Tuesday 1/31/17 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Yes, the Knicks were off on Monday, but I wonder how much their key guys will have left in the tank for Tuesday's game considering the Knicks and Hawks played a four-overtime epic on Sunday, a 142-139 Atlanta win. It was the first four-OT game since Bulls-Pistons in 2015 and only the 11th quadruple-OT game in NBA history. It was New York's first since 1951 against the Rochester Royals. Four Knicks fouled out: Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Joakim Noah and Kyle O'Quinn. Anthony played 46 minutes and finished with 45 points, his first 40-point game since November 2014. Might be his last with the Knicks, too, considering all those trade rumors linking Melo to the Clippers. Brandon Jennings played 53 minutes and Courtney Lee 52. Atlanta's Paul Millsap played a ridiculous 60 minutes.

Knicks at Wizards (-10, 220.5)

First of an NBA TV doubleheader. New York lost to Atlanta without Derrick Rose, who sprained his ankle in Friday night's win over Charlotte. He likely won't play here, either. Jennings had 18 points as the fill-in starter for Rose. Washington has won four straight and eight of nine following a 107-94 victory in New Orleans on Sunday. John Wall had 18 points and 19 assists and Bradley Beal 27 points. The Wizards had been 0-5 at Western Conference teams in 2016-17. The Wizards have won two high-scoring games vs. the Knicks this season.

Key trends: The favorite is 4-0 against the spread in the past four meetings. The "over/under" is 15-7 in Washington's past 22 after a win.

Early lean: Wizards and over.

Pelicans at Raptors (-8, 215)

New Orleans completed a six-game homestand on Sunday at 3-3 with a 107-94 loss to Washington. Anthony Davis had 36 points, 17 rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots, and Jrue Holiday 26 points and 11 assists. The Pelicans rallied from 18 down to lead briefly but then ran out of gas. Toronto lost for the sixth time in seven games Sunday, 114-113 at home to Orlando. Kyle Lowry had 33 points, eight assists and five rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan, Toronto's leading scorer, returned to the lineup after missing three games with a sprained right ankle and had 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists. The Raptors had won seven straight at home in the series. First meeting of the season between New Orleans and Toronto, which won both last season.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 2-10-1 ATS in the past 13 meetings. The under is 5-2 in Toronto's past seven.

Early lean: Raptors and under.

Kings at Rockets (-11, 224)

Sacramento was in Philadelphia on Monday. This concludes the Kings' season-long eight-game road trip. I thus give them almost no chance here. Houston completed a five-game road trip at 2-3 following a 120-101 loss at Indiana on Sunday. James Harden was vastly outplayed by Paul George with Harden going 3-for-17 from the field and 2-for-10 on 3-pointers for 15 points along with five rebounds, eight assists and eight turnovers. Five of the Rockets' last seven losses have come by 10 or more points. Houston has won 10 of the past 11 meetings vs. Sacramento and six in a row at home.

Key trends: The home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 6-2 in the previous eight.

Early lean: Rockets and over.

Thunder at Spurs (-10, 213.5)

Oklahoma City's three-game winning streak ended in a 107-91 loss in Cleveland on Sunday. Russell Westbrook finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his 24th triple-double, but shot only 7-for-26. That was OKC's first game without very important sixth man Enes Kanter, who broke his right forearm like an idiot Thursday when slamming it on a chair on the bench. San Antonio is on only its second two-game skid of the season after being surprised 105-101 at home by Dallas on Sunday. Kawhi Leonard had 24 points for San Antonio, which fell to 16-6 at home after tying the league mark with a 40-1 record last season. First meeting between OKC and San Antonio. The teams split four in 2015-16. The Spurs have taken the past three at home.

Key trends: The Thunder are 8-2 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The under is 4-1 in the past five in OKC.

Early lean: Spurs and under.

Hornets at Trail Blazers (-4.5, 215.5)

Second NBA TV game. Charlotte dropped a fourth in a row Saturday, 109-106 to Sacramento. Frank Kaminsky air-balled a 3-pointer with a second remaining. Kemba Walker had a 20-point third quarter but was held scoreless in the fourth. Portland's three-game winning streak ended in a 113-111 home loss to the Warriors -- who were without Steph Curry -- on Sunday. Evan Turner missed a potential winning 3-pointer in the final seconds. CJ McCollum had 25 points. Damian Lillard had 19 and reached 8,000 career points, becoming the 11th Blazer to hit the mark and joining Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the last three players to reach 8,000 points and 2,000 assists in their first five seasons. Charlotte defeated Portland, 107-85, on Jan. 18, but Portland has won eight consecutive home games against the Hornets.

Key trends: The Hornets are 1-7 ATS in their past eight in Portland. The under is 9-4 in the Blazers' past 13 at home.

Early lean: Blazers and under.

Nuggets at Lakers (TBA)

Denver has become an offensive juggernaut and has won seven of nine. The Nuggets completed a home-and-home sweep of Phoenix 123-112 on Saturday despite playing without emerging star center Nikola Jokic. He hurt his hip Thursday and won't play here, either. Danilo Gallinari scored 32 points and Kenneth Faried had 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Nuggets on Saturday. Emmanuel Mudiay missed a fourth game in a row and he's doubtful here. Los Angeles lost its third consecutive Thursday, 96-88 in Utah. Lou Williams scored a team-high 20 off the bench while both Jordan Clarkson and Ivica Zubac added 16. Julius Randle was out with an illness and D'Angelo Russell a third straight game with an MCL and calf sprain. Randle should at least be back here. Denver won the first meeting 127-121 on Jan. 17 and has taken the past three in the series.

Key trends: The Nuggets are 7-0 ATS in their past seven at the Lakers. The over is 3-0-1 in the past four there.

Early lean: Wait on the two Lakers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Tuesday’s games

New York lost 11 of last 14 road games, is 11-5 vs spread in last 16 games as a road underdog. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games. Wizards won eight of last nine games (8-0-1 vs spread); they’re 12-1-1 vs spread in last 14 home games. Three of their last four games stayed under the total. Washington won nine of its last ten games with the Knicks (7-2-1 vs spread), winning four of last five series games here. Four of last five series games went over total.

Pelicans are 5-0 vs spread in game following their last five losses; they’re 4-2 in last six games as a road underdog, Five of their last six games went over total. Raptors lost six of last seven games, is 1-3 vs spread in last four home games. Under is 4-2-1 in their last seven games. Toronto won eight of last ten games (7-2-1 vs spread) with New Orleans; Pelicans lost four of last five games in Canada (1-3-1 vs spread). Four of last six series games went over.

Kings are playing 4th game in five nights; they’re won three of last five games, are 4-1-1 vs spread in last six; they’re 7-2-1 vs spread in last ten on road. Rockets lost three of last four games, are 1-4 vs spread in last five at home. Under is 6-2 in their last eight games. Houston won nine of last ten games with Sacramento (8-2 vs spread); Kings lost their last five games here (1-4 vs spread). Six of last eight series games went over total.

Thunder won three of last four games, is 5-7 vs spread in last 12 road games. Four of their last five games stayed under total. San Antonio lost its last two games, is 10-3 vs spread in last 13 home games- over is 9-1 in their last ten games. Oklahoma City won its last three games with the Spurs by 14-4-14 points; Thunder covered 8 of last 10 series games, won SU in last two visits to Alamo. Under is 6-3 in last nine series games.

Hornets lost last four games, is 0-5 vs spread in last five; they’re 5-9 vs spread in last 14 road games. Under is 7-2 in their last nine games. Trailblazers won three of last four games, are 10-7 as home favorites. Four of their last six games stayed under. Portland won seven of last ten games with Charlotte; Hornets lost their last five visits to Oregon (1-4 vs spread). Last three series games stayed under the total.

