Tuesday 1/19/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (22-19) at Suns (13-29)

Date: January 19, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Coach Frank Vogel is embarrassed that his normally defensive-minded Indiana Pacers have become a collective turnstile during their losing streak.

Though it could be missing two of its top defenders, Indiana hopes to tighten things up against one of the NBA's lowest-scoring teams over the past month.

In their second meeting in the past week, the visiting Pacers try to avoid their first four-game losing streak in 10 months Tuesday night when they go after only their second season sweep of the Phoenix Suns over the last 12 years.

Since allowing an average of 93.9 points in regulation over its previous 16 games, Indiana (22-19) has given up 116.7 during a three-game slide.

Vogel had enough after his club allowed 45 fourth-quarter points in Sunday's 129-126 loss to Denver to open this four-game trip. The Pacers have been outrebounded 96-68 in the past two and allowed 16 offensive boards per game in the past four.

"When this team decides to start defending again, then we will start winning again," he insisted. "Our defense was an embarrassment. We have to toughen up, we have to start hitting people on the glass, we have to be first to the rebound and we have to stop giving teams second-chance shots."

It hasn't helped that Paul George is dealing with a calf injury, Ian Mahinmi is day-to-day with a sore heel and George Hill isn't traveling for personal reasons.

Myles Turner made the most of his opportunity by scoring season-high 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting, while fellow rookie reserve Joe Young had a season-high 15.

The Pacers hope to avoid their longest skid since a six-game slide from March 14-23. They haven't let four straight foes reach 100 points since March 21-26, though Phoenix ranks near the bottom of the league with 96.8 per game since Dec. 20.

The Suns shot just 40.4 percent but outworked Indiana 45-41 on the glass - including 16 offensive boards - in a 116-97 road loss last Tuesday. Devin Booker and Mirza Teletovic had 19 points apiece and Markieff Morris added 16.

The Pacers shot 51.9 percent and 10 for 24 from 3-point range against Phoenix (13-29), which easily allows the NBA's highest field-goal percentage (47.6). The Suns also have allowed 113.4 points per game over the past seven.

'These guys can't call themselves basketball players until you go out there and you try to stop somebody and get in front of somebody and take a charge or do something,' coach Jeff Hornacek said.

Brandon Knight, who did not play in last week's contest due to a bout with food poisoning, finished with 20 points and Morris scored 17 on Sunday when Phoenix suffered its fourth straight defeat and 13th in 14 games, 117-87 at Minnesota.

Knight has averaged 24.2 points over his last five matchups with Indiana.

The Suns had won four in a row and 15 of the previous 19 meetings before last week's defeat. They've won the past two at home by a combined 41 points.

Phoenix trailed by four last week before the Pacers outscored them 36-21 in the fourth quarter. George finished with 21 points, Hill had 20 and C.J. Miles added 19.

The Suns' Alex Len could return after missing three games with a sprained hand.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (30-12) at Nuggets (16-25)

Date: January 19, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have given the Oklahoma City Thunder a reputation for prolific scoring, but their effort on the defensive end has keyed their latest winning streak.

That's a trend that could be difficult to continue against a Denver Nuggets team coming off its best offensive performance of the season.

With Westbrook having a shot at a third straight triple-double, the Thunder seek their fifth consecutive victory and 20th in 24 games Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center.

Oklahoma City (30-12) ranks among the NBA's leaders with 108.5 points per game and a 47.6 field-goal percentage, but it has limited foes to 88.0 points - well behind its previous 101.2 average - on 41.3 percent shooting during the streak.

The Thunder held Miami to a season-low point total on 41.7 percent shooting Sunday when they cruised to a 99-74 victory to sweep a three-game homestand. Durant led the way with 24 points, Serge Ibaka had 19 and Dion Waiters 18 as the team extended its huge lead in the Northwest Division.

"It was probably the most complete game we've played defensively," coach Billy Donovan said. "We used our length and size and from a sustainability standpoint, we sustained for a long period of time, which was great to see."

Donovan hopes his club can continue that effort against Denver (16-25), which scored its season high in Sunday's 129-126 win over Indiana. Danilo Gallinari led seven players in double figures with 23 points, Will Barton added 21 and Gary Harris 20 as the Nuggets moved to 3-1 on an eight-game homestand.

"When your backs are against the wall - attack," coach Mike Malone said. "At the end of the day, the most aggressive team is going to win."

Gallinari has averaged 23.9 points in eight games back from an ankle injury. The veteran guard was held to 15 on 3-of-13 shooting in Denver's 117-93 loss at Oklahoma City on Nov. 1 before sitting out a 122-112 road defeat Dec. 27.

After holding the Nuggets to 38 percent shooting in November, the Thunder ran past them behind their own 57.8 mark last month. They've averaged 120.5 points on 54 percent shooting in winning the past four meetings by an average of 17.2.

Westbrook narrowly missed a triple-double with 30 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in the December contest. Durant contributed 26 points and 10 assists as the star tandem became the first teammates to have 25 and 10 apiece since 1996.

Durant has scored 31.4 per game in his last 14 against the Nuggets, while Westbrook is averaging 28.2 points, 7.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in his past 13.

After finishing with 13 points, 15 assists and 10 boards Sunday for his second straight triple-double, Westbrook has a chance to join Golden State's Draymond Green as the only players to record three in a row this season. Westbrook had a career-high four consecutive triple-doubles from Feb. 24-March 4, 2015.

The Thunder are 5-0 this season when he pulls one off.

"It just means that it's great that we're having good wins," Westbrook said. "We're playing together as a team, moving in the right direction on both sides of the floor."

Denver center Jusuf Nurkic isn't likely to play due to a left knee injury, while point guard Jameer Nelson is questionable with a sprained left wrist.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golden who? Spurs the best NBA team as far as bettors are concerned
By BIG AL MCMORDIE

It's been 44 years since the NBA has had two teams, like Golden State and San Antonio, that have smashed their opponents in the same season. You have to go back to 1972, when the Bucks (+11.16 ppg) and Lakers (+12.28) were at a level similar to that of the Spurs (+14.21) and Warriors (+11.15).

And, like this season, those two teams were both in the Western Conference, so the "de facto" NBA Championship was in the semifinals, and won by the Lakers, four games to two. We're still a week away from the first regular season meeting between these two juggernauts, so "Big" Al McMordie looks at what's on the horizon this week.

Spread watch

The San Antonio Spurs are, by most metrics, not only the best team in the league this season, but also the best team at the sportsbook. The Spurs have, by a wide margin, the best point differential (+14.21), the best pointspread differential (+4.72), and the best ATS win percentage (.682).

To illustrate just how dominant the Spurs have been, consider that the second-best point differential belongs to Golden State, which trails San Antonio by 3.06 ppg. The second-best pointspread differential is owned by Detroit, which has covered the spread by 2.07 ppg, a whopping 2.65 ppg less than San Antonio's margin. And the second-best ATS win percentage is Orlando's .605, significantly less than the Spurs' .682 mark.

To further illustrate how special a season San Antonio is having, consider that the Spurs have only lost back-to-back games against the spread once, and that was back on November 18-20, against the Nuggets and Pelicans.

