Tuesday 12/29/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (18-12) at Grizzlies (17-16)

Date: December 29, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Memphis Grizzlies will no doubt enjoy being the more rested club Tuesday night when they look to split their season series with the Miami Heat.

This matchup pits the teams that have played the most and fewest such sets, with the Heat traveling to Memphis on the heels of a disappointing loss.

Due to the vagaries of the NBA schedule, Memphis (17-16) has played the most back-to-back sets with 10 to this point. The Grizzlies won't have to worry about that this time since they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 112-96 on Sunday.

Miami (18-12) will complete its fourth such set, which will match Charlotte and Chicago for the fewest.

The Heat fell 111-105 at home to Brooklyn on Monday. Chris Bosh made all five 3-pointers for 24 points and 12 rebounds, Dwyane Wade scored 24 and Hassan Whiteside had 18 points and 11 boards, but Miami allowed 27 second-chance points on 16 offensive rebounds and 12 3-pointers.

Wade was critical of the Heat's season to date.

"Thirty games together. We ain't figured it out yet," Wade said. "We haven't played together long enough to figure it out. Either this is going to be our season like this, either we're going to figure it out or we're not.

"We're a good team. If we're satisfied with being a good team, then we'll keep playing like this throughout the year. If we want to be a great team, then we'll put it together. There's only one way to find out. About 52 games away from that."

The Grizzlies should be extra fresh since Sunday's game against the Western Conference's worst team amounted to an organized scrimmage. Mike Conley scored 19 points in 24 minutes and Zach Randolph had 16 in 20 as Memphis shot 56.3 percent.

"I thought it was a good team victory," coach Dave Joerger said. "I thought we played with a lot of passion and a lot of emotion."

Memphis will try to win a fifth straight home meeting with Miami and avenge a 100-97 defeat Dec. 13. The Grizzlies blew a 16-point, third-quarter lead as the Heat scored the game's final 11 points in the last 2:34.

Wade made the go-ahead jumper with 22 seconds left as part of a 14-point effort. Bosh led Miami with 22 points.

Jeff Green scored 26 points and Matt Barnes added 13 and 13 rebounds for Memphis.

Barnes won't be available for the rematch since he is serving a two-game suspension. It's for a "physical altercation" with Derek Fisher for "threatening" the New York Knicks coach in an incident in October.

Miami's 9-1 record against West foes is the East's best mark.

The comeback victory marked the first matchup between these clubs since their four-player deal Nov. 10, in which Mario Chalmers and James Ennis were sent to Memphis for Beno Udrih and Jarnell Stokes. Chalmers scored 12 points in his return to Miami.

The Grizzlies' Marc Gasol leads the NBA with an average of 12.9 elbow touches while Bosh entered Monday among the league's best at 7.8. Bosh is averaging 25.4 points on 53.9 percent shooting in his last five games.

Heat rookie Justise Winslow missed his first game Monday with an ankle injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bucks (12-20) at Thunder (21-10)

Date: December 29, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Dunks by 6-foot-11 backup centers usually don't mean much. But Enes Kanter's fourth-quarter throwdown may have sparked something in the Oklahoma City Thunder, who look to further their momentum Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kanter has been a valuable contributor off the bench for Oklahoma City (21-10), averaging 11.7 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds. He was one of 13 players averaging at least 3.0 offensive rebounds entering play Monday, but his 20.5 minutes per game were the fewest of that group.

"I just want to help my team win," said Kanter, whose game has flourished since arriving via trade from Utah last season. "It doesn't matter, off the bench, play one minute or 48. When I'm out there, coach tells me to bring energy and just go after rebounds and I'm just trying to do that."

Kanter had nine of his 21 points in a game-breaking 13-5 fourth-quarter run of Sunday's 122-112 victory over Denver, highlighted by a one-handed dunk over 6-10 Nikola Jokic off a feed from Russell Westbrook that led to a three-point play. The Thunder fed on that momentum-swinging play as Westbrook and Serge Ibaka also charged the rim for slams before Kanter capped the surge with another one at the 4:32 mark.