Denver won four of its last five games (5-0 vs spread); they’re 5-2 vs spread in last seven road games. Over is 11-3 in their last 14 games. Lakers lost eight of last nine games, covered three of last four; they’re 5-7 in last 12 games as a road underdog. Under is 6-1 in their last seven games. Lakers lost eight of last ten games with Denver, which won/covered its last five games against LA in Staples Center. Last six series games went over total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Tuesday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers

Game of the Night – Thunder at Spurs – 8:35 PM EST

Oklahoma City knocked San Antonio out of the second round of the playoffs last season in six games as the two teams meet for the first time this season on Tuesday. The Spurs led the series, 2-1, but the Thunder captured the final three games of the series, including a 113-99 triumph to eliminate San Antonio at home. One season later, the Spurs are still the leaders of the Southwest division, while Oklahoma City is still performing well in spite of Kevin Durant’s departure to Golden State.

The Thunder (28-20 SU, 26-21-1 ATS) sit one game behind the Jazz in the Northwest division heading into Tuesday’s action following Sunday’s 107-91 setback at Cleveland as 7 ½-point underdogs. Russell Westbrook compiled his 24th triple-double of the season with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, but Thunder star was limited to 7-of-26 shooting from the floor. Oklahoma City’s three-game winning streak came to an end, while the Thunder fell to 2-9 SU and 3-8 ATS in the last 11 opportunities as a road underdog.

San Antonio (36-11 SU, 27-19-1 ATS) suffered consecutive losses for only the second time this season after falling at home to Dallas on Sunday, 105-101 as 12-point favorites. The Spurs topped the 100-point mark for the 24th straight game in spite of the defeat to the Mavericks, only the second home loss since the start of December. Gregg Popovich’s squad has eclipsed the OVER in nine of the last 10 games, including each of the past five at the AT&T Center.

The Spurs have won seven of the past 10 home meetings with the Thunder, as Oklahoma City has been held to 98 points or less in its last six trips to San Antonio. However, OKC captured the previous two visits to San Antonio in the playoffs last season after losing the series opener, 124-92.

Heading West

The Hornets begin a short three-game road swing against Portland, Golden State, and Utah on Tuesday at the Moda Center. Charlotte is trending backwards by losing four straight games, coming off Saturday’s 109-106 home defeat to Sacramento. The Hornets are 0-for the road in 2017 by losing all seven games away from the Spectrum Center this month, while allowing at least 100 points in all seven defeats.

Charlotte routed Portland earlier this month, 107-85 as 5 ½-point home favorites, only the third win in the last 10 games of the series. The Blazers continue a five-game homestand following Sunday’s 113-111 setback to Golden State as six-point underdogs. Since late November, Portland has cashed in seven of the last 11 opportunities as a home favorite, while beating Charlotte eight consecutive times at the Moda Center since January 2009.

Home Wizardry

Washington hasn’t lost a game at the Verizon Center since December 6 to Orlando as the Wizards shoot for their 15th consecutive home win against the Knicks. Scott Brooks’ club is rolling from an ATS perspective by covering nine straight games, coming off Sunday’s 107-94 triumph at New Orleans to improve to 27-20 on the season.

The Knicks haven’t won back-to-back contests in over a month as New York had an opportunity to accomplish that feat on Sunday in Atlanta. Forty-eight minutes of regulation didn’t decide a winner as New York fell in four overtimes, 142-139, but the Knicks managed to cash as 6 ½-point underdogs. New York has fared well of late as a road ‘dog by covering three of the past four in this role, but the Knicks have lost the first two meetings to the Wizards this season by a combined 10 points.

Facing Extinction?

The Raptors have gone backwards of late by losing six of the last seven games to fall out of first place in the Atlantic division. Toronto was tripped up by Orlando as 11-point favorites, 114-113 on Sunday in spite of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combining for 55 points. The Raptors have allowed at least 100 points in each of their last five defeats as Toronto welcomes in New Orleans to the Air Canada Center.

The Pelicans have alternated wins and losses in their past seven contests, coming off Sunday’s 13-point home setback to the Wizards. New Orleans’ five-game OVER streak came to a halt in the loss to Washington, as the Pelicans begin a three-game road trip that continues to Detroit and Washington. The Pelicans have dropped four of their last seven contests away from the Big Easy, but Alvin Gentry’s team has covered five times in this span.

Eight is Enough

Sacramento finishes off a brutal eight-game road trip in Houston after losing at Philadelphia on Monday, 122-119. The Kings built an early 16-point lead before the 76ers rallied back with 42 third quarter points to hand Sacramento its fourth loss on the trip. Dave Joerger’s squad owns a 5-1-1 ATS record in its last six games as a road underdog, as the Kings are playing with double-revenge after losing the first two meetings with the Rockets this season by double-digits.

The Rockets return home following a 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS away swing, capped off by a 19-point setback at Indiana on Sunday. After allowing 95 points in a victory at Memphis to kick off the trip, Houston yielded 118 points or more in each of the past four contests, but the OVER went 2-2 in those four games.

Hot Nuggets

Don’t look now, but Denver is flying high by winning seven of its last nine games to move into the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff race. The Nuggets look to extend their hot streak to four after completing a home-and-home sweep of the Suns as Denver travels to Staples Center to face the Lakers. Denver has captured four of the past five meetings with Los Angeles, including a 127-121 road victory two weeks ago.

The Lakers are in a difficult schedule spot off an 0-3 road trip before hitting the highway once again for five contests starting Thursday in Washington. Los Angeles has been limited to 98 points or fewer in seven of the past nine games, while the UNDER has cashed seven times during this stretch. Since winning three straight at Staples Center in early January, the Lakers have dropped three of the past four home contests.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pac-12 Snapshot
By Joe Nelson

While UCLA made the early headlines in the Pac-12, they now trail Arizona and Oregon in the Pac-12 in what is shaping up to be a great race in the second half of the conference season. Right now, only four Pac-12 teams look like they are in good shape to make the NCAA Tournament, but two other teams are in the mix and there have been competitive efforts from some of the squads in the bottom half of the league. Here is a look at the teams in the mix for the conference race and postseason berths.

Favorite – Arizona (9-0 S/U, 4-3-2 ATS): Arizona started the season with some turmoil with injuries and the cloudy status of Alonzo Trier. The Wildcats wound up beating Michigan State on the opening game, but that win wound up losing some strength and losses to Butler and Gonzaga left the Wildcats without a top 50 win in the non-conference season. Arizona has delivered nine consecutive wins to start the conference season ahead of next weekend’s big game at Oregon, the lone regular season meeting. Arizona already beat UCLA and USC on the road though they will have late February meetings with those teams at home. The Wildcats won’t have an amazing overall resume when Selection Sunday comes around as to get a #1 seed they might need to run the table. Despite the limited experience, the size and talent on this squad will still make Arizona a contender for a deep March Madness run looking to get to Final Four that will be played in Glendale, Arizona.

Contender – UCLA (6-3 S/U, 2-7 ATS): The Bruins still have the shortest future odds of any Pac-12 team to cut down the nets in early April, but after making big waves in a 13-0 non-conference campaign with a win over Kentucky, the Pac-12 schedule has taken a toll on Steve Alford’s team. This is the most efficient offensive team in the nation, but in allowing 81 points per game in Pac-12 play the offense faces a lot of pressure to post big numbers. Three road wins show that the Bruins can still be a serious contender in this league and in February they will get revenge opportunities against the three teams that they have lost to while closing the conference season with five of the final seven games at home. With six remaining games vs. the bottom of the conference, the Bruins are still in good shape to post a strong league record and be in the mix for the title if Arizona and Oregon slip.

Overachiever – Oregon (8-1 S/U, 8-1 ATS): After winning the regular season and tournament titles in the Pac-12 last season, Oregon earned a somewhat controversial #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Ducks held their own, but were bounced in the regional final for a 31-7 season. Expectations remained high this season with a great returning roster, but a 2-2 start raised serious questions. Oregon responded with a long winning streak that was just snapped last weekend with a loss at Colorado, the first S/U or ATS loss for the Ducks in conference play. Oregon did beat UCLA at home by two points while also narrowly winning at Utah, but a bumpy path may be ahead in the first half of February, drawing Arizona, UCLA, USC, and Utah in succession. Next week’s game with Arizona in Eugene might look like the conference title game, but in reality, the Ducks could have a few more losses coming as they close the season with five of the final seven on the road. This might be a team that falls short of last season’s championship run though it should still be a fine season and the Ducks will have the potential to win a few games in March.