This week, San Antonio will play the Suns and Lakers. And an argument can easily be made that the Suns - and not the 76ers or Lakers - are currently the NBA's worst team. Phoenix has won just one of its last 14 games, and has been outscored by 13.42 ppg in this stretch. For the season, the Suns have covered just 38 percent of the time, and have failed to cover the spread by an average of minus-3.63 ppg. Both of those stats rank dead last in the league.

And, lest one think the Spurs might be "overvalued" vs. Phoenix, consider that, since 1991 in the second half of the season, teams have covered 76.1 percent of the time if they had a total pointspread differential of plus-6.79 or better (by how many points a team has covered the spread, relative to its opponent). Also, teams have cashed 65.3 percent since 1991 in the second-half of the season, if they've covered the spread in 26.8 percent more of their games than their opponent. Look for the Spurs to rout the SunsThursday.

Total watch

For years, the Memphis Grizzlies have been marketed as "Grit-N-Grind," to reflect their defensive-oriented principles and blue-collar attitude. Indeed, over the previous four seasons, Memphis had allowed 92.9, 89.2, 94.5 and 95.0 ppg. And it went Under the total in 55.6 percent of its games (195-156 Under).

But this season, there's been very little "grit" on Beale Street, and the Grizzlies have seen their defensive average balloon to 98.7 ppg. Memphis also ranks in the bottom half in defensive efficiency. Last week, Memphis played all four of its games Over the total, as it gave up 100.2 ppg.

This week, the Grizz will play New Orleans, Denver and Minnesota. Each of those three teams ranks in the bottom 10 in defensive efficiency. The game against the Nuggets, especially, looks like a prime game to go Over the number as the Nuggets also played all of their games last week Over the total.

Injury watch

On Saturday, the Chicago Bulls announced center Joakim Noah will need surgery to repair his dislocated left shoulder. He's expected to miss the rest of the season. Noah initially injured himself against Brooklyn on December 21. He returned three weeks later, on January 11, only to get re-injured four days after that vs. Dallas.

This is a significant blow for the Bulls, but not just because Noah was averaging 8.8 rebounds a game. It was also widely speculated he would be used as trade bait next month to fetch Chicago additional scoring help. So, with this injury, the Bulls' hopes on that front are dashed.

Additionally, Kirk Hinrich was also injured in that Dallas game and he'll miss Monday's game against the Pistons, at the least. The Bulls are currently on a 0-5 ATS run and own (along with the Pelicans) the NBA's second-worst ATS win percentage (.384). With games against Detroit (.578 ATS percent), Golden State (.600 ATS percent), and Boston (.550 ATS percent) on deck this week, it could get much worse before it gets better.

Schedule watch

The Los Angeles Clippers open their week with a big game against Houston, the team which knocked them out of last year's Playoffs. The Clips have already lost the first two games of this regular season vs. Houston, and have dropped five straight to the Rockets dating back to last season's Playoffs.

Certainly, Los Angeles will desperately want to win this game Monday night. Following that, the Clippers will travel to Cleveland Thursday, and then play without rest the next night in New York. That Friday game, at the Knicks, looks to be a potential landmine for the Clippers, and especially if L.A. comes into that game off back to back wins. Over the past 2-plus years, the Clippers are 18-24 ATS when playing without rest, including 5-13 ATS off back-to-back wins.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Tuesday, January 19 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Sure, the Eastern Conference is much improved this season. But those playoffs are going to be a bore most likely as simply a cakewalk for the Cleveland Cavaliers. But how much fun is the Western Conference postseason going to be? The only three teams with at least 30 wins in the NBA are all in the West: Golden State, San Antonio and surging Oklahoma City, which has won 19 of 23 and outscored opponents by more than 11 points per game in that stretch. OKC is 27-8 this year (translates to 63 wins) with Kevin Durant in the lineup and has outscored teams by 10.6 points per game with him. Yet the Thunder seem assured of no better than the third seed in the conference and thus would have to probably beat both the Spurs and Warriors to get to the NBA Finals. Good luck with that!

Bucks at Heat (-6, 195.5)

Milwaukee won in Charlotte 105-92 on Saturday for its second straight victory. Khris Middleton had 24 points (11-for-16 from the field) and Greg Monroe 19 points and 10 boards. The Bucks have won four of six and Middleton is averaging 23 points in those. Point guard Jerryd Bayless returned after missing the previous six with a sprained left ankle. Miami was embarrassed 99-74 in Oklahoma City on Sunday. Dwyane Wade returned after missing a game with shoulder soreness and had 22 points on his 34th birthday. It was the fewest points scored by the Heat this season. Chris Andersen (sore left knee), Josh McRoberts (bruised right knee), Goran Dragic (strained left calf) and Beno Udrih (neck) all sat out. All four are likely out again. This is the first meeting of the season between the teams. Milwaukee won all four of its matchups against Miami last season, holding the Heat to an average of 89.8 points per game.

Key trends: The Heat are 4-0 against the spread in their past four after an ATS loss. Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in its past five following a double-digit win. The "over/under" has hit under in five of Miami's past six vs. teams with a losing record.

Early lean: Huge on the under. Take Miami.

Timberwolves at Pelicans (-4.5, 205)

New Orleans was in Memphis on Monday afternoon. Minnesota ended a nine-game losing streak with a 30-point home destruction of Phoenix on Sunday, the team's largest margin of victory in nearly two years. Ricky Rubio and Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points each. Kevin Martin added 11 after missing one game to an illness. The Wolves shot 56.5 percent from the field. This is the first meeting between New Orleans and Minnesota this year. The Pelicans won all four last year, including a 48-ponit victory on Nov. 14, 2014. That's the worst loss in Timberwolves history. The home team has won eight of the past 10 meetings. The Wolves have dropped four in a row in the Big Easy.

Key trends: The home team is 9-1 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five in New Orleans.

Early lean: Pelicans, assuming no major injuries Monday, and over.

Thunder at Nuggets (+8, 211.5)

Oklahoma City trashed visiting Miami by 25 on Sunday for its fourth straight victory. Russell Westbrook had his 24th career triple-double and fifth this season with 13 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds. OKC is 5-0 this year when he does so and 20-4 all-time. Durant had 24 points and 10 rebounds. Miami's 77 points were the fewest allowed by the Thunder this year. During the winning streak the Thunder have allowed 88 points per game on 41 percent shooting overall. Denver beat visiting Indiana 129-126 on Sunday. Randy Foye hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 21 seconds left. The Nuggets had 75 second-half points, an NBA season high this year for any half. Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic missed a second straight game with a left knee problem. Oklahoma City is 2-0 vs. Denver this year, winning both at home by double digits and scoring at least 117 in each.

Key trends: OKC has covered five of the past seven meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five.

Early lean: Big on the over. Give the points.

