse, 9-2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

College basketball betting TV guide: Must-watch, must-wager games
By STEVE MERRIL

College basketball is in full swing with conference play shaping the field for the NCAA tournament. Steve Merril has scoured the schedule for the must-watch, must-wager games for each day on the college hoops calendar so that you don’t miss any of the action.

Wednesday – Marquette Golden Eagles at Villanova Wildcats (FS1)

Marquette comes into this difficult road game at Villanova with a solid 12-4 SU record. The Golden Eagles are led by star freshman Henry Ellenson, who is averaging 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Marquette will face a talented Villanova team that is 14-2 SU on the season. The Wildcats return home off a come-from-behind 60-55 win at Butler Sunday night. They are capable of playing much better than they did in that game.

Thursday - Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan State Spartans (ESPN)

Iowa beat Michigan State 83-70 at home back on December 29. The Hawkeyes were catching the Spartans at the perfect time for that game as Michigan State was playing just their second game without their best player, Denzel Valentine. The Spartans get the rematch on their home court and they will also have Valentine back in the starting lineup for this game.

Friday - George Washington Colonials at Dayton Flyers (espn2)

Two very strong teams from the Atlantic 10 will play Friday night, and it’s nice to see the teams will get some exposure on national TV. George Washington is 14-3 SU on the season, including a solid home win over Virginia. Dayton is 12-3 SU on the season (as of this writing) with solid wins at Vanderbilt and on a neutral court over Iowa. This is a terrific matchup between two well-coached teams.

Saturday - West Virginia Mountaineers at Oklahoma Sooners (espn2)

West Virginia and Oklahoma are two of the best teams in the Big 12, so this should be a highly competitive game Saturday afternoon. The Mountaineers rank No. 1 in the country in turnover percentage, No. 1 in offensive rebounding percentage, and No. 2 in 3-point defense. The Sooners lone loss came in three overtimes at Kansas, and their offensive and defensive numbers at home have been off the charts.

Sunday - Virginia Cavaliers at Florida State Seminoles (ESPN-U)

Virginia and Florida State is a clash of styles. The Cavaliers play at an extremely slow pace while the Seminoles want to play fast while getting up and down the court. Virginia has a terrific defense, but they’ve been vulnerable to quick and efficient offensive teams this season. Florida State’s defense has been torched by teams that play a similar style to them, but Virginia does not possess an explosive offense, so the Seminoles are not overmatched in this game.

Monday – Syracuse Orange at Duke Blue Devils (ESPN)

Syracuse was in an excellent spot for their home game against North Carolina last Saturday night. The Orange were catching the Tar Heels off a 109-point performance and Syracuse was getting head coach Jim Boeheim back from his nine-game suspension. That wasn’t enough as the Orange were non-competitive. Duke will have a pair of tough games before Syracuse, but the Blue Devils have cruised in their home games so far this season.

Tuesday – Butler Bulldogs at Providence Friars (FS1)

Since moving to the Big East conference, Butler has been unable to beat the top two teams in the league each season. But the Bulldogs have been a competitive bunch against the rest of their conference opponents. Providence has played much better than preseason predictions, and the Friars have one of the best players in the country in Kris Dunn. Butler blew an 11-point halftime lead at home to Providence when the Friars beat them on New Year’s Eve, so the Bulldogs will be ready for the rematch Tuesday night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game of the Day: Cavaliers at Spurs
By ANDREW CALEY

Cleveland Cavaliers at San Antonio Spurs (-5.5, 195.5)

The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs squared off, it turned into one of the most memorable games of the 2014-15 regular season. The latest matchup is lining up as another stellar affair as Cleveland has won eight straight games while host San Antonio's enters Thursday's contest with nine consecutive wins and a 22-0 home mark.

Point guard Kyrie Irving scored a career-best 57 points and drained all seven of his 3-point attempts as the Cavaliers went into San Antonio and produced a 128-125 overtime victory last March. Irving is just rounding into form after surgery to repair a fractured kneecap suffered during June's NBA Finals and scored 22 points as Cleveland produced a 110-107 overtime win at Dallas on Tuesday for its 14th victory in 16 contests. San Antonio continued its strong play with a 109-99 road win over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday that represents its 16th win in 17 games. The Spurs have won 31 consecutive home games dating back to last season while the Cavaliers are 4-0 on their current six-game road swing.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Spurs have opened as 5.5-point home favorites, while the total opened at 195.5. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Cavaliers - PG M. Williams (questionable Thursday, personal).

Spurs - None to report.

POWER RANKINGS: Cavaliers (-9.5) - Spurs (-18) + home court (-3) = Spurs -11.5

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (27-9, 15-20-1 ATS, 17-19 O/U): Forward LeBron James scored 27 points in the victory over Dallas, and he has a simple explanation for why the team's success rate has soared. "We're finally whole," James told reporters, referencing the recent return of Irving and guard Iman Shumpert from injuries. "It took us a long time to get whole and it's paying dividends to our team and obviously we're not going to win every game, but we want to go out, we want to play our type of game - and that’s defend at a high level." Power forward Kevin Love is performing well and he has back-to-back double-doubles while averaging 11.4 rebounds over the past seven games.