"Enes did a great job of coming in and being aggressive and being strong in the paint," said Westbrook, who combined with Kevin Durant for 56 points and 22 assists as Oklahoma City shot a season-best 57.8 percent.

The Thunder, who bounced back from a Christmas Day home loss to Chicago, have won 10 of 12.

Kanter's prowess on the offensive boards could prove troublesome for the Bucks, whose average of 11.7 offensive rebounds allowed is among the highest in the league. He has proven to be a handful for Milwaukee, totaling 50 points and 30 rebounds - nine on the offensive end - in his last two matchups.

Rebounding wasn't the issue for the Bucks (12-20) on Monday in Dallas - they allowed only six offensive rebounds and amassed a 52-34 edge on the boards - but a slow-rotating defense contributed to a 103-93 setback.

Milwaukee failed to force a first-half turnover, induced an NBA season-low four overall and were outscored 26-0 in points scored off turnovers, becoming the first team this season to be shutout in that stat. The Bucks didn't help themselves defensively on the perimeter as the Mavs went 10 for 22 from 3-point range, falling to 1-13 when opponents hit at least 10 3s from beyond the arc.

The Bucks, who have lost 13 of their last 14 on the road, did have one positive as Jerryd Bayless had 19 points and seven assists off the bench after missing 11 games with a sprained left ankle.

"Usually, your rhythm is not going to be what it was before you got injured; there's a process of getting back in the flow," Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty said. "I thought he did a very nice job of not only getting himself going but getting the team going."

The home team won both games last season, with Oklahoma City owning a 54-31 rebounding edge in a 114-101 victory Dec. 9, 2014, as Westbrook scored 28 points and Durant added 23. The Thunder, though, did most of their damage on the fast break, outscoring the Bucks 25-3 in transition.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (20-13) at Rockets (16-16)

Date: December 29, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

J.B. Bickerstaff thinks the Houston Rockets need to solve some fundamental problems in order to turn around what has been a frustrating season.

The interim Houston coach is sick of watching what he called the "ugly Rockets."

Three days after going on a rant for his team's poor play, Bickerstaff's Rockets return to the court Tuesday night looking to snap a three-game losing streak to the Atlanta Hawks, who travel to Houston for the second contest of a back-to-back.

The Rockets are 12-9 since Bickerstaff took over after a 4-7 start under Kevin McHale, but they remain plagued by uneven play.

The reigning Southwest Division champions won 88-84 in San Antonio on Christmas Day, holding the division-leading Spurs to a season low in points. But Houston (16-16) lost to another one of the Western Conference's disappointing teams, falling 110-108 at New Orleans on Saturday after getting outscored 16-5 over the final eight minutes.

Four of Houston's last five losses have come to Brooklyn, Denver, Sacramento and the Pelicans - teams with a combined .350 winning percentage.

"We have to solve our core issues," Bickerstaff said. "There's a reason why this team is so up and down. We come out here tonight, things aren't easy, things don't go our way and we turn into the ugly Rockets. It's frustrating for me. It's frustrating for all of us.

"Over and over again, we've disrespected the game," he continued. "Our priorities need to be clear and I need to do a better job playing people whose priorities are clear. Winning is the only priority."

James Harden's play has exemplified the team's seesaw season. The Rockets star has shot 35.7 percent from the floor over the past two games, but 45 percent or better in six of the last 10. He was 8 of 21 against the Pelicans, but made 5 of 11 from 3-point range and scored 25. The Rockets finished 15 for 33 from behind the arc, but missed 14 of their last 18 long-range attempts.

Harden said he agrees with Bickerstaff that the Rockets are "just not bringing it every single night."

"Every single night, no matter who we are playing, we've got to be ready to go," he said after Monday's practice, though he couldn't pinpoint a reason for the up-and-down play.

"If we knew that," Harden said, "then it wouldn't be happening."

Atlanta (20-13) had a six-game winning streak snapped in a 93-87 loss to Indiana on Monday to open a three-game road trip.