Pacers at Suns (+5, 207.5)

Indiana lost a third straight Sunday, 129-126 in Denver, to start a four-game trip out West. The Pacers led by 12 at halftime, shot 66 percent in the first half and were 7-for-10 from 3-point range. Paul George's 3-point attempt in the final seconds that would have tied it was blocked by Emmanuel Mudiay. Rookie Myles Turner scored a career-high 25 points for Indiana. George Hill (personal reasons), Rodney Stuckey (sprained right foot) and Ian Mahinmi (sore left heel) did not play. Stuckey for sure won't play here. The other two are questionable. Phoenix has lost four straight and 13 of 14. It took that 30-point beating in Minnesota on Sunday, and I'm half-surprised Coach Jeff Hornacek is still employed as that was clearly rock bottom. Center Alex Len was out with a left hand sprain but might return here. Phoenix lost in Indiana last Tuesday, 116-97. The Suns' best player remaining, Brandon Knight, missed it with a stomach virus but is OK now. Phoenix has won two straight at home in this series by a combined 41 points.

Key trends: The Pacers are 1-9 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five for each team.

Early lean: Love the over here as well. Take Phoenix.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Milwaukee Bucks at Miami Heat January 19, 7:30 EST

When the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks meet in South Beach there is a good chance buckets will be at a premium. In the past 14 meetings between the Heat and Bucks, the teams hold a 11-2-1 'Under' record and the teams are 12-4 'Under' last 16 encounters in Miami.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Well-Rested NBA Road Dogs Cashing January 17, 2016

So far this season one solid but simple, trend that involves NBA road underdogs and how much rest they have has been a consistent winner for handicappers.

Any road underrdog that has had two or more days rest becomes a play. The trend has racked up an impressive 31-25 ATS record (55.3%). Although, winning 55.3% in sports handicapping is considered success, it’s possible to improve the hit rate if you limit the games to those road underdogs getting +4.0 to +6.5 points. Then, it hits a money-making 15-6 against the betting line (71.4%).

As with any betting trend of this sort, it will eventually fade away, but for now, it’s worth keeping an eye out for well-rested road underdogs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulldogs (13-4) at Friars (15-3)

Date: January 19, 2016 6:30 PM EDT

Providence coach Ed Cooley is tired of seeing his team battle from behind, although that worked out OK the last time his club faced Butler.

His 16th-ranked Friars are still hoping to get off to a better start Tuesday night when they look to avoid their first three-game home losing streak in four seasons and complete a sweep of the No. 18 Bulldogs.

Providence (15-3, 3-2 Big East) fell 81-72 at home to Seton Hall on Saturday for its second loss in three games, with both at home. The Friars trailed by 10 points at halftime to continue a disturbing trend of double-digit deficits in the first half.

It happened in Providence's previous game last Tuesday when it trailed by 12 in a 50-48 win at Creighton. The Friars also fell behind by 12 in the first 20 minutes of a 65-64 defeat to Marquette on Jan. 5.

'We've been down double digits in each of our last three games,' Cooley said. 'To try and fight back, it hasn't been a very good thing to watch.'

There was a good reason for those woes Saturday since star Kris Dunn was limited by foul trouble. Dunn fouled out with 16 points in 28 minutes.

'When Kris is in foul trouble, our identity changes as a program. He needs to be on the floor and we need to be more disciplined,' Cooley said. 'At the same time, he was on the floor during the early part of the game when we struggled.'

These teams opened Big East play when Providence rallied from 11 down at halftime for an 81-73 win at Butler (13-4, 2-3) on New Year's Eve. Dunn and Ben Bentil both suffered through first-half foul trouble before they helped the Friars to a 56-point second half.

Bentil averages a Big East-leading 19.2 points with Dunn is second at 17.8.

Dunn had 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds while Bentil scored 19. Rodney Bullock finished with a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds.

"I think part of it was their two best players were out for the bulk of the first half and they're a big part of what they do," Butler coach Chris Holtmann said.

Kelan Martin scored a team-high 20 for Butler and Roosevelt Jones added 19. Leading scorer Kellen Dunham was held to eight points on 3-of-14 shooting.

Dunham has bounced back to average 18.5 points in his next four games, with 24 in Saturday's 78-58 rout of woeful St. John's. Martin had 22 points and 10 boards for his third double-double.

The Bulldogs have struggled after entering the Big East at 11-1. Their conference wins are versus the Red Storm and DePaul, who are a combined 0-12 in Big East play.

"Our guys recognize that we need to play better, but you never take a win for granted, especially a Big East win," Holtmann told the Bulldogs' official website. "We are focused on learning both from our losses and our wins at this point in the season."

Butler has split Big East games at Providence the previous two seasons, with Rhode Island native Andrew Chrabascz fouling out both times.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Gamecocks (16-1) at Rebels (12-5)

Date: January 19, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

There's no secret that Stefan Moody will have the ball in his hands since he has mostly been a one-man show for Mississippi - for better or worse.

The SEC's leading scorer could be hard-pressed to help the Rebels continue their home dominance of a balanced 24th-ranked South Carolina team Tuesday night.

Mississippi (12-5, 2-3) is 12-1 all-time at home against South Carolina with four straight wins. The Rebels were 7-0 at home this season before Saturday's 80-71 defeat to Florida.

Moody scored 22 points with one assist and six turnovers. He's still growing as a point guard, transitioning to the position since newcomers Sam Finley and J.T. Escobar fared poorly early in the season.

Moody is averaging 24.3 points - 25.6 in conference play - and coach Andy Kennedy says he's the most complete scorer he has ever had.

"He's the most complete because of his ability to get his own shot," Kennedy said. "When we had to move him to the point early in the season just out of necessity based on the needs of our teams, it's actually made him a much more difficult cover simply because he has the ball."

The 5-foot-10 Moody is among the nation's leaders with 8.9 foul shots per game, including 62 in five SEC games despite defenses gearing up to stop him.

"Everyone's tried and it's still 25 points every single night," Gamecocks coach Frank Martin said. "For a guy his size to shoot the amount of free throws that he shoots it's extremely impressive."

South Carolina (16-1, 3-1) had some success last season in splitting two games against Mississippi and Moody, who totaled 24 points on 8-of-23 shooting. The Rebels had Jarvis Summers at point guard then.

Moody averages 3.8 turnovers for the nation's highest mark among major college teams. That figure is at 5.2 in SEC play.

His streak of 12 straight 20-point efforts is the longest by a Rebel since Gerald Glass had 13 in a row in 1989-90.

"His ability to make tough shots is second to none," Martin said. "He's grown tremendously as a point guard from early to the year to now."

The issue for the Rebels is that only one other player is averaging double digits in points in Sebastian Saiz at 12.8.

South Carolina features much better balance with five players averaging at least 10, led by Sindarius Thornwell's 12.5.

Thornwell turned in a two-point effort in last Wednesday's 73-50 loss at Alabama that ended the Gamecocks' perfect start. He bounced back with 22 points in Saturday's 81-72 home victory over Missouri.

Mindaugas Kacinas added 14 points and PJ Dozier had 11 as South Carolina overcame a season-low 14.3 percent shooting on 3-pointers.

"I'm proud of the guys bouncing back and playing back to our character this past Saturday," Martin said.

South Carolina ranked third in the SEC in nonconference play at 38.2 percent on 3-pointers before shooting 24.0 percent in conference games to rank last.

The Gamecocks are an SEC-best plus-9.5 in rebound margin.