Sleeper – Utah (6-3 S/U, 6-2-1 ATS): There looks like a clear separation between Utah and the top three teams in the Pac-12 standings and the Utes would also trail USC and perhaps California in NCAA Tournament consideration for the moment, likely on the wrong side of the bubble with a lack of quality wins despite a 15-6 overall record. At 6-3 in conference play, Utah won’t play Arizona or UCLA again and the road game at Oregon looks like the only extremely difficult remaining game in conference play. An 8-1 run the rest of the way looks possible and while 14-4 might not be enough to take the league title it isn’t completely out of the question with the teams at the top set for upcoming head-to-head matchups. Utah’s home win over USC is the best on its resume as there are no top 50 wins for the Utes who played a very light non-conference schedule. A bad loss to San Francisco will also hamper the profile, but Larry Krystkowiak has led Utah to back-to-back 13-5 Pac-12 seasons and despite this looking like a step-back season overall, that mark is pretty realistic and would likely be enough to get the Utes back into the Big Dance.

Enigma – USC (5-4 S/U, 3-6 ATS): After the great run in March 2013 taking Florida Gulf Coast to the Sweet 16 as a #15 seed, Andy Enfield endured two challenging seasons at USC before a solid 21-win season last year brought the Trojans to the NCAA Tournament. This year’s team is on pace to fly past last season’s record, but major questions are there for a really young team that went 13-0 with some close calls against marginal competition in the non-conference season. The win over SMU at home is all that stood out on the resume until last week’s huge home win over rival UCLA. That brought USC to 5-4 in Pac-12 play and gave the team just its fifth top 100 win. The Trojans will be favored to win the next three games before facing Oregon, UCLA, and Arizona in succession as a late season slide is possible for this squad. The win count is likely going to be strong and those two top 25 caliber wins should be enough to get the Trojans into the NCAA Tournament, but it just isn’t clear how good this team is given that two Pac-12 road losses came by 23 and 22 points and the two other Pac-12 losses came at home.

Bubble Team – California (6-3 S/U, 4-5 ATS): Last season, the Bears were upset as a #4 seed in the NCAA Tournament by Hawai’i for a sour finish to an up-and-down season for a very talented team. This year’s team could compile a similar overall record but a dearth of quality wins will leave the Bears potentially sweating on Selection Sunday. California has played a fairly high quality schedule, but they just haven’t won any of the big games outside of a narrow one-point win at USC, one of just three wins away from home all season long. The 6-3 Pac-12 mark includes losses to the top three teams in the league, but the Bears are going to have to play Arizona and Oregon again as well as playing Utah and Colorado twice each for a rather difficult remaining conference schedule that will also include five of the final seven games on the road. The defensive numbers are excellent and with potential NBA lottery pick Ivan Rabb plus a possible next level prospect in senior Jabari Bird the potential is there for the Bears, but unless they come up with a big upset over Arizona or Oregon, the margin of error will be very small for this squad the rest of the way.

Dark Horse – Colorado (2-7 S/U, 2-6-1 ATS): The Buffaloes are not a threat to win the Pac-12 title, but they are a team well outside the NCAA Tournament radar right now that could make a strong late season run to have a chance at inclusion. An uneven 10-3 non-conference campaign featured quality wins over Texas and Xavier before starting 0-7 in Pac-12 play. Colorado had to play five of the first seven games on the road in league play and the home games were difficult games vs. UCLA and USC. Colorado got a huge win last weekend over Oregon and while they face the Ducks on the road in a few weeks, they don’t have to play UCLA, USC, or Arizona the rest of the way. Ultimately back-to-back overtime losses to Washington and Washington State probably sealed the fate of the Buffaloes, but this is a team that is a lot stronger than the record shows and one of the most experienced squads in the conference has a chance to make some late season noise with a favorable remaining schedule.

Pac-12 Notes: Arizona (9-0) and Oregon (8-1) meet up next weekend for the first time with the winner considered to be in the driver’s seat in the Pac-12 race. Not since 2003-04 has a Pac-12 champion finished as good as 17-1 and 10 of the last 12 seasons, the champion finished with at least three conference losses. On the other end of the spectrum, 0-9 Oregon State is in danger of being the first team to fail to win a conference game in Pac-12 play since the Beavers went 0-18 in 2007-08. None of the nine losses for Oregon State have come by fewer than seven points and the remaining schedule is difficult with next week’s home game with Arizona State likely the best remaining opportunity for a squad that made the NCAA Tournament last season but has been hindered by injuries to two key players this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Creighton Bluejays (19-3) at Butler Bulldogs (18-4)

Date: January 31, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS -- Creighton showed signs that it might be back on track after struggling to replace its floor leader.

Creighton lost starting point guard Maurice Watson Jr. to a torn ACL in his left knee in a 72-67 win over Xavier on Jan. 16. The Bluejays were beaten by visiting Marquette 102-94 on Jan. 21 and host Georgetown 71-51 four nights later before rebounding to rout visiting DePaul 83-66 on Saturday.

"There has been a lot of adjustments, tinkering and experimentation, for lack of a better word, to try to figure out what's best going forward," coach Greg McDermott said.

McDermott said the defensive intensity was much improved against DePaul. McDermott is hoping for a similar result when No. 22 Creighton (19-3, 6-3) takes on No. 16 Butler (18-4, 7-3) on Tuesday in Big East action at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

However, McDermott said a team can't change everything.

"Your identity can't totally change," he said. "It's just different people executing what you need to do. Transition offense is a big part of what we do. We'll get better on the court as we adjust without Maurice, but defensive rebounding is where we are going to have to hang our hat because if you're not good in that area, you are putting so much pressure on an offense that is a lot different than it used to be."

Creighton senior forward Cole Huff isn't sure if the Bluejays completely turned the corner.

"It's hard to tell, this is just one game," Huff said. "Obviously it's a step in the right direction. there are a lot of things we have to watch on film and clean up. Butler came here and I know they weren't too happy with the result. I know they are going to make some changes, play a lot harder and do some things differently and we're going to have to answer the call."

The Bluejays downed the visiting Bulldogs 75-64 on Jan. 11.

Butler suffered its first home loss of the season with an 85-81 loss to Georgetown on Saturday. Bulldogs coach Chris Holtmann was frustrated with the defensive effort as the Hoyas shot 72.7 percent in the second half, 63.8 percent for the game.

"We got a little outside of who we need to be and who our identity needs to be," Holtmann said. "That's disappointing. I'll accept responsibility for that."

Senior forward Andrew Chrabascz said he should have done a better job getting the team ready.

"That falls on my shoulders," he said. "Every night you got to be ready. Now we have to play a very good Creighton team and we have to prepare well for them."

Chrabascz said the team had played well defensively in the previous few games.

"So it was a step back," Chrabascz said. "We have to make sure we put our hard hats and get ready to compete in practice."

Holtmann said his players shouldn't have underestimated Georgetown.

"If our guys don't understand they've got to prove it every night based on where we were picked in the league (sixth)," Holtmann said. "Georgetown was picked ahead of us in the league."

Holtmann said if his players don't understand that, then he's done a bad job communicating it and his players aren't as aware as he believes they are.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pittsburgh Panthers (12-9) at North Carolina Tar Heels (19-4)

Date: January 31, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- It's fair to say that No. 12 North Carolina and Pittsburgh are hurting after their most recent games.

It's just that degree of suffering for these teams looks vastly different as they go into Tuesday night's Atlantic Coast Conference matchup at the Smith Center.

First-place North Carolina (19-4, 7-2 ACC) had its seven-game winning streak snapped Saturday at Miami.

"We have some major wounds that need to be healed," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said Monday.