The Hawks averaged 111.5 points and shot 51.2 percent during their win streak but were 6 of 25 on 3-pointers against Indiana and turned the ball over a season-high 22 times. After getting outscored 31-13 in the second quarter, they forged a few ties in the third but were never closer than three in the fourth.

'Tonight's game was a game of spurts and they were better,' Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. 'Collectively we didn't play well enough.'

Paul Millsap led Atlanta with 24 points, but backup point guard Dennis Schroder, who helped key the team's win streak by averaging 14.0 points on 50.8 percent shooting, scored just four on 2 for 8 from the field.

The Hawks have won the last three meetings with the Rockets, including both matchups last season, but Houston was without Harden and Dwight Howard for the second one.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (20-9) at Nuggets (12-19)

Date: December 29, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

If LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for any incentive to beat the short-handed Denver Nuggets, maybe this contest will mean more to Timofey Mozgov and J.R. Smith.

Those former Nuggets return to the Mile High City on Tuesday night looking to help the Cavaliers salvage a four-game split of this grueling road trip without the services of Kyrie Irving.

Cleveland (20-9) is completing a five-day stretch comprised of two back-to-back sets. The Cavaliers fell 89-83 to Golden State on Friday and 105-76 at Portland the next night before recovering for Monday's 101-97 win over Phoenix.

While James was off his game Monday with 14 points and seven assists, Irving picked up the slack with a team-high 22 points, including a 3-pointer with 21.9 seconds left and the shot clock expiring that gave the Cavaliers a four-point edge.

'It is a great feeling having the kid back,' James said. 'He does so much for our team.'

That won't be the case Tuesday as Irving sits out while working his way back from knee surgery. It will be the third time he will sit out the second of back-to-back games since his return Dec. 20, and he doesn't expect the Cavaliers to miss a beat.

"We have an incredible team and everyone understands that roles are going to change throughout the season no matter what," Irving said.

James - who turns 31 on Wednesday - has not been at his best on this trip, shooting 36.7 percent and averaging 17.0 points and 4.7 assists. He's shooting 41.3 percent and averaging 21.8 points in the second half of back-to-back sets, with Cleveland splitting four such games with the superstar in the lineup.

If James isn't up to par in the high altitude of Denver, Mozgov and Smith may be up for this contest.

Mozgov returns to Denver for the first time since being traded to Cleveland on Jan. 7. He started 35 games for the Nuggets in 2014-15 in his fifth season seeing some action for the club.

Smith is winless in two games in Denver since he played for the team between 2006-11. He made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points against the Suns.

The Nuggets (12-19) will be without leading scorer Danilo Gallinari and rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay as they try to spring the upset.

Denver will be happy not to see Irving after it allowed Russell Westbrook to finish with 30 points and 12 assists Sunday in a 122-112 loss at Oklahoma City. The Nuggets also gave up 26 points and 10 assists to Kevin Durant.

The Thunder's 57.8 percent shooting was the worst allowed by the Nuggets in three seasons.

"We didn't defend at all tonight," coach Michael Malone said. "Our offense was terrific, but that is a losing proposition if you try to outscore the Thunder on their home court with the firepower they have."

Kenneth Faried had 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, losers of five of six.

James had 22 points in each meeting last season as these teams split by winning on the road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bledsoe injury and personnel changes could make things ugly for the Suns
By BIG AL MCMORDIE

Now that we're past the Christmas Day games, the next big event on the NBA docket is the All-Star Game in February. It will be held north of the border this season, and Kobe Bryant leads all players with 719,235 votes in the initial returns. I am as sentimental as the next guy, but Kobe wouldn't get my vote.

Instead, I would tab Steph Curry and Russell Westbrook as the West backcourt starters, with Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green in the frontcourt. For the Eastern Conference, I like Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler in the backcourt, with Andre Drummond, LeBron James and Paul Millsap representing the frontcourt.

Let's take a look at some of the other goings-on around the league.