"(They're) 16-1 playing at a very high level and they present a number of tremendous challenges with the way they approach the game," Kennedy said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jayhawks (15-2) at Cowboys (9-8)

Date: January 19, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Coach Bill Self wants Kansas to have fun, but recent visits to Stillwater have instead left his team searching for answers.

Oklahoma State is already doing that during a season-high four-game slide.

The third-ranked Jayhawks attempt to avoid another road defeat to the Cowboys in this Big 12 matchup Tuesday night.

Self wasn't satisfied with his club's effort in Saturday's 70-63 win over TCU. The Jayhawks (15-2, 4-1) shot 43.3 percent from the field and 5 of 20 from 3-point range, four days after losing 74-63 to then-No. 11 West Virginia.

"The last two outings have been very lackluster and certainly we have to be better, a lot better this week," coach Bill Self said. "Basketball is supposed to be game that's played with great energy and it's supposed to be a fun game to play and we haven't acted like it's a fun game to play this last week."

The same could be said of Kansas' last two games at Oklahoma State (9-8, 1-4), losing both while shooting 40.0 percent from the floor and 64.9 from the free-throw line. The Jayhawks also blew an 11-point halftime lead in a 67-62 defeat on Feb. 7 to drop to 2-4 in their last six visits.

"We haven't played well in Stillwater, for the most part, since I've been here," said Self, who is 3-5 there since joining Kansas in 2003-04. "We have to do some things better, the ball is sticking a little bit."

That could lead to Self giving freshmen Carlton Bragg Jr. and Cheick Diallo more playing time. They certainly made a case for it Saturday with Bragg scoring 10 points in 16 minutes while Diallo had nine while adding nine rebounds and five blocks.

"They're getting better, there is no question about that." Self said. "I think Cheick's attitude has been so good even when he hadn't played, he's always out there bouncing and he can't help but get better when you care as much as he does."

Wayne Selden Jr. is averaging 10.3 points on 37.9 percent from the field over the last three games. That's a major drop for the junior guard, who totaled 45 points and hit 54.5 percent of his field-goal attempts the previous two contests.

Selden had a team-high 15 points at Stillwater last year, while Perry Ellis had 10 with 10 boards. Ellis came one rebound shy of matching those numbers Saturday after averaging 21.0 points during the three prior games.

The Cowboys are trying to prevent their first five-game slide since dropping seven in a row from Jan. 27-Feb. 17, 2014. Showing improvement in the first half would help their cause.

Oklahoma State has been faced with a halftime deficit of at least 12 points in each of its last four games. It's lost the last two by seven total points, including Saturday's 74-69 defeat at Texas as the Longhorns' 15-point lead at the break proved too much.

"We just gotta play like we're down 30 at tip-off," said forward Leyton Hammonds, who had 18 points and nine rebounds after totaling 19 and 14 over the previous three games.

This will be the first time Hammonds gets serious minutes against Kansas after failing to score in 28 total minutes over his first five career matchups.

Jawun Evans - second on the team with 12.4 points per game - scored 12 on 4-of-13 shooting Saturday after he set a freshman team record with 42 points three days earlier in a 74-72 loss to then-No. 2 Oklahoma.

The Cowboys haven't lost five of their first six conference games since opening 1-6 in 2007-08.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Fighting Illini (9-9) at Hoosiers (15-3)

Date: January 19, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The series between Indiana and Illinois couldn't be any closer over the last 10 meetings, but the direction each team is headed in Big Ten play couldn't be much farther apart.

The 25th-ranked Hoosiers are seeking an 11th straight win Tuesday night against the visiting Fighting Illini, who will try to halt Indiana's best conference start under Tom Crean.

Despite its worst shooting effort of the season, Indiana (15-3, 5-0) got out of last-place Minnesota with a 70-64 win Saturday. The Hoosiers were limited to 41.3 percent but held the Golden Gophers to the same. The difference came on the glass, where Indiana hasn't conceded a rebounding advantage on the 10-game win streak while averaging a plus-9.6 differential without a fall off in the league.

"We've just got to keep finding ways (to win)," Crean told the school's official website. "That's what this team is doing in the Big Ten."

It marks the Hoosiers' top winning streak since beginning 2011-12 with 12 straight victories, and they last won six straight in the conference to open 2007-08 before Crean arrived the following season.

But the style of the latest win is far from Indiana's identity. The Hoosiers rank third in the country in field-goal percentage (52.0) and fifth from 3-point range (43.6) with the former leading all schools from major conferences.

The up-tempo attack is paced by Yogi Ferrell, who averages a Big Ten-leading 19.8 points in conference play and finished with 20 against Minnesota. He added seven assists, passing Quinn Buckner for second on the school's all-time list and moving within one of matching Michael Lewis' record of 545.

"I definitely want milestones, but the main thing that I want is to win," said Ferrell, who has been limited to 10.5 points on 4-of-22 shooting in his last two games against the Illini. "No matter what I do on the floor, no matter how I impact the game. I just want to win at the end of the day."

The border rivals have split the last 10 and traded wins and losses with the Hoosiers holding a 0.7-point scoring edge, though Indiana has won the three meetings in that time in Bloomington. It also won 80-74 at Illinois on Jan. 18, 2015, despite Ferrell finishing 1 of 9 with seven points. The all-time series stands at 87-86 in favor of Indiana, but Illinois will need to really turn things around to again even it.

The Illini (9-9, 1-4) haven't won a true road game in nearly a year, going 0-7 since a five-point win at Michigan State on Feb. 7. They're also coming off Saturday's 78-67 home loss to Nebraska while being outrebounded 42-24. Dating to their win over Missouri on Dec. 23 as their final tune-up before conference play, the Illini have been outrebounded 40.3-28.0.

The absences of big men Mike Thorne Jr. and Leron Black certainly play a role in that, but 6-foot-10 forward Michael Finke isn't falling back on injuries for the reason behind the struggles.

"I hate to say," said Finke, the tallest player on the Illinois roster. "That's inexcusable."

Thorne and Black are out indefinitely, and that's led to an increased reliance on the perimeter game, albeit with destructive results. The Illini were 11 of 37 from 3-point range against the Cornhuskers, which led coach John Groce to call out his team's choices.

"Shot selection was awful," Groce said. "It was terrible."

Illinois has averaged 25.8 3-point attempts in the last six games and made 33.5 percent after trying 21.7 at 37.7 percent through the first 12.

Top scorer Malcom Hill has at least shown improvement in the last two games, averaging 23.5 points and shooting 53.6 percent after opening conference play with 11.7 on 32.4. The Illini are 4-1 when he passes 20 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (12-6) at Cavaliers (13-4)

Date: January 19, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Clemson coach Brad Brownell watched his team struggle through the first month and a half wondering what it was going to take for the Tigers to realize their potential.

Coincidently, it was a performance in a double-digit loss that had them believing they could play with anyone in the country.

Clemson now is on the verge of its longest win streak in five years and can topple a fourth straight ranked opponent Tuesday night when it visits struggling No. 13 Virginia.

The Tigers (12-6, 5-1 ACC) were one game over .500 after falling 80-69 at then-No. 7 North Carolina on Dec. 30 but came away pleased with the effort. They haven't lost since and can win six in a row for the first time since an eight-game run in 2010-11.