But nothing quite like last-place Pittsburgh (12-9, 1-7), which is stuck in a six-game losing streak after a couple of particularly disturbing results.

"We're struggling. That's obvious with what's going on with the outcomes of our games," Pittsburgh coach Kevin Stallings said. "Things don't get any easier, obviously having to play Carolina. They look like one of the best teams in the country to me. We know we've got our hands very full with that.

"We have to focus on continuing to try to get better and to try do the things to help us be a good team."

Williams described the Tar Heels as lacking energy in the Miami game.

"We didn't have enough guys with a high motor," Williams said. "You're not going to beat teams (in this league) unless you have your best effort."

Perhaps most troublesome was guard Joel Berry's two-point outing that included 0-for-8 shooting from the field. But Williams said after Berry struggled in the ACC opener at Georgia Tech that he responded in the next game with a sterling performance at Clemson.

Pittsburgh is coming off home losses to Louisville -- by a 106-51 score that reflected the largest margin of defeat ever for an ACC home team -- and to Clemson, which had shared last place with the Panthers.

"We played a little better on Saturday but we're going to have to do better than that if we want to have success we want," said Stallings, who's in his first season at Pittsburgh.

This begins a three-game road stretch for the Panthers, who also go to Duke and Boston College.

North Carolina is unbeaten in 11 home games this season.

Pittsburgh has the league's leading scorer in Jamel Artis (21.1 points per game) and third-leading scorer in Michael Young (20.3).

On the flip side, North Carolina has the top scoring team in the conference at 88.3, while Pittsburgh's scoring defense is second-to-last by allowing 77.3 points per outing.

"Our starters in some cases, particularly on defense, haven't been very productive," Stallings said.

North Carolina swingman Theo Pinson, who didn't play this season until mid-January because of a broken foot, will miss the Pittsburgh game after suffering an ankle injury last week. He also sat out the game at Miami.

The severity of Pinson's latest injury seems unclear as Williams said again that he's awaiting additional updates.

"I'd love to have him back because I think he adds so much to our team," Williams said.

Meanwhile, Stallings is somewhat familiar with North Carolina's campus. While Vanderbilt's coach, he made numerous visits to Chapel Hill a few years ago when his son, Jacob Stallings, was a catcher for the school's baseball team.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maryland Terrapins (19-2) at Ohio State Buckeyes (13-9)

Date: January 31, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No. 17 Maryland travels to Ohio State for a Big Ten game on Tuesday night matching two teams going in opposite directions.

Maryland (19-2, 7-1) is tied for the Big Ten lead with Wisconsin as it reaches the midpoint of the conference schedule. The Terrapins have won six in a row since their only Big Ten loss at home to Nebraska and 12 of their last 13.

Ohio State (13-9, 3-6) is struggling through one of its worst seasons in 13 years under coach Thad Matta. The Buckeyes are next to last in the Big Ten standings and are coming off a bad 85-72 loss on Saturday night at Iowa, which played without injured star Peter Jok, the Big Ten's leading scorer.

Meanwhile, Maryland won its fourth straight Big Ten road game on Saturday, coming away from Minnesota with an 85-78 victory fueled by freshman Justin Jackson's career-high 28 points that included 5-of-5 3-point shooting and 10 rebounds.

"We're just trying to win the next game, that's really what we're doing," Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. "I've been around a lot of teams. This team just stays so focused on the task at hand. If we can just maintain that, none of the other stuff really matters."

The Terrapins are 5-0 on the road this season and off to their best overall start in program history since the 1998-99 team had the same record through 21 games.

They're the only Big Ten team without a road loss in conference play, and so playing in Value City Arena shouldn't be a big deal for these road warriors.

The two teams last met there exactly one year ago in Columbus with Maryland winning 66-61 on Jan. 31, 2016, when Melo Trimble scored 20 points.

Turgeon has found success this season by keeping the team relaxed away from home.

"We're in the middle of five out of seven on the road," Turgeon said. "You better be together and you better have fun while you're doing it."

Nothing is more fun than winning and Maryland is having success thanks to Trimble, who was named to the final 10 for the Bob Cousy Award on Monday, and a talented trio of freshmen. Jackson, Kevin Huerter and Anthony Cowan Jr. have combined for 35.6 points, 8.4 assists and 15.6 rebounds in Maryland's five road wins.

"We don't call them freshmen, we call them young guys," Turgeon said. "They're good players. They don't think about the stage. They're just playing basketball."

Trimble is still the leader as the point guard, averaging 17.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

"I think Trimble is one of the best guards in college basketball in all that he does," Matta said.

After Ohio State started the Big Ten schedule with four straight losses, it appeared to be turning the ship around, winning three of its next four before hitting the wall at Iowa.

But the Buckeyes' roller-coaster efforts have typified their season so far. Matta knows Ohio State will have to play better than it did Saturday night to hang with red-hot Maryland.

The Buckeyes have five players scoring in double figures, led by Jae'Sean Tate at 14.0 points per game. Trevor Thompson is close to averaging a double-double (10.5 points, 9.3 rebounds).

"We have to play our best basketball (Tuesday) night," Matta said. "To quote (former Ohio State football coach) Jim Tressel a few years ago, we have to be better than we are."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Georgia Bulldogs (13-8) at Kentucky Wildcats (17-4)

Date: January 31, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- No. 8 Kentucky, which slipped four spots in the new Associated Press poll after consecutive losses to Tennessee and Kansas, looks to get back on track when Georgia visits Rupp Arena on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats are 17-4 overall and tied for first place in the Southeastern Conference at 7-1. Georgia (13-8, 4-4) is coming off a 59-57 win over Texas in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge.

"Georgia's good," Kentucky coach John Calipari said. "I just watched their game with Texas and they had Texas A&M beat. We don't play and you'll get beat again. I think we'll be ready to play. How the game plays out I don't know. We'll see."

Calipari headed back to the drawing board with two points of emphasis: toughness and turnovers.

"Toughness is a skill, to be like a hard, scrappy player. That's a skill, just like ball-handling and shooting is a skill," Calipari said. "Fighting for rebounding, it's a skill. If passing and shooting and dribbling can be taught and mastered, then so can that other stuff. So you get in here and you make them fight each other.

"You put the guards and the bigs -- you put Tai (Wynyard) and Bam (Adebayo) against guys that don't want to fight and let them just maul them. And then you're like, 'OK, if you want to accept that and let go of the rope, then you can't be playing.' So figure out, 'How do I do this that I can withstand all this stuff.'"

Turnovers are more obvious, jumping off the boxscore.

"Turnovers lead to easy baskets on the other end," Calipari said. "We gave 21 points up last game from turnovers. Can't win a game that way. The other thing is it becomes a 50-50 ball and I'm fighting for my life.

"I figure out a way to go get those balls. Now, you may not get all of them, but you can't give them all of them. The toughness late in the game, mentally the toughness, physically, that's what I'm talking about."

Kentucky committed 17 turnovers in blowing a 12-point lead to lose to Kansas on Saturday.

"Casual play," Calipari said. "I showed them all 17. Aggressive turnovers don't lead to baskets on the other end. The casual turnovers, you're just dribbling it across and you lose it? The look-away pass to the wing when you didn't have to. What's the hardest play I can make? When a guy is open right there, throw it.

"This is all stuff that when you're coaching young kids that you have to go through and you have to reinforce. We went back to some of our older defensive drills just to get them in a different mindset."

Kentucky is led by freshman guard Malik Monk at 21.7 points per game. Freshman guard De'Aaron Fox checks in at 15.9, sophomore guard Isaiah Bricscoe at 14.0 and freshman forward Adebayo at 13.3.

Georgia is topped by junior forward Yante Maten, who averages 19.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Next come senior guard J.J. Frazier at 15.5 points and junior guard Juwan Parker at 9.7.

Monk and Maten rank Nos. 1 and 2 in the SEC in scoring.

"Maten has hurt us over the years simply by being physical," Calipari said. "So it's a tough matchup for us."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: West Virginia Mountainers (17-4) at Iowa State Cyclones (13-7)

Date: January 31, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

On the surface, it seems like a dream matchup.