Spread Watch

The Phoenix Suns were in the news on Sunday, but not for anything good. First, its star point guard, Eric Bledsoe, will have surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn meniscus. Bledsoe ranks 29th (of 326) in PER and 30th (of 424) in RPM this season. Though Phoenix still has Brandon Knight to run its offense, Bledsoe is a much better on-ball defender. And Phoenix allows more than 7 ppp with Knight on the court, and Bledsoe off.

The other news on Sunday involved personnel. Suns management fired two assistant coaches, Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi, and promoted Earl Watson and Nate Bjorkgren to the bench, to work with head coach Jeff Hornacek. All of this was opposed by Hornacek, but he didn't have any choice in the matter. And, should Phoenix not break out of its slump (it's lost four in a row SU/ATS, and is 12-20 SU and 13-19 ATS this season), then Hornacek will be handed his walking papers, as well.

However, I'm not sure how Phoenix will get back on track. After all, its first three opponents this week are Cleveland, San Antonio and Oklahoma City. And 10 of its next 13 games are against teams currently over .500. With the Cavaliers coming into Monday night's game off a 29-point loss at Portland, I expect things to get much worse for Phoenix, before they get better.

Total Watch

The Atlanta Hawks have gone 'Over' the total in six-straight games (6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS). In those games, the Hawks have averaged 111.5 points on 51.2 percent shooting (255-of-498).

One of the keys to the Hawks' offensive resurgence has been Kent Bazemore, who coach Mike Budenholzer inserted into the starting lineup on December 14. It was basically an "offense-for-defense" move by coach Bud, as Bazemore replaced defensive specialist Thabo Sefolosha.

This week, Atlanta will play road games at Indiana, Houston and New York. The Hawks/Pacers series has seen its last three games go 'Over' the total. Atlanta and Houston's two games last season both went 'Over' (along with eight of their last 12). Finally, Atlanta and New York have gone 'Over' in three straight, and six of seven.

Injury Watch

The Los Angeles Clippers rank among the most disappointing teams this season. They're 18-13 SU and 11-16-4 ATS. But the worst metric for the Clippers is their scoring margin.

This season, Los Angeles is outscoring its foes by just 1.65 ppg, which ranks 12th in the league. In contrast, the Clippers' chief Western Conference rivals (Warriors (13.28), Spurs (13.09) and Thunder (8.20)) reside as the Top 3 teams.

On Christmas, the Clippers got a lump of coal, as their best player, Blake Griffin, tore a tendon in his left quad. Griffin is averaging 23.2 ppg and 8.7 rpg, and will be sidelined for at least two weeks. Los Angeles did win (and cover) its first game without Griffin, as it won 109-104, as a 2-point favorite on Saturday. But given that the Clippers have not covered any of their last nine games off a pointspread win, Monday's game against Washington seems to be a great spot to fade the Griffin-less Clippers. And, should Los Angeles upset both the Wizards and Hornets in its next two games, then its game on New Year's Eve at New Orleans could be a landmine, as it would be its 5th game in seven nights.

Schedule Watch

After giving fans a great Christmas Day slate of games, the NBA schedule maker clearly felt it wasn't important to have the league's best teams square off the following week. For the next seven days, there are hardly any "must-see" games. But the Houston Rockets will be involved in two of them.

On Thursday, Houston will host Golden State for the second time this season. The Rockets' first chance to avenge last season's playoff defeat didn't go very well, as the Warriors won, 112-92, back on October 30. But the Rockets are playing MUCH better now than they did earlier this season (11-6 SU and 10-7 ATS since Thanksgiving), and Golden State will be playing its third game in four nights.