Their streak includes upsets of then-No. 16 Louisville on Jan. 10 and then-No. 9 Duke on Jan. 13 before they beat then-No. 8 Miami 76-65 on Saturday. Jaron Blossomgame scored a season-high 25 points against the Hurricanes, and his average of 17.3 per game in conference play leads the ACC.

"We had a chance to win (at North Carolina). Ever since then we felt really confident," Blossomgame said. "That's taken this team to where it is right now. The sky's the limit for this team."

Clemson has lost the last three meetings with Virginia, though, including a 65-42 defeat last season when it shot just 35.7 percent from the field and Blossomgame was the team's leading scorer with nine points.

The Tigers have lost all five meetings in Charlottesville since last winning there in 2008, but they could be heading there at the right time. The Cavaliers (13-4, 2-3) have dropped three of their last four have had little time to prepare for Clemson after falling 69-62 at Florida State on Sunday.

As impressed as Brownell is with the Tigers' run, he knows winning at Virginia presents a more difficult task. The Cavaliers have won 34 of their last 35 at home, while Clemson is 2-4 in road and neutral-site games this season.

"I'm excited about what we're doing and hope we can continue it," Brownell said. "(Virginia is) going to get going again. They're too good not to get things figured out."

Tony Bennett sure hopes Brownell is correct. His Cavaliers do boast a victory over Miami last Tuesday during their rough stretch, but their 39.3 field-goal percentage against the Seminoles marked their second-lowest of the season.

London Perrantes scored a game-high 19 points, although he went 4 of 13 from the field. Malcolm Brogdon shot 4 of 17 and finished with 10.

The team has had issues on defense, too. Florida State shot 48.8 percent, becoming Virginia's 13th opponent at 40 or higher. That happened 11 times in 34 games last season when the Cavaliers were third in the nation in field-goal percentage defense (36.7).

They're only ninth in the 15-team ACC this season with opponents at 42.7.

"It's tough," Bennett said. "When you can't count on at least getting a stop and making them earn it, those things hurt."

Bennett knows beating the Tigers won't be easy despite Virginia's recent success against them, and he's not expecting Clemson to be fazed by the raucous crowd.

"With the talent in the league and the depth of the league, you're know you're going to have to scrap and dig deep," Bennett said. "They're a tough team. They defend well and then they have some versatility offensively. (Blossomgame is) one of the better players in the league right now."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (15-4) at Terrapins (16-2)

Date: January 19, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

After taking out its frustration back home last weekend, No. 7 Maryland hopes to begin a new run against a team it handled easily earlier this month.

Northwestern will try to recover from what coach Chris Collins called "a very disappointing loss" as it tries to continue its best road start in 85 years.

The seventh-ranked Terrapins seek their 24th consecutive home victory Tuesday night when they look to take both meetings from the improved Wildcats.

Melo Trimble bailed out the Terps (16-2, 5-1 Big Ten) on Jan. 9 when he hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds in a 63-60 win at Wisconsin after the squad had surrendered an eight-point advantage with about seven minutes remaining.

The Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, though, couldn't save them last Tuesday when he had two points in a 70-67 loss at Michigan that snapped a nine-game winning streak.

Now Maryland hopes to keep pace with the Big Ten leaders after getting back on track in Saturday's 100-65 home win over Ohio State. Robert Carter had a career-high 25 points and Rasheed Sulaimon added a season-high 22 as Maryland shot 62.7 percent while scoring 100 for the first time since December 2012.

It has won 23 in a row at the Xfinity Center since losing to Virginia on Dec. 3, 2014, and has won all 12 conference games there since joining the Big Ten.

"I'm really happy for the guys because it was a tough loss (at Michigan) and we hadn't played well and everybody starts to talk about you,' coach Mark Turgeon said. 'So to go out and really put a performance together is good for them.'

Turgeon's squad, which fell four spots in the poll, will try to get off to another hot start after holding Northwestern (15-4, 3-3) to 32 percent shooting while building a 40-20 halftime lead Jan. 2. Trimble finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and Sulaimon added 16 points, six boards and six assists in a 72-59 road win that ended the Wildcats' 10-game winning streak.

Northwestern, chasing the program's first NCAA Tournament berth, took a step back in Saturday's 71-62 home loss to Penn State. The Wildcats missed 23 of 26 shots from 3-point range against the Nittany Lions' zone defense.

"You're not going to make shots if you don't have the right attitude to start the game," Collins told the team's official website. "You're not going to be bailed out with making shots."

Collins' crew has gone 4-0 on the road, including two Big Ten wins, for the program's best start outside of Evanston since winning its first seven in 1930-31.

Alex Olah had five points and two rebounds Saturday in his return after missing six games with a foot injury. Collins said the 7-footer has no minutes restriction.

Tre Demps had a team-high 22 points but Bryant McIntosh was held to 12 on 6-of-15 shooting. The sophomore guard has averaged 17.6 points and 8.1 assists over his last seven games, and finished with 17 and nine versus Maryland.

In last season's meeting in College Park, McIntosh scored 21 but the Wildcats couldn't hold a 14-point lead in a 68-67 loss. Trimble paced the Terps with 27.

Northwestern has dropped its last nine games versus ranked opponents.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hoyas (11-7) at Musketeers (16-1)

Date: January 19, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Xavier continues to cement its status as Villanova's chief competition in the Big East, a title Georgetown had been expected to hold.

The Hoyas can still stake a claim to that mantle, however, when they visit the fifth-ranked Musketeers Tuesday night in a key conference matchup for both programs.

Georgetown was picked second in the Big East preseason poll, but it's been Xavier (16-1, 4-1) that's loomed as the primary threat to Villanova's quest for a third consecutive conference regular-season title by orchestrating the best 17-game start in school history. The Musketeers also hold their highest ranking in the AP Top 25 after bouncing back from a 31-point New Year's Eve loss to the first-place Wildcats to win four straight league games.

The Hoyas (11-7, 4-2) have remained in the chase by winning four of their first five in conference play prior to Saturday's 55-50 loss to then-No. 6 Villanova, in which they shot a season-low 32.7 percent against the Big East's top defense.

D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, averaging 18.7 points in the Big East, was held to five in the second half three days after matching a career high with 33 in Georgetown's 93-73 rout of St. John's.

"I think we were missing shots," coach John Thompson III said. "We got some point-blank shots in the paint that didn't go in. We got some open looks for guys we want open looks for and they didn't go in."

Another offensive struggle could be in the works, as the Musketeers have limited opponents to 36.4 percent during their streak. They kept Marquette scoreless for over eight minutes during a 21-0 first-half run that fueled Saturday's 74-66 victory.

"Any time a team goes 4 for 25 from the 3-point line and you hold a team to a 34 percent field-goal percentage, you're doing something right," coach Chris Mack said. "Our zone really, really bothered them."

Xavier also gave the Hoyas plenty of trouble in winning all three meetings last season, including a 70-53 victory at the Cintas Center and a 65-63 win in the Big East tournament semifinals. Georgetown shot 24.1 percent from 3-point range and 38.6 overall for the series.

The Hoyas have held six of their last seven opponents under 40 percent and forced Villanova into a 3-of-18 performance on 3s. They've hit a league-best 40.4 percent of their 3-pointers in conference play, led by Smith-Rivera's 16 makes in 33 attempts.