When No. 7 West Virginia visits Iowa State on Tuesday night for a Big 12 game at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, it will be the Mountaineers' ferocious full-court pressure against the Cyclones' cool point guard, Monte Morris.

The team that forces 22.7 turnovers per game against the preseason All-America pick who has committed only 23 turnovers in 20 games. The team averaging nearly 12 steals per game versus the team guilty of just 10.1 turnovers per game.

Something has to give here. But it might not necessarily be advantage West Virginia (17-4, 5-3) if it harries Morris and Iowa State (13-7, 5-3) into a few more mistakes than usual, or advantage Cyclones if they don't cough up a spate of live-ball turnovers.

"It's more than stealing the ball, it's about wearing people down," Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said to the Morgantown (W.Va.) Dominion Post. "Go back to the Virginia game, people were talking about how tired they were. It's not just stealing the ball. There are other positives from it."

Such as upping the tempo just enough to perhaps force a team to play a half-step quicker than it wants to, leading to quick shots that produce fast-break points on the other end. That's the game within a game every West Virginia opponent faces.

Beating the pressure is one thing, knowing when to try to score against it or pull the ball back out and run your offense with about 20 seconds remaining on the shot clock is another. And this is where the styles could make this fight a classic.

Few lead guards in the college game have Morris' discretion at knowing when to push pace or not gamble against the numbers. The senior averages five assists for every turnover, joining Jeff Hornacek as the only players in school history with 1,000 points, 600 assists and 200 steals.

How Morris fares -- and what kind of help he receives from backcourt mates Nazareth Mitrou-Long and Matt Thomas -- figures to determine if Iowa State gets the big win it could use to fortify its resume for an at-large bid or slips closer to the bubble.

"Teams that have beaten them -- Texas Tech, Oklahoma -- have had limited turnovers," Cyclones coach Steve Prohm said. "You have to be strong with the ball and do the fundamental stuff well. You can't bring too many people to the ball."

Iowa State is coming off an 84-78 loss at Vanderbilt on Saturday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, a game that certainly was winnable when it owned an 11-point first-half lead. But the Cyclones gave up 13 3-pointers to blow the lead and the game against a sub-.500 opponent.

The Mountaineers posted a win in the same event Saturday, forcing 23 turnovers by Texas A&M in an 81-77 decision in Morgantown. That result, coming after a resounding rout of Kansas on Jan. 24, bumped West Virginia up 11 spots in this week's poll.

But it's back to the Big 12 grind until the NCAA Tournament for West Virginia, and Huggins knows there won't be too many easy marks.

"By and large, the scores are close, and that's what happens in league play," he said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wisconsin Badgers (18-3) at Illinois Fighting Illini (13-9)

Date: January 31, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

Ethan Happ has made Wisconsin the team to beat in the Big Ten Conference.

All one has to do is look at Saturday's game against Rutgers for proof. On a day when no one in a Badgers uniform could make a shot, Happ merely unfurled a 32-point, six-rebound, three-assist gem to carry them past the Scarlet Knights 61-54 in overtime at Madison Square Garden.

Happ and No. 10 Wisconsin will try to at least keep pace with co-leader Maryland atop the conference when it visits Big Ten foe Illinois on Tuesday night at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill.

The 6-foot-10 Happ is the only player in Division I averaging at least 13 points, nine rebounds, 2.5 assists, two steals and one block per game. His emergence as a go-to player offensively, teamed with the Badgers' traditionally tough defense, will make them a tough out late into March -- and perhaps into April.

"It's so fun for me to be on the court with a guy like that," Wisconsin guard Zak Showalter said of Happ. "I've kind of tried to be that guy that plays every possession as hard as I can. But to see him playing the way he is, which is exciting to see, I'm playing off him now."

In surviving Rutgers, the Badgers (18-3, 7-1 Big Ten) overcame 33 percent shooting, including a dreadful 3-of-25 effort from beyond the 3-point line. Happ canned 12 of 18 shots, scoring seven of their 16 overtime points, and could have sniffed 40 points had he not finished a Shaq-esque 8 of 16 at the foul line.

"My biggest takeaway from the game is not to give up when you're not shooting well," Happ said. "To pull it out was an amazing team win. I never had any doubt (of winning) until the game is really over. I was ecstatic."

The Fighting Illini (13-9, 3-6) almost pulled off a season-turning win Saturday at Penn State, chopping a 22-point second-half deficit down to three with two minutes left before the Nittany Lions held them off 71-67.

Illinois harbored hopes of surprising the experts and achieving an NCAA Tournament berth this season, but it will need a big February and early March to pull that off. It's been hampered by poor defense in Big Ten games, allowing opponents to convert a ghastly 49.2 percent from the field and 37.2 percent on 3-pointers.

"They've got to play with more of a nastiness and a chip prior to getting behind," Illini coach John Groce told the Champaign News-Gazette after the loss to Penn State. "We've got to capture that. We've got to find a way to affect them defensively for 40 minutes."

Offense hasn't been the issue for Illinois, which is averaging 75.5 points and has five players averaging at least 8.7 points. The marquee performer is 6-5 senior forward Malcolm Hill, who's averaging 17.5 points and is capable of going off for 30 any night.

But if the Illini are going to pull off the upset, they'll have to get the job done defensively. Specifically, they'll have to figure out a way to keep Happ from getting happy.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Trends to Watch - Tuesday

Bounce-back Mode

Kentucky has lost two straight games for the first time since last February as the Wildcats coincidentally also lost back-to-back contests to Kansas and Tennessee. The Wildcats host Georgia at Rupp Arena as UK owns a 1-5 ATS mark the last six games.

North Carolina had it seven-game winning streak snapped in Saturday’s blowout loss at Miami. The Tar Heels return to the court, hosting Pittsburgh at home as UNC has covered six consecutive games at Chapel Hill.

Big Ten Trio

Iowa goes for the season sweep of Rutgers as the Hawkeyes are 0-4 SU/ATS in conference road games. Dating back to last season, Iowa owns a 2-8 SU/ATS mark inside the Big 10 on the highway, while Rutgers is riding a six-game UNDER streak.

Maryland seeks its seventh consecutive win and cover with a trip to Ohio State. The Terrapins have compiled a perfect 4-0 SU/ATS record as a road underdog in Big 10 action as Maryland opened as an underdog in Columbus.

Wisconsin travels to Illinois looking for its 11th straight victory over the Fighting Illini since January 2011. The Badgers have cashed in nine of the last 10 meetings, including four straight covers at Illinois as a road favorite.

MAC Attack

Ohio has won each of the past two meetings with Western Michigan, including an 89-58 blowout of the Broncos in early January. The Bobcats are 3-1 SU and 2-1-1 ATS on the road in conference action, while the Broncos are looking to snap a four-game skid.

Toledo has owned Ball State recently by going 5-1 in the last six matchups, but the Cardinals have covered four times as an underdog. The Rockets have struggled on the highway in league play at 1-3 SU/ATS, while Ball State has won five of its past six games overall.

Both Miami (Ohio) and Bowling Green have stumbled to 2-6 conference records, as these teams split a pair of meetings last season. The Redhawks are 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS on the road inside the MAC, while the Falcons are 1-5 SU/ATS in the previous six contests overall.

Central Michigan shoots for its fourth straight victory as the Chippewas face Buffalo. The Bulls are coming off consecutive losses, but Buffalo has won three of four times this season off two straight defeats.

The home team has won each of the past five meetings between Kent and Eastern Michigan as the two squads meet in Ypsilanti. The Eagles are 0-3 ATS in their last three as a home favorite.

Akron looks to start 9-0 in MAC play as the Zips visit Northern Illinois. The Zips have lost in their last two visits to NIU, while the Huskies have dropped their past two home contests.

SEC Streakers

Mississippi has posted a 6-3-1 ATS record in the last 10 games as the Rebels face in-state rival Mississippi State. However, Ole Miss is 4-8-1 ATS this season in the favorite role, while the Bulldogs have lost four straight meetings in Oxford.