Then, on January 2nd, the Rockets will travel the Alamo City to face San Antonio. The Spurs will surely be in an ornery mood, as they'll be looking for some payback, after losing, 88-84, on Christmas to the Rockets. San Antonio is 9-0-1 ATS its last 10 home games (and 13-3-1 ATS its last 17, overall) when playing with revenge from a loss earlier in the season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Tuesday, December 29 2015 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that the next NBA head coach likely to be fired was Memphis' Dave Joerger. He made a lineup change that seems to have spurred the team a bit, so Joerger might be safe for now. The new leader in the clubhouse is Phoenix's Jeff Hornacek. His team embarrassingly lost at home to the 76ers on Saturday and now the club's best player, guard Eric Bledsoe, is out indefinitely with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Instead of firing Hornacek after that loss, the Suns' front office essentially forced some coaching changes on Hornacek's staff. Fired were assistants Mike Longabardi and Jerry Sichting and in their place are ex-NBA player Earl Watson and former D-League coach Nate Bjorkgen. Obviously no head coach likes being force fed assistants. This probably won't end well in the desert. The Suns are one of those NBA teams caught in the middle. Not good enough to make the playoffs but not bad enough to get that one superstar in the draft.

Pistons at Knicks (+1, 198.5)

Detroit lost a second in a row Saturday, 99-93 at home to Boston. Pistons center Andre Drummond had 22 points and 22 rebounds for his fifth 20-20 game of the season. There has been only one other one 20-20 game in the NBA this season. New York lost a fourth straight Sunday, 100-91 at Boston. So use that as a point of comparison if you want. Carmelo Anthony was an ugly 11-for-26 from the field for 29 points. The Pistons won the season series in 2014-15, 3-1. It was the first time the Knicks lost the season series against Detroit since 2006-07.

Key trends: The favorite is 17-5 against the spread in the past 22 meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in seven of the past 10 meetings.

Early lean: Pistons and under.

Hawks at Rockets (-2.5, 210.5)

Atlanta was in Indiana on Monday on a six-game winning streak. Houston fell into a total trap on Saturday a night after upsetting San Antonio. The Rockets were beaten 110-108 in New Orleans. They had 41 first-quarter points but only 17 in the fourth. James Harden had 25 points but was 1-for-5 shooting with a turnover during the final 7:58. Dwight Howard had seven points in 31 minutes. The Hawks swept the Rockets last year and have won three straight overall in the series. They haven't won four straight against Houston since 1989-90.

Key trends: The Rockets are 6-0 ATS in their past six at home. Houston is 11-4 ATS in the past 15 meetings. The under is 6-1 in the Rockets' past seven overall.

Early lean: Rockets and under.

Heat at Grizzlies (TBA)

Miami hosted Brooklyn on Monday with Hassan Whiteside a game-time call (thus the TBA here). Memphis beat the Lakers 112-96 on Sunday. Matt Barnes had five points in 22 minutes. I bring him up because Barnes has been suspended the next two games due to a fight with Knicks coach Derek Fisher this offseason. Fisher is dating Barnes' ex-wife apparently. The two had been good friends as teammates with the Lakers. These two teams made so far the biggest trade in the NBA this season, which isn't saying much, as the Heat dumped Mario Chalmers' salary on Memphis on Nov. 10. Chalmers has been pretty solid for the Grizz, while Miami really got nothing back in return other than tax relief. Chalmers faced his former team Dec. 13 in Miami, and the Heat won 100-97. Dwyane Wade's jumper with 21.9 seconds left gave Miami its only lead of the second half and the Heat ended the game on an 11-0 run. Memphis led by as many as 16. Chalmers had 12 points.

Key trends: The favorite is 4-0-1 ATS in the past five. The under is 6-1 in the past seven in Memphis.

Early lean: Grizzlies will win this one, easily if no Whiteside.

Bucks at Thunder (-14, 205)

This is the lone national TV game of the night, on NBA TV, and thus should have live betting at sportsbooks. Milwaukee was in Dallas on Monday. Oklahoma City bounced back from a Christmas loss to Chicago with a 122-112 win over Denver on Sunday. The Thunder rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit. Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Kevin Durant had 26 points and 10 assists. OKC shot a season-best 57.8 percent. Durant and Westbrook were the first teammates to each have at least 25 points and 10 assists in a regulation game since Utah's John Stockton (31 points, 11 assists) and Karl Malone (27 points, 10 assists) on Feb. 2, 1996. The Bucks and Thunder split last year, each winning at home.