Georgetown does rank eighth of the league's 10 teams in rebounding margin, an area where the Musketeers have excelled all season. Xavier's plus-10.8 advantage on the glass is among the top 10 nationally and it outrebounded Marquette 49-38, with James Farr totaling a career-best 19 along with 16 points.

The Musketeers also enter Tuesday's matchup at full strength after getting Edmond Sumner back against Marquette. The talented redshirt freshman guard had 15 points and five assists after missing three games with a concussion sustained from a frightening collision during the Villanova game.

Xavier has won four of five against Georgetown since joining the Big East in 2013, including both meetings at the Cintas Center.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cougars (13-4) at Mustangs (17-0)

Date: January 19, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

SMU still has one of the most efficient offenses in the nation, but its defense has helped it remain the lone undefeated team in Division I.

That end of the floor will likely be the key to remaining unbeaten in the AAC as the eighth-ranked Mustangs host the second-best defensive team in conference play when Houston visits Tuesday night.

SMU (17-0, 6-0) is riding the best start in school history and is three wins shy of matching the program's 20-game win streak in 1955-56. The Mustangs average 80.2 points and are one of a handful of teams making more than half their shots at 51.5 percent.

Their defense, though, has been the reason for their unblemished conference start, ranking atop the AAC by holding league opponents to 59.5 points per game - just ahead of Houston's 60.2. On a day when SMU shot a season-low 40.4 percent and made 1 of 10 from 3-point range, it still won 60-45 at Tulane on Sunday.

The Mustangs held the Green Wave to 29.2 percent shooting, outscored them 32-16 in the paint and turned 20 turnovers into 21 points. Still, they didn't pull away from an under-.500 team until late.

"This is the first time I saw where I thought we were thinking about the fact that we've had a pretty good season going," coach Larry Brown said. "We might have put a little pressure on ourselves. But it's all learning for us."

SMU's top two scorers, Nic Moore and Ben Moore, combined to make 5 of 18 shots. Nic Moore leads the Mustangs with 15.2 points per game but has shot 36.0 percent for an average of 13.0 in the last five.

That's how long SMU has been without Keith Frazier. The junior guard averaged 11.9 points and 4.4 rebounds through 10 games but sat out since Dec. 29 and announced his plans to transfer Friday. The local Dallas product and former McDonald's All-American was at the center of a NCAA investigation that led to the team's postseason ban and Brown's suspension for the first nine games.

SMU, which is 10-0 at home and has won four of the last five in this series, has averaged 71.6 points in the last five without Frazier.

"We're a gritty team," Ben Moore said, "... So we just got to find a way to win by any means and we played well on defense so that's got to be our M.O. all the time."

After struggling offensively against a Tulane team ranked toward the bottom of the conference by surrendering 71.0 points per game in league play, the Mustangs will face a much better defense versus the Cougars.

The problem for Houston (13-4, 3-2) is an offense sputtering to an average of 59.7 points on 36.9 percent shooting in the last three games while losing the previous two.

The Cougars followed a season-low 36.4 percent in Wednesday's 70-59 loss at Cincinnati by posting a 33.3 mark in Sunday's 69-57 loss to Connecticut. Houston's four scorers averaging double figures - Rob Gray Jr., Devonta Pollard, Damyean Dotson and Ronnie Johnson - have combined to shoot 27.8 percent the last two games.

"There is a reason they have a scoreboard. It doesn't keep track of stops; it keeps track of points," coach Kelvin Sampson told the team's official website. "To get that thing to start clicking, you have to make those shots."

Houston has averaged 61.5 points while making 37.3 percent of its shots in its last two trips to Dallas.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (11-6) at Aggies (15-2)

Date: January 19, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

While talent-rich LSU is at last showing signs of living up to all its preseason hype, Texas A&M's under-the-radar program is finally starting to get the nation's attention.

Ranked in the top 10 for the first time in eight years, the No. 10 Aggies aim to extend their eight-game winning streak and maintain sole possession of first place in the SEC in Tuesday night's showdown with the resurgent Tigers.

Texas A&M (15-2) has backed up a strong non-conference showing highlighted by victories over Texas, Gonzaga and Baylor by winning its first five SEC games, its best start in league play since going 7-0 in the Southwest Conference in 1993-94. The Aggies are riding their longest winning streak since a 13-game run in 2010-11 and entered the top 10 for the first time since January 2008 on Monday.

After winning their previous three by a combined eight points, the Aggies raised some eyebrows with Saturday's 79-45 rout of Georgia, the largest road victory over a conference opponent in program history.

LSU (11-6, 4-1) had been labeled an underachiever after splitting its first eight games of a season it began ranked 21st in the AP poll. Boosted by sharp-shooter Keith Hornsby's return from injury and Arizona transfer Craig Victor II becoming eligible, the Tigers have won seven of nine since to sit just off Texas A&M's lead in the conference.

The duo has brought two additional threats to an offense that leads the SEC in field goal percentage (47.5) and ranks second in scoring (82.8 points per game). Hornsby has averaged 14.2 points while making 42.2 percent of his 3-point attempts in 10 games and Victor 13.6 along with 7.1 rebounds over nine.

Victor amassed 16 points and 12 rebounds, the last resulting in a put-back with 4.5 seconds left that gave the Tigers a 76-74 win over Arkansas on Saturday. LSU overcame 5-of-13 shooting from Ben Simmons, though the heralded freshman grabbed 18 rebounds.

"I didn't think we hit on all cylinders, didn't think we played our best, but we were able to get a victory against a very tough opponent," coach Johnny Jones said. "When that happens that's a great sign of a team growing to be able to win."

The Tigers now hope their improvements show up on the road, where they're 1-3 and lost to mid-major Charleston in November.

Texas A&M has outscored opponents by an average of 21.9 points in going 10-0 at home and has averaged 85.2 points at Reed Arena. The Aggies return from holding Georgia to 28.3 percent shooting in yielding their lowest scoring total of the season.

"Defensively we couldn't play any better," coach Billy Kennedy said. "I thought we took away and executed the scouting report as well as we could defensively and when you're making shots, it refuels your defense. We played about as well as we have played all season."

The Aggies will be challenged to stop Simmons, averaging 21.8 points and 12.8 rebounds in SEC play, but can counter LSU's strong offense with its senior trio of Jalen Jones, Danuel House and Alex Caruso.

Jones is averaging 21.7 points over his last three and Caruso is 11 of 15 on 3-pointers in the Aggies' five league games. House totaled 38 points as Texas A&M swept last year's season series with LSU, scoring 20 in a 68-62 home win on Feb. 17.

The schools have split six meetings since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012-13, with the Tigers losing the last two at Reed Arena.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Jan. 19 Opening Lines
by Alan Matthews

If you enjoy upsets, then good luck finding a more interesting week in college basketball's 2015-16 regular season than last week. A total of 12 teams that entered last week ranked in one of the two major polls lost and three Top-10 teams, Michigan State, Miami (Fla.) and Duke, lost twice. One of those schools that lost was No. 1 Kansas, which made Oklahoma the new No. 1 on Monday. And I think the Sooners lose Monday night at Iowa State. So we could have a sixth different No. 1 team next Monday. March Madness can't get here soon enough.