ABOUT THE SPURS (34-6, 28-12 ATS, 18-21-1 O/U): San Antonio has recorded 16 double-digit victories at home but received a stern test in its last game at the AT&T Center. The Spurs held off the New York Knicks 100-99 last Friday as New York rallied over the final minutes and nearly pulled off the upset before Jose Calderon's 3-point attempt bounced off the rim as time expired. A good sign in Tuesday's victory over Detroit was the play of point guard Tony Parker, who erupted for a season-best 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting after averaging eight points on 9-of-29 shooting over his previous three outings.

TRENDS:

* Over is 7-0 in the last seven meetings in San Antonio.
* Over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings.
* Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Spurs are 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-five percent of wagers are on the Spurs and the over in this matchup.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's six-pack

-- LSU 90, Ole Miss 81-- No need for a shot clock in this game.

-- Oklahoma 74, Oklahoma State 72-- Evans kid had 42 for the Cowboys.

-- Tenn-Martin 96, Tennessee Tech 90-- Skyhawks hit 16-25 from the arc.

-- St Bonaventure 69, Rhode Island 64-- Bonnies, VCU tied atop Atlantic 14.

-- Memphis 67, Temple 65-- Last 0:05 of this game set basketball back a few years. Owls fouled a Memphis player 60 feet from hoop with 0:01.3 left.

-- USC 89, UCLA 75-- Convincing wire-to-wire win for the Trojans.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Cokin

Bonus Play Thursday

787 UC SANTA BARBARA at 788 CAL POLY 10:00 PM

Take: CAL POLY -3

I won’t be surprised to see a slightly better number available on this game during the day, but as of right now it’s -3 at the South Point, so that’s what I’ll use to grade this play.

Cal Poly is sitting at 6-8, but I think this is a team that’s about to start winning some games. The Mustangs over scheduled big time to start the season. They’ve paid the price with the not so hot W/L ledger. But with eight days off since losing at Hawaii, and with the team the healthiest it’s been all season according to what I’ve been told, this could be the spot where Cal Poly starts getting it together.

Head coach Joe Callero has started that this is the most athletic team he has fielded since arriving in San Luis Obispo. If all the components are back in place tonight, UC Santa Barbara figures to have some trouble. The Gauchos are definitely down one key player tonight, as John Green remains out, and his presence on the glass figures to be missed here.

I also like the fact the Mustangs have some significant revenge as a little extra motivation here. Cal Poly blew a big lead in its home game with the Gauchos last season, getting run over 20-5 down the stretch. They then lost the regular season finale at the Thunderdome and finally saw the season end with a narrow conference tournament defeat to UCSB.

One huge difference between last season’s trio of duels and this one is that the Gauchos won’t be service up any Big Sauce. Alan Williams has graduated and not having to sweat his presence any more should be a big confidence booster for the Mustangs.

I like this spot for the home team, and I’ve been waiting for a spot to get on the Mustangs. Hopefully, this is it. Cal Poly minus the small number tonight for me.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jim Feist

Jim Feist's Comp NBA Pick, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016 10:35 PM EST

(711) LOS ANGELES LAKERS VS (712) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Take: Over the total

Reason: Your Bonus Play for Thursday, January 14, 2016 is in the NBA scheduled contest between the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. LA doesn't play any defense, 27th in the NBA in points allowed, 25th in field goal shooting defense. The over is 5-0 in the Lakers last 5 road games. Golden State tears up everyone offensively, tops in the NBA in points scored with 114 ppg. Golden State is on a 16-6 run over the total and the Over is 11-5 in Warriors last 16 vs. a team with a losing straight up record. Marreese Speights shook off 36 minutes of rust to score the first six points of the fourth quarter to help the Warriors take control and go on to their 36th straight regular-season home win, 111-103 over the Heat on Monday night. Miami is a great defensive team, however, so the Warriors will get to tear up a soft defense here. Over is 22-7 in the last 29 meetings in Golden State. Play the Lakers/Golden State Over the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jack Jones

Texas-Arlington vs Troy State

Jack's Free Pick Thursday: Texas-Arlington -7

The Texas-Arlington Mavericks are one of the best small school teams in the country this season. They have gotten off to a 12-2 start with some impressive wins along the way. I think we are getting them at a great price today against the Troy Trojans.

Arlington's two losses this season have both come on the road to LA Tech and Texas (in overtime). It has gone on the road and beaten the likes of Ohio State (73-68) and Memphis (68-64), so this team is clearly the real deal. The Mavericks have gone a sensational 10-2 ATS in all lined games.

Troy (5-10) stands little chance of even being competitive in this game. It has gone 0-5 in its last five games overall. In fact, the Trojans are 1-7 in their last eight games overall with their only victory coming at home against lowly Paine college by an uninspiring 85-77 final.

Arlington is 14-5-1 ATS in its last 20 games following an ATS loss. The Mavericks are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall. The Trojans have very little home-court advantage as they are a woeful 6-18-2 ATS in their last 26 home games. Bet Texas-Arlington Thursday.