Key trends: The Bucks are 2-5 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 4-1 in the past five.

Early lean: Thunder and over.

Cavaliers at Nuggets (+7, 197)

Cleveland was in Phoenix on Monday and on a two-game skid. End of quite a challenging three-game stretch for Denver as it lost 101-86 in San Antonio on Saturday and then 122-112 on Sunday in Oklahoma City. Kenneth Faried had 25 points and 11 points for the Nuggets, who have lost five of their last six games. The Nuggets again played without Danilo Gallinari and Emmanuel Mudiay, and neither will go here. These teams split last year, each winning on the road.

Key trends: The Cavs have covered four straight in Denver. The under has hit in five of the past seven meetings overall.

Early lean: It's not clear if Kyrie Irving will play the second of a back-to-back -- he is not expected to. I wouldn't be shocked if LeBron James sat this one out, either. So wait on those guys.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Thunder won 10 of its last 12 games (4-9 last 13HF).
-- Houston is 9-5 in its last 14 games (4-0 last four HF). Hawks won six of their last seven games (4-4AU).
-- Cavaliers won seven of their last nine games (3-8AF).

Cold teams
-- Pistons lost last two games, by 7-6 points (2-4AF). New York lost its last four games (2-5HU).
-- Memphis is 4-6 in its last ten games (5-7HF). Miami lost four of its last six games (2-3AU).
-- Bucks lost five of their last seven games (4-8 last 12 AU).
-- Denver lost five of its last six games (4-6HU).

Series records
-- Knicks lost four of last five games with Detroit.
-- Grizzlies won three of last four games with Miami.
-- Thunder won five of last seven games with Milwaukee.
-- Hawks won their last three games with Houston.
-- Cavaliers won three of last four games with denver.

Totals
-- Last five New York home games went over total.
-- Eight of ten Miami road games stayed under total.
-- Under is 7-2 in last nine Oklahoma City home games.
-- Six of last seven Atlanta games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Cleveland games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- Miami is 2-1 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Bucks are 6-1 vs sread if they played night before.
-- Atlanta is 0-3 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Cavaliers are 1-4 vs spread if they layed night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Light's out shooting Angle

It's rare for an NBA team to shoot above 50.0% and it's one angle to utilize as a NBA sports handicapper. When checking NBA boxscores, pay attention to red-hot shooting clubs that just shoot 55.0% or more from the field. That's because there is a great chance the team will go ice-cold next time they hit the hardwood providing a good 'Go-Against' play.

Since 2012, 'Playing-Against' teams after dropping 55.0% of their shots through the iron the previous effort has produced a 188-180-5 record against the betting line (50.4%). Not overly impressive, however if we focus solely on 'Playing-Against' an un-rested favorite after dropping 55.0% of their shots the hit rate improves to 62.8% (27-16 ATS).

Although, winning 60.0% in sports handicapping is considered major success, it’s possible to improve the hit rate by 'Playing-Against' an un-rested team after a light's out shooting performance running the hardwood against a rested team. In this case, the hit rate jumps to an impressive 70.7% (29-12 ATS). Better yet, 'Play-Against' an un-rested 'FAVORITE' in the situation is a money-making 21-3 ATS (87.5%).

It’s important to remember that the rarity of the angle requires hard work but given the hit rate paying attention can pays off handsomely. -- It's paid off once this season already ** Atlanta Hawks shot 56.2% on November 24, 2015 defeating Celtics then followed it up the next night as -3.0 point road chalk shooting just 37.8% in a loss to the Twolves **

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Owls (5-5) at Bearcats (10-3)

Date: December 29, 2015 3:00 PM EDT

Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin knows his team missed a few chances to bolster its resume against nationally ranked opponents. He hopes some adjustments will help his players continue to get better heading into conference play.

The No. 22 Bearcats are coming off another loss to a Top 25 team when they begin their American Athletic Conference schedule at home against a rested Temple squad on Tuesday afternoon.