No. 3 Kansas at Oklahoma State (+9.5)

Big 12 matchup tips off at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. Kansas (15-2, 4-1) fell out of the top spot in the poll with a very respectable 74-63 loss at then-No. 11 West Virginia last Tuesday, but the Jayhawks bounced back with a 70-63 home win over TCU on Saturday for their 33rd straight home victory. Touted freshman forward Cheick Diallo has largely disappointed this season but had his best game of the year vs. the Frogs with a season-high nine points and five blocks along with nine points in a season-best 21 minutes. Maybe that has earned Diallo more minutes, although Coach Bill Self has a deep team. Kansas has lost each of its last two trips to Oklahoma State's Gallagher-Iba Arena, and Self is 3-5 against his alma mater in Stillwater.

Oklahoma State (9-8, 1-4) lost a fourth straight Saturday, 74-69 at Texas. A Jawun Evans 3-pointer with 14 seconds left cut the Texas lead to 70-67, but the Longhorns took care of business at the free-throw line. UT was up 21 at one point in the second half. The Pokes have now trailed by double digits at the half of their past four games. Leyton Hammonds tallied a career-high nine rebounds and a team-high 18 points vs. Texas. OSU is 1-4 in the Big 12 for the first time since 2007-08.

Key trends: Kansas is 4-10 ATS in its past 14 vs. the Big 12. OSU is 4-0 ATS in its past four at home. The home team has covered the past four meetings.

I'm leaning: Oklahoma State. Pokes only lost by two at home to Oklahoma and have been pretty solid in Stillwater.

Houston at No. 8 SMU (-13)

American Athletic Conference game at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU. At this point, I feel obligated to preview every SMU game until the Mustangs (17-0, 6-0) lose as they are the nation's only team without a loss after South Carolina was beaten at Alabama on Jan. 13. Remember, though, the Mustangs are not allowed to play in the AAC or NCAA Tournament. So they best they can do is finish 31-0 and be proud of that. Coach Larry Brown's team is 5-0 since one of its best players, junior guard Keith Frazier, left the team and later announced he would transfer. Four of those five wins have been easy, including a 60-45 victory at Tulane on Sunday. Good teams can still win when not playing all that well, and that was the case there as SMU shot a season-worst 40.4 percent. The Mustangs average 80.2 points and are among the nation's leaders in shooting 51.5 percent.

Houston (13-4, 3-2) is much better this season than last but also hasn't really beaten anyone that great yet. The Cougars led at halftime Sunday vs. UConn but suffered their first home loss, 69-57. UH shot a season-worst 33.3 percent. Second-leading scorer Devonta Pollard had just two points and missed all seven field-goal attempts. Houston averages 78.7 points per game, which is second in the AAC to SMU. It's the highest total for UH since the 2007-08 team. The Mustangs are Houston's first Top-10 opponent since losing to Louisville in the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championship in 2014. The Cougars were swept by SMU last year, falling 80-59 in Dallas.

Key trends: Houston is 1-4 ATS in its past five vs. teams with a winning record and in past five road games. SMU is 11-5 ATS in its past 16 at home vs. teams with a winning road record.

I'm leaning: SMU.

Fresno State at San Diego State (-6.5)

A Mountain West game at 11 p.m. ET on ESPNU and your last betting option of the night. Fresno State (12-6, 3-2) is off an 81-74 home win over San Jose State on Saturday. Senior guard Marvelle Harris, the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year, had a season-high 32 points. FSU was 35-for-46 from the free-throw line, two shy of the school record for makes. Harris has now made the most free throws in a Fresno State career (421), passing Maurice Talbot. Torren Jones added 11 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Fresno State is 7-0 this season when scoring at least 80 points.

But good luck scoring 80 against the excellent defense of San Diego State. The Aztecs (12-6, 5-0) were rather shaky in nonconference play but have ascended to their expected place atop the Mountain West standings. They won at Boise State, which had been unbeaten in the conference, 56-53 on Saturday. Winston Shepard scored 13 points and had 10 rebounds in helping end Boise's 10-game winning streak. It was the fewest points scored this year for the Broncos. No Mountain West team has reached 70 on SDSU yet this season. San Diego State has won nine of the past 10 meetings with Fresno but was upset in northern California 59-57 on Jan. 3, 2015. Fresno State has not won at SDSU since a 95-84 victory (later vacated) on Feb. 25, 1999.

Key trends: FSU has covered only six of its past 22 road games. It is 2-6 ATS in its past eight in the Mountain West. SDSU is 4-0 ATS in its past four vs. teams with a winning record.

I'm leaning: San Diego State.

 

[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.

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]

NCAAB

Notes for Tuesday's games..........

Providence made 12-26 on arc, won 81-73 (+7.5) at Butler Dec 31, after trailing by 11 at half- they scored 56 points in second half. Underdogs are 4-1 vs spread in Friars' Big East games; they lost last two games at home, to Marquette/Seton Hall. Butler is 3-4 vs top 100 teams, losing all three in Big East play, by 8-19-5 points. Big East home teams are 3-6 vs spread in games where spread was 6 or less points.

Home side won seven of the last eight South Carolina-Ole Miss games; five of last six series games were decided by 4 or less points. Gamecocks lost last four visits to Oxford by 9-4-4-16 points. Carolina is 2-1 in true road games, winning at Clemson/Auburn, losing by 23 at Alabama. SEC home underdogs of 4 or less points are 1-4 vs spread. Ole Miss lost its last two games by nine points each, giving up average of 85 ppg.

Akron is 13-3 in its last 16 games with Eastern Michigan; they lost by 3 in Ypsilanti LY, its first loss in last five series games. Eagles lost by 30-4 in last two visits to Akron. Zips lost last two games by 11-14 points, giving up 85 ppg; they're 7-0 at home, winning by 9 in only MAC home game. EMU allowed 80+ points in four of its last five games. MAC home favorites of 5+ points are 1-8 against the spread.

Home side won last four Kansas-Oklahoma State games; Jayhawks lost by 7-5 in last two visits to Stillwater. Kansas is 4-1 in Big X, winning by 10 at Tech, losing at at West Virginia in its two road games. State lost last four games, last two by total of seven points- they lost to Sooners by hoop at home, beat TCU in other Big X home tilt. Kansas is 7-15 in last 22 games as Big X road favorite. Big X home underdogs are 5-5.

Dayton is 14-1 in its last 15 games with St Bonaventure, winning five in row, three by 12+ points. Flyers won six of last seven visits to Olean, winning last two by 3-17 points. Dayton won seven of last eight games with only loss at LaSalle; Flyers have wins at Vandy/Duquesne. A-14 home underdogs are 3-8 vs spread. Bonnies won five of last six games, beating Davidson/URI in their two A-14 home games.

NC State won last three games with Pitt by 7-18-11 points, winning at Pitt 74-67 in only ACC visit here. Wolfpack is 0-5 in ACC, losing road games by 5-3-12 points (1-1 road dog)- four of their five ACC losses are by 7 or less points. Pitt is 4-1 in ACC, 2-1 as home favorite, winning home games by 11-5-23 points; Panthers are shooting 78.9% on line, #1 in country. ACC home favorites of 7+ points are 7-7 vs spread.