Tennessee looks to extend its winning streak to four following recent home underdog victories over Kentucky and Kansas State. The Volunteers head to Auburn as the Tigers have cashed in four of the past six games, while coming off a win as a 10 ½-point underdog at TCU on Saturday. Auburn has struggled against Tennessee over the years by losing nine of the past 10 meetings, but the only win in this stretch came last season at home.

Both Vanderbilt and Texas A&M look to improve on a 3-5 conference record, as the Commodores have lost five of their past six league games. The Aggies have stumbled to a 1-6 ATS mark in the past seven games as a favorite, including a 1-4 ATS record as a home favorite in SEC play.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Basketball Expert Predictions: Three Interesting Jan. 31 Opening Lines
by Alan Matthews

I don't think it's particularly fair that a head coach get fired because injuries torpedoed his team, but I believe Indiana's Tom Crean is in some trouble with his Hoosiers certainly on the NCAA Tournament bubble and now having lost another key player. A couple of weeks ago, potential NBA lottery pick OG Anunoby was lost for the season to a knee injury, and now junior guard James Blackmon Jr., the team's leading scorer, is out indefinitely with a lower leg injury. He was hurt during IU's ugly 90-60 loss to Michigan last Thursday and sat out Sunday's defeat against Northwestern. Blackmon missed the entire Big Ten season in 2015-16 after suffering a right knee injury that required season-ending surgery. He declared for the NBA draft before eventually returning to school. Blackmon is averaging 17.6 points this year.

Pittsburgh at No. 12 North Carolina ( -18 )

ACC game at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Pittsburgh has fallen off a cliff in losing six in a row -- I wonder how all those Pitt backers are feeling about running Coach Jamie Dixon out of town at this point. Assuming the Panthers lose this one and Saturday at Duke, they will be 1-9 in the ACC and have zero shot at the Big Dance. Pitt comes off a 67-60 home loss to Clemson on Saturday. The Tigers won for the first time in 2017 by holding Pitt to just 32 percent (18-for-55) shooting. The Panthers were 5-for-28 in the second half and missed their final five.

North Carolina had a seven-game winning streak snapped in a 77-62 loss at Miami on Saturday. The Tar Heels' point total was a season low and 27 below their average, and they shot only 35 percent. UNC shot just 22 percent in the first half, the second-lowest in the Roy Williams era. The Heels had zero fast-break points and their eight second-chance points tied their fewest this year. Carolina played without big man Theo Pinson due to a right foot injury. Before the season, Pinson broke the fifth metatarsal in that same foot and the injury forced him to miss UNC's first 16 games. He has also twice broken the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. So it's not clear when or even if he will play again this season. Pinson is averaging 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. The Heels beat Pitt twice easily last season.

Key trends: The Panthers are 3-7 against the spread in their past 10 on the road. The Heels are 11-4 ATS in their past 15 vs. the ACC. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings.

I'm leaning: Pittsburgh.

Vanderbilt at Texas A&M (TBA)

SEC matchup at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU. Vandy is off an 84-78 win over Iowa State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday. Senior captains Luke Kornet and Nolan Cressler combined for 41 points. Cressler made 8 of 10 field goals and 4-for-4 on 3-pointers to score 20 points, his most in two seasons with the Commodores since transferring from Cornell. Those two are the only seniors on first-year coach Bryce's Drew nine-player roster. Drew replaced Kevin Stallings, who took over at Pitt when Dixon left for his alma mater TCU.

I thought Texas A&M had a decent shot at upsetting West Virginia in Morgantown on Saturday because WVU was off a huge home win over Kansas. The Aggies didn't win but did cover in the 81-77 loss. The Aggies were down 20 at one point in the second half. Admon Gilder scored 24 points for the Aggies, and Tyler Davis had 19 points and 18 rebounds. Gilder has played in all but one minute of the past four games. Davis' 18 rebounds were the most for the Aggies since Andy Slocum also had 18 against Texas in 2004. A&M played a second straight game without sophomore forward D.J. Hogg, and he's questionable here with a foot injury. He averages 13.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. These schools split last year, each winning at home.

Key trends: Vandy is 7-3 ATS in its past 10. A&M is 3-8 ATS in its past 11.

I'm leaning: Vandy, which will be a dog regardless, if Hogg sits and A&M if he returns.

Georgia at No. 8 Kentucky (-16.5)

Also from the SEC at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Dawgs are on the NCAA Tournament bubble at the moment, probably the wrong side of it with no great nonconference wins. This starts a season-defining stretch with games at South Carolina. vs. Florida and at Tennessee up next. Georgia beat visiting Texas 59-57 on Saturday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Yante Maten led the Bulldogs, who were down nine at halftime, with 21 points and Horns freshman Jarrett Allen missed a close shot at the buzzer (it rimmed out) to send it to OT. "I'm not going to lie to you, I thought it was good," Maten said. "How it came out of his hands, it was about halfway down and then it popped out." Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins was honored at halftime of the game.

I had Kentucky beating No. 2 Kansas in Lexington on Saturday, but the Cats were upset 79-73 for their second straight loss. The Jayhawks shot 59 percent in the second half and turned 17 UK turnovers into 21 points. Malik Monk and Derek Willis each had 18 points for the Wildcats. UK led by 12 on three different occasions and had been 204-3 under John Calipari when taking a double-digit lead in a game. When scoring less than 85 points in a game this season, the Cats are now 1-3 (lone win vs. Michigan State, which is down this season). Kentucky has lost back-to-back games for only the eighth time under Calipari. It's only the third time in eight years under Calipari that the Wildcats have lost at least two home games (2012-13 and 2013-14). UK was 2-0 vs. Georgia last season.

Key trends: The Dawgs are 4-0 ATS in their past four on the road. The Cats are 1-5 ATS in their past six. The home team is 7-1 ATS in the past eight meetings.

I'm leaning: Georgia.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Tuesday’s games

Creighton is 1-2 since losing PG Watson for year, losing by 20 at Georgetown in only road game since then- they were 3-0 in Big East road games before he got hurt. Butler won four of last five games, but got upset by Hoyas last game; Bulldogs are 3-1 as home favorite, winning by 17-8-5-8 points. Butler won three of last four games with Creighton, winning by 3-13 in last two games played here. Bluejays won first meeting 75-64 at home Jan 11 (before Watson got hurt), shooting 72.7% inside arc (24-33). Big East home favorites of 6+ points are 14-8-1 vs spread.

Ole Miss is 1-3 at home in SEC contests; dogs covered three of the four games. Rebels are 0-2-1 vs spread as home favorites; their only home win was by 11 over Tennessee. Rebels are turning ball over 22% of time in SEC games. Mississippi State is 2-2 as a road underdog, losing last two away games by 7-9 points; they lost three of last four games overall. Ole Miss won five of last six games with Mississippi State, winning last five series games in Oxford, by 7-18-19-6-8 points. SEC home favorites of 5 or less points are 4-14 vs spread this season.

Iowa is 3-0 vs Rutgers in Big 14 play, winning 90-76 in only visit here LY. Hawkeyes won first meeting with Rutgers this year 68-62 at home, rallying back from 9 down with 9:44 left to play. Iowa lost three of last four games overall, is 0-4 on Big 14 road, losing by 22-3-35-12 points (0-4 vs spread). Rutgers is 1-8 in Big 14, blowing 9-point lead in last 3:21 vs Wisconsin last game; Scarlet Knights are 1-2 in their own gym, losing by 13 to Penn St, 9 to Northwestern. Big 14 home teams are 7-5 vs spread in games where number was 2 or less points.

Wake Forest led Duke by 10 with 4:01 left Saturday, lost by hoop, a brutal loss for young team; Deacons are 1-3 as a road underdog, losing away games by 16-17-5 points with lone win at NC State. Boston College lost last five games but covered last three; they’re 3-1 as a home dog, upsetting NC State/Syracuse. BC won three of last five games with Wake Forest; home side won six of last seven series games. BC lost 79-66 at Wake in first meeting this year Jan 3, in game BC led by 5 early in second half. ACC road favorites of 6 or less points are 4-7-1.