Cincinnati (10-3) lost a close one to No. 11 Iowa State last time out, falling 81-79 on Dec. 22 despite rallying back from a 13-point deficit early in the second half to take a four-point lead late. The Bearcats missed their final three shots after Abdel Nader's 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining gave the Cyclones the lead.

It was their third loss in six games - all against teams currently ranked in the Top 25, including two by two points.

"It's a one-shot-and-done kind of game," said junior guard Troy Caupain, who scored 18 points. "It's the kind of game you play in March, and we got a chance to play one early."

Picked to finish third in the AAC, Cronin said his players grasp what this time of the year means in terms of transitioning to conference play.

"The guys understand that it's post-Christmas now," the Cincinnati coach said, according to the team's official website. "We obviously left a couple on the table that we could have put in the bank as far as building your profile. But for us it's just trying to improve. We've been trying to build a style of play with our offense and be a better offensive team this year. Along the way, we've had to clean some things up defensively. Defensive rebounding and turnovers are two areas where I know we can improve."

Cincinnati, which regularly boasts one of the nation's best defenses, allowed a team to score at least 70 for only the fourth time in 51 games dating back to the 2013-14 season. The only time it happened last season was in a 75-59 loss to Temple on Feb. 10 in Philadelphia.

The Owls (5-5) have struggled to score this season, however, failing to reach 70 points in six of 10 games, including three early losses to Top 25 teams. They've also shot less than 38 percent in three of their last four games, with leading scorer Quenton DeCosey shooting 25.7 percent in those three.

The Bearcats are among the nation's leaders in scoring defense (61.1 ppg) and opponent field-goal percentage (37.4) and six of their 13 opponents haven't cracked 60.

While Temple has lacked an offensive punch, it has excelled at taking care of the ball. The Owls, who are picked to finish sixth in the AAC, lead the country in fewest turnovers per game, averaging 8.5.

They haven't played since a 78-63 win over Delaware State on Dec. 19, when DeCosey's 20 points led the way. Temple made a season-high 30 free throws on 38 attempts and is one of the nation's top foul-shooting teams this month at 78.3 percent.

The Bearcats lead the all-time series with Temple 17-7, with a 7-1 mark in Cincinnati. They beat the Owls 84-53 at home last season, with Caupain, Gary Clark and Octavius Ellis - three of the four Cincinnati players averaging in double figures this season - totaling 33 points

Bearcats freshman Jacob Evans had 14 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots against Iowa State and was named the AAC Rookie of the Week on Monday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (1-10) at Bears (9-2)

Date: December 29, 2015 3:00 PM EDT

Baylor will search for a bit of consistency on offense in its final tune-up before Big 12 play, and it draws a promising matchup against one of the nation's worst defenses.

While the 23rd-ranked Bears seek their 34th straight home win over a nonconference team on Tuesday, visiting Texas Southern hopes for a repeat of last year's victory over another power conference team.

After five days off, Baylor (9-2) is left wondering which team will show up: the one that struggled to 35.6 percent shooting in an 80-61 loss at Texas A&M on Dec. 19 or the one that shot 47.7 percent in an 85-70 win over New Mexico State four days later.

Leading scorer Taurean Prince played a big part in the difference, matching a season low with eight points on 2-of-8 shooting in the former before making 13 of 19 for a career-high 34 points in the latter. Prince's previous high was 30 in a 69-67 win over Vanderbilt on Dec. 6, but he combined for 30 in the three games in-between.

Ishmail Wainright has become a contributor on the offensive end for the Bears, who open conference play Saturday at No. 2 Kansas. The junior guard set a career high with 12 points while making 4 of 5 3-pointers against Texas A&M and followed with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting against New Mexico State. Wainright averaged 1.6 points in his freshman and sophomore seasons and had scored in double digits just once previously this season.

"I am tired of TP yelling at me and smacking me in the head trying to get me to shoot the ball," Wainright told the team's official website. "I have turned down a lot of good shots lately, but it feels very good to score a little bit now. It feels really good."

Open shots should be easy to find against a miserable Texas Southern defense, which ranks in the bottom 10 percent of 346 Division I teams in points per game (81.2) and field-goal percentage (50.3).