Clemson beat Louisville-Duke-Miami in its last three games, all at home; Tigers lost last three games with Virginia by 37-5-23 points- they've lost eight visits in row to Virginia, last two by 37-23 points. Cavaliers won both ACC home games by 11-8 points; they lost three of last four games overall, with all three losses on road. ACC home favorites of 7+ points are 7-7 vs spread. Clemson is 1-3 on road, losing by 6-23-11 points.

Xavier beat Georgetown three times LY; Hoyas are 0-2 at Xavier in Big East play, losing by 13-17 points. Georgetown is 4-2 in league, losing by 13-5 to Creighton/Villanova. Big East double digit home favorites are 4-3 vs spread. Xavier won its last four games since only loss, to Villanova- they won first two Big East home games, by 19-20 points. Hoyas make 40.4% on arc in conference play, best in Big East so far.

Alabama won nine of its last 11 games with Auburn, winning last three by 16-2-11 points; two losses came in their last three visits here. Tigers beat Kentucky here Saturday; they're banged-up. Leading scorer Canty sprained his ankle late in Kentucky game, status here is ?? Alabama lost three of last four games, losing by 8-16-8 points- they're turning the ball over 21.1% of time. SEC home underdogs of 4 or less points are 1-4.

Texas A&M won three of last four games with LSU, winning by 10-3-6 points. Aggies won last eight games, are atop SEC at 5-0, winning home games by 23-3 points- they won by 34 at Georgia Saturday. SEC home favorites are 12-8 against the spread. LSU is 4-1 in SEC; four of its last five losses were by 6 or less points or in OT. Tigers are 1-3 in true road games, winning at Vandy- they lost road games by 12-7-6 points.

UNLV won three of last four games with Utah State, losing by 18 here LY; home side won three of four series games. Rebels won by 12-36 in first two games since changing coaches- they were both at home. UNLV is 0-2 in MW road games, losing at Colorado State/Wyoming. Utah State won last two games after starting league play 1-3. Mountain West home dogs of 4 or less points are are 0-4 vs spread.

San Diego State won five of last six games with Fresno State; underdogs covered three of last four series games. Bulldogs lost last three visits to Viejas Arena by 22-8-11 points. Aztecs won first two Mountain West home games by 12-15 points; they're 5-0 in league after starting season 7-6. Fresno is 3-2 in league, losing by 15-11 points; four of its six losses are by 11+ points. MW home favorites are 8-11 against the spread.

St Peter's is 5-1 in MAAC, with only loss by hoop at Niagara- they're 2-6 in non-MAAC games, 3-0 vs spread as MAAC road dog. Peacocks won four of last five games with Fairfield, but lost nine of last ten visits here- they beat Stags in last two MAAC tourneys. Fairfield is 2-1 at home in league, losing to Monmouth by 12. MAAC home favorites of 6 or less points are 1-5 against the spread.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Tuesday 1/19 Analysis
By Brewster Smith

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 15 - 67 / $111.80

BEST BETS: 2 - 6 / $10.70

Best Bet: DASH N (1st)

Spot Play: FOR KEVINS SAKE (7th)


Race 1

(3) DASH N did not show his good speed in his previous trip. If he clears the lead from the bell, it could be game over for the rest. (2) ARTHUR drops a notch in class and that should help his cause; maybe. (5) SAKRA FELLA put in a mild rally in his last try; watch out.

Race 2

(1) MAGIC CITY leaves the outside slot and that's a good sign. With a favorable trip, he can make today a winning one. (4) COUSIN EDDIE was sent down the road last out for all the glory; main danger. (2) NOBLE ANTHONY put in a good run at The Meadowlands last time out; fits with these.

Race 3

(6) AMERICAN ISLAND showed signs of life last time around and that might be an indication he is ready to move forward; the pick. (2) FOOL OF IDEAS should appreciate the inside slot; threat. (7) SALEVSTER STALLION was quite sharp at Freehold for place money recently; don't overlook.

Race 4

(7) FOX VALLEY STEFFEN rallied to be fourth at Monticello last out; gelding is very capable of mowing these down with a complete meltdown of the early leaders. (1) LINDYS FIREWORKS gets a better post to work with; could make some noise in the final stretch drive. (5) BIG PAYOUT drops a notch in class; worth a play.

Race 5

(3) PHAMILY APPLE was completely out of it at the Big M last time around. Four-year-old is capable based on his second and third trips respectably; gets the call. (4) PRINCE ASTON was sitting a 3-hole trip and nailed down the victory last week; big threat again. (1) ROCKIN CASSINOVA should fare better from the fence; we shall see.

Race 6

(3) ODINO JET Trotter seems to be coming around to winning form but will need a super trip to great the cameraman for pictures. (6) POP MY BUTTONS had a mild rally for the show spot last time out upstate; player. (5) POSITIVELY SHARP closed strongly for third money and will be closing in the late stages again.

Race 7

(2) FOR KEVINS SAKE did show his good speed in his last try but clearly is better. Has every right to take this group down the road for all the glory. (4) INTHENAMEOFJAMES flashed some early pace last out; could make a complete turnaround; maybe. (3) BEACHY DREAM needs to return to his sharp efforts at Monticello to contend; quite possible.

Race 8

(4) JOLT OF WHISKEY on December 7th, this pacer showed sharp speed. Gets some class relief and that should make this gelding tough in there; the pick. (7) SCREAMAN SEAMAN A made a big move on the backstretch for the lead, but had no more gas in the tank; contender. (3) R CAAN put in a mild run turning for home, but had nothing left in deep stretch; possible turnaround.

Race 9

(3) BILLABONG BEACH Gelding is clearly knocking at the door based on his last two starts. With a favorable trip, he can take these to task for all the cash. (5) THESPYWHOLOVEDME was a non factor in his Jersey finale last out, but has the speed to make some serious noise in here. (8) WILD AGAIN was sharp for the place spot last week; post hurts but is very capable.

Race 10

(1) GO COLLECT N strong rally to miss the victory by only a nose. Gelding moves to the rail slot and at his best, he can boss these. (5) WINNING IS SWEET broke around turn one and never recovered; must be considered in all the slots based on his December 8th performance. (2) IWILLMAKEYOUSAYWOW Consistent pacer got the job done wire to window last out; the one to fear and catch.

Race 11

(3) BELL I NO Three sharp efforts at Saratoga and he is very capable of pulling off the upset with a fine-timed drive. (1) ELWELL did not clear the lead last out and had nothing left in the tank. Moves to the fence and figures to be dangerous in here. (8) UNIX HANOVER is on a roll scoring his third victory in a row; capable despite tough post.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Tuesday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Mahoning Valley (2nd) R Dirteater, 3-1
(5th) Real Luck, 7-2


Sam Houston (6th) Cold Cash, 6-1
(7th) Be de Lock, 6-1


Sunland Park (3rd) Proud of Maria, 6-1
(6th) Spotlight Miss, 3-1


Turf Paradise (4th) Midnight City, 5-1
(7th) Make More Honey, 8-1