Ohio State is 3-2 in its last five games, with four of five decided by 6 or less points; Buckeyes are 2-2 at home in Big 14, losing to Purdue by 1, Northwestern by 2. Maryland is 11-1 this season in games decided by 8 or less points, despite being #319 experience team in country; Terrapins won/covered all Big 14 road games- they covered last six games overall. Maryland is 2-1 vs Ohio State in Big 14 games, splitting pair of games here. Terps swept Ohio State LY, winning by 35 at home, 66-61 in Columbus. Big 14 home favorites of 3 or less points are 12-6.

Missouri State lost its last two games by a point each; they’re 3-2 SU at home, 1-4 vs spread as a home favorite. Loyola won six of its last eight games (7-1 vs spread); they covered last four road games, are 2-0 vs spread as a road underdog, with road losses by 4-12-3 points (2-3 SU on road). Loyola won four of last five games with Missouri State, winning last two games here, by 3-13 points. Ramblers won first meeting this year 77-71 at home, rallying back from down 11 points in second half. MVC home favorites of less than 5 points are 6-4-1 vs spread.

St Joe’s lost four of last five games (last four decided by 5 or less points) but covered last three; they’re 2-2 at home in A-14, beating George Washington by 5, LaSalle by 1- they lost at home to George Mason/Richmond. Davidson won three of its last four games; they’re 2-2 on A-14 road, beating Saint Louis, Fordham, losing by 4 at George Washington, 8 at LaSalle. Home side won both St Joe’s-Davidson games in A-14 play; Wildcats lost 75-70 in only visit here, in ’15. A-14 road favorites of 5 or less points are 1-5 against the spread.

Akron is 8-0 in MAC, 4-4 vs spread, 2-1 as road favorite, winning road games by 4-4-10 points at Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Miami. 4 of Zips’ 8 MAC wins are by 5 or less points. Northern Illinois lost its last two home games, to Ohio/Kent; Huskies are 2-2 at home in MAC, with both wins by four points. NIU is turning ball over 21.7% of time in MAC games. Akron is 5-2 in its last seven games with NIU but they’re 1-5 in last six visits to DeKalb, losing last two games here by 1-3 points. MAC road favorites are 6-5-1 vs spread this season.

Auburn is 2-2 at home in SEC, winning last two home games, by 4-20 points; they won three of last four games overall after their upset win at TCU Saturday. Pearl’s old team Tennessee won four of last five games, is 2-2 on SEC road, winning at A&M/Vandy, losing by 13 at Florida, 11 at Ole Miss. Tennessee is 10-1 in its last 11 games with Auburn, thrashing undermanned Tigers 97-59 in SEC tourney LY. Vols won three of last four visits here, but lost 83-77 in LY’s visit. SEC home teams are 5-12 vs spread in games with spread of 2 or less points.

Vanderbilt lost three of its last five games, is 2-2 on SEC road, 3-1 as a road underdog, losing by 3 at Alabama, 8 at Georgia; they won at LSU/Florida. Texas A&M is 2-2 on road, 1-3 as a road favorite, beating LSU by 30, Georgia by 1, losing to Tennessee/Arkansas. Aggies’ last four games were all decided by 4 or less points. Aggies are turning ball over 25.6% of time in SEC games. Home side won five of six Vandy-Texas A&M games; Commodores lost last two visits here, by 11-9 points. SEC home favorites of 5+ points are 13-11-1 vs spread this season.

West Virginia is 17-4 this year, with all four losses by 4 or less points; Mountaineers are forcing turnovers 23.9% of time, but are just 2-2 on Big X road, losing at Texas Tech/K-State by total of five points. Iowa State is 3-1 at home in Big X, with only loss by 4 to Kansas; Cyclones’ last five games were all decided by 7 or less points. West Virginia swept Iowa State by 5-10 points LY, after losing five of first six Big X meetings with the Cyclones. WVU is 1-3 in Ames, losing by 2-17-20 points. Big X road favorites of 3 or less points are 4-2 against the spread.

Wisconsin won its last ten games with Illinois, winning last four visits here, by 4-6-12-8 points. Badgers won their last five games overall (2-3 vs spread); they’re 3-1 on Big 14 road, winning last two road games in OT- they’re 1-2 as a road favorite. Illinois lost four of last five games, is 3-1 at home in league, with only loss by 6 to Maryland. Home side covered 8 of their 9 Big 14 games. Teams are shooting 55.9% inside arc vs Illini. Wisconsin is forcing turnovers 21.5% of time in conference games. Big 14 road favorites of 3+ points are 1-6 vs spread.

Colorado State won/covered its last three games, is 7-2 vs spread in Mountain West games this year; Rams are 3-1 at home in MW, with only loss by 13 to New Mexico. Boise is 4-1 on MW road, with only loss by 9 at Fresno. Rams/Broncos split their 12 Mountain West games; CSU won first meeting this year 74-73 at home, after being down 6 with 4:04 left in game, winning despite going 5-23 on arc, 17-30 on line. Broncos lost last two visits to Ft Collins, by 6-4 points- they lost here in double OT LY.* Mountain West home favorites of 3 or less points are 4-6.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Pompano Park

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.

Race 9 - Post: 9:44 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 74 - Purse:$3200 - CLAIMING $4,000
CONSORTIUM*CHOICES

# 2 DIGAM 2/1
# 5 FOUR STARZ ALEX 7/2
# 8 STRONSKI 20/1

After thorough analysis by the brain trust, DIGAM comes out as the top pick. Could very well provide us a victory based on very nice recent speed ratings - earning an avg of 75. This nice horse has shown us some prior ability, just look at the 75 average class stat. Should play well here. Strong driver-trainer figures make this contender a bang-up choice. Very likely will be putting cash down in this one. FOUR STARZ ALEX - Chances are greatly enhanced for standardbreds coming from the 5 position at Pompano Park. Could best this group, just look at the speed rating - 72 - from his last race. STRONSKI - Sometimes you just have to go with a vibe, back this one's chances.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Yonkers Raceway

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.

Race 9 - Post: 9:50 - 1 mile. TROT - Class Rating: 86 - Purse:$30000 - NON-WINNERS OF 8 P-M RACES OR $80,000 LIFETIME. 3,4& 5 YEAR OLDS
CONSORTIUM*CHOICES

# 5 ALVAREZ 8/5
# 4 SHADY MCCOY 4/1
# 2 PRIDECREST 6/1

ALVAREZ is the clear stand out wager in the eyes of the consortium. Getting a good idea about this mare. Could surprise for this one. That 88 speed fig clocked in the most recent contest puts this entrant in the mix for this race. Talk about a dynamic duo, Dobson and Krist have some of the best driver-conditioner figures at the track. SHADY MCCOY - The 4 position sports a much better than average win figure at Yonkers Raceway. Should compete very well in this contest as his style of running fits well in this field of horses. PRIDECREST - Could be the best in the pack here, showing good figures of late. Average speed is a solid 88. Could best this race, just look at the speed rating - 86 - from his last contest.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Sunland Park

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 9 - Claiming - 5.5f on the Dirt. Purse: $11400 Class Rating: 74

FOR FILLIES AND MARES FOUR YEARS OLD AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NEVER WON THREE RACES OR NEW MEXICO BRED NON-WINNER OF FOUR RACES). FOUR YEAR OLDS, 121 LBS.; OLDER, 123 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $7,500. NEW MEXICO BRED CLAIMING PRICE $12,500.


RECOMMENDED*CHOICES


# 9 QUEENS TIARA 6/1

# 4 MISSCHARLYPOTATOES 8/1

# 8 MYHEARTSINTHECITY 8/1

QUEENS TIARA looks to be a respectable contender. This equine is prominent in this field in earnings per start at the distance/surface. Is a very solid contender based on numbers recorded recently under today's conditions. This filly with Eikleberry in the irons makes her a solid choice. MISSCHARLYPOTATOES - If you examine closely, this one has some longshot possibilities. This bunch is much softer than the last one she was up against. MYHEARTSINTHECITY - The average Equibase class rating alone makes this one a solid choice. Ought to be given consideration - I like the numbers from the last contest.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Turf Paradise

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 1 - Maiden Optional Claiming - 8.0f on the Turf. Purse: $12500 Class Rating: 78

FOR MAIDENS, FOUR YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. WEIGHT, 124 LBS. OPTIONAL CLAIMING PRICE $30,000 RAIL SET AT 21 FEET).


RECOMMENDED*CHOICES


# 7 ROYAL PATRIOT 10/1

# 8 YA ANTABTTSY 5/2

# 5 CECIL THE CAT 2/1

ROYAL PATRIOT has a strong shot to take this race especially at a long price. May best this group here, showing decent figs of late. When a trainer brings any animal back this quickly it is a positive signal. Baze has this gelding travelling well and is a very good pick based on the decent speed figures posted in route races as of late. CECIL THE CAT - Will likely be one of the early speedsters of the group going into the midpoint of the contest. With a respectable 69 Equibase speed fig last time out, will unquestionably be a factor in this competition.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Parx Racing - Race #6 - Post: 2:40pm - Maiden Special - 8.3 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $50,000 Class Rating: 85

Rating:

#2 OPPORTUNITY COST (ML=3/1)
#3 J. J.'S CANDY (ML=9/2)
#6 ASPHALT PAVING (ML=10/1)


OPPORTUNITY COST - This colt should give a good showing of himself in today's race. J. J.'S CANDY - On board this horse on January 10th and Cedeno is back again in the irons today. A thoroughbred coming back this promptly after a strong outing is a good sign. ASPHALT PAVING - Gryder and Levine teamed up together are a railbird's friend. Levine has an 'uncoupled' entry here. Best to beware of the longer priced half. Faced tougher last out at Aqueduct. Based on class figures, this is a weaker field, so I will put this horse on my list of probable winners in this race. Is ranked number one in earnings per race. A powerful effort in this race can increase the lifetime bankroll. Has a pretty good chance to break maiden going to the dirt right here in this race. Sub-par effort last race out at Aqueduct was due to the off-going (he ended up sixth). Have to do better in today's race on a fast track.

Vulnerable Contenders: #7 BASELINE (ML=7/2), #1 EMOTICON (ML=6/1),

BASELINE - Don't think this mount will make an impact in today's event. That last rating was mediocre when compared with today's class rating. EMOTICON - The speed rating in the last race doesn't fit very well in this race when I look at the class figure of today's event. Mark this entrant as a possibly overvalued contestant.



STRAIGHT WAGERS:

Bet on #2 OPPORTUNITY COST to win if we can get at least 7/2 odds

EXACTA WAGERS:

Box [2,3,6]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:

Box [2,3,6] Total Cost: $6

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:

[2,3,6] with [2,3,6] with [2,3,5,6,11] with [2,3,5,6,11] Total Cost: $36

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Mahoning Valley Race Course - Race #3 - Post: 1:40pm - Maiden Special - 8.0 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $17,900 Class Rating: 61

Rating:

#5 NEW YORK GEM (ML=8/1)
#4 PRINCESS EMBER (ML=7/2)


NEW YORK GEM - Barbaran was aboard this mare in the last race and was impressed enough to take the animal right back. This mare is in good condition. Finished third on January 21st. PRINCESS EMBER - Ran in the last race against a much better field at Turfway Park. The move to a lower level should suit her well.

Vulnerable Contenders: #2 MISS SAMMY (ML=8/5), #6 MANY FACES (ML=9/2), #3 AROMA BLUE (ML=6/1),

MISS SAMMY - This morning-line favorite ran on January 4th and hasn't had a drill since then. MANY FACES - That was merely not a very good display in the last clash. I can't play this frequent non-winner. Gets the assignment fulfilled infrequently. The speed fig in the last race doesn't fit very well in this affair when I look at the class figure of today's race. Mark this thoroughbred as a likely underpriced equine. AROMA BLUE - Showed very little in the last event. Really no reason to expect any change today. Hard to put your dough on the win end of any thoroughbred that finishes second and third as frequently as this entrant does. Mediocre speed figure last time around the track at Mahoning Valley Race Cour at 6 furlongs. Don't think this vulnerable equine will improve too much in today's race.



STRAIGHT WAGERS:

Bet on #5 NEW YORK GEM to win if we can get at least 6/5 odds

EXACTA WAGERS:

Box [4,5]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:

None

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:

None

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Tuesday 1/31 Analysis
By Brewster Smith

DRF

MEET STATS: 18 - 81 / 169.40

BEST BETS: 4 - 8 / $14.60

Best Bet: DEWDLE ALL DAY (7th)

Spot Play: VIRGIL CAINE (2nd)


Race 1

(3) SIR ZIGGYS Z TAM Gelding is sharp based on his last two tries and figures to return to his winning ways. (1) V I P BAYAMA took the pocket route on his way home to victory last out at Freehold; threat for the repeat. (2) CLASSIC AMERICAN N gets post relief and that should help his cause; we shall see.

Race 2

(4) VIRGIL CAINE comes by way of the Meadowlands and seems to be coming around; at his best he can top these. (5) DON LINDY showed good speed but could not hold off the top two in his latest; dangerous. (1) IM LOOKING AT YOU just missed the score by 1/2 length; not out of this from the rail.

Race 3

(1) BEST TURBO was sent down the road in her latest for all the glory. Retains the fence and catches a weak group tonight; repeats. (5) MAJESTIC MISTRESS was very wide and broke turning for home last out; could atone. (7) CAROLINKIA Hopefully the three qualifiers in a row could have her cranked her up for this; maybe.

Race 4

(7) MASS BALANCE was uncovered the entire mile and folded last time out but the good news is he faces a weak group. So with a favorable trip he can get the job done. (6) MAJOR MATTER was caught very wide at the 3/4 pole and saved the place recently; big threat. (5) BEND IN THE RIVER is knocking at the door based on his last two trips to the post; watch out.

Race 5

(4) THE EMPIRESSISTER N Mare showed signs of life last out and she could be ready to fire her best against these. (3) GO FOR SAND Jersey invader might appreciate the half-mile oval and she does have tactical speed. (2) ELM GROVE INARUSH gets serious post relief; not out of this.

Race 6

(2) METATRON came down the center of the track and mowed them down for all the glory in his recent outing and the trotter can repeat despite the rise in class. (3) ONTHEROAD DE VIE Three straight in the trifecta puts this mare right in the mix with these. (1) INUKCHUK CHUCK raced evenly in his last try and should improve from the fence.

Race 7

(3) DEWDLE ALL DAY got the job done wire to window in her last start and this trotting mare seems to be in winning form to make it two straight. (7) DYNAMIC EDGE is another that scored down the road last week; post hurts tonight but he is capable. (6) PERFECT ROAD seems to love being in the exacta picture so he must be considered in all the exotic slots.

Race 8

(1) JUST BETTOR Sharp qualifier last out here and now this California invader will try to get back on the winning groove riding the rail. (3) IM A GIFT was on the lead most of the way but was nailed for win honors in his Florida finale; big threat. (4) MIGHTY PERUVIAN N moves down in class and this pacer has every right to be right in the thick of it.

Race 9

(4) SHADY MCCOY lost all chance when this trotter broke at the start but the good news is the gelding has done quite well so far this year so he has every right to atone off his last clunker. (5) ALVAREZ has wheeled off two straight victories and the hat trick is clearly not out of the question. (7) ARRAKIS is knocking at the door based on his last two trips to the post.

Race 10

(6) TWIN B SPEEDO Gelding is sharp enough to get the job done over these if given a favorable trip. (2) MYSHARONA BLUECHIP should be much better from the 2-hole and Kakaley keeps the faith. (4) RANSOM DEMAND takes a slight drop in class and Bartlett is back at the controls; beware.