The Tigers (1-10) haven't played a home game yet and will look for their first win on a seven-game road trip. They are 0-9 in road games and 1-1 at neutral sites, the lone win a 91-80 victory over UTSA in Las Vegas on Nov. 25.

Freshman Derrick Griffin made all nine of his shots for 20 points while pulling down nine rebounds and Jerron Martin hit six 3-pointers in Sunday's 80-67 loss at Syracuse. The Tigers hung around early but fell back 40-30 at halftime after an 18-8 Syracuse run.

'I know our record is 1-10, but we were 1-9 last year before we beat Michigan State,' coach Mike Davis said.

That 71-64 overtime victory last December over the 25th-ranked Spartans was Texas Southern's first over a ranked opponent since 1994.

Griffin was a top football recruit headed to Miami two years ago, but he failed to qualify academically and enrolled at Texas Southern after sitting out a year. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward has played in the last five games and is second on the team with 17.2 points per game and leads the Tigers with an average of 10.2 rebounds. He caught 11 touchdowns as a wide receiver on the football team this fall.

Baylor has won all eight matchups in this series, each in Waco, including a 75-49 victory last December. Rico Gathers led the way with 23 points and 13 rebounds.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mustangs (11-0) at Golden Hurricane (8-4)

Date: December 29, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

Tulsa didn't have much of an answer for Nic Moore last season when SMU swept the season series with a home win that clinched its league title in 22 years.

Now the Mustangs hope to start a march to their first back-to-back conference championships in nearly a half-century with another victory over the Golden Hurricane.

With Moore looking to build on a MVP performance, No. 17 SMU - one of five remaining unbeatens - will try to continue the best start in school history Tuesday night when they open American Athletic Conference play at Tulsa.

The Mustangs wrapped up their first conference title since 1993 when Markus Kennedy had 16 points and Moore added 14 - including several key baskets and free throws down the stretch - in a 67-62 win over the Golden Hurricane on March 8.

Moore also proved to be a handful for Tulsa on Feb. 7, finishing with 23 points, seven assists and two steals in a 68-57 victory in the most recent meeting at the Reynolds Center.

SMU is ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA sanctions, but hopes its road back to league supremacy begins in its return to Tulsa. The Mustangs haven't won titles in consecutive years since a three-year run in the Southwest Conference from 1965-67.

The Golden Hurricane, seeking their second league title in three years after winning Conference USA in 2013-14, will likely have defend Moore better. The senior guard has averaged 19.7 points and 6.7 assists over his last three games.

The Las Vegas Classic MVP scored 16 on Wednesday to lead SMU back from a late eight-point deficit for a 70-66 victory over Colorado in the championship game.

'I think it was our poise and character that allowed us to come back,' said Moore, who had 25 points in a semifinal win over Kent State. 'We just need to get shots.'

It was coach Larry Brown's second game back after serving a nine-game, NCAA-imposed suspension for academic fraud and unethical conduct.

The Mustangs (11-0) lead all AAC teams in shooting (52.4 percent) and 3-point shooting (42.9), and they rank second with 84.0 points per game. Although they didn't make a 3 (0 for 5) on Wednesday for the first time since a 71-65 win at Tulsa on March 6, 2013, they surpassed the 1997-98 team for the best start in school history.

Jordan Tolbert, however, had seven points after averaging 19.8 over his previous four games and Keith Frazer was held to two after putting up 19.0 in his prior three.

The Golden Hurricane (8-4) won for the fourth time in six home games last Tuesday, 90-55 over Northern Arizona. Shaquille Harrison led six players in double figures with 15 points as Tulsa shot 56.5 percent - its highest mark since the season opener.

Harrison averages a team-high 17.9 points, while James Woodward is scoring 16.0 per game. Woodward has been a difficult matchup for SMU, averaging 20.7 points while hitting 17 of 33 (51.5 percent) from 3-point range in three straight defeats.

The Golden Hurricane had won 13 of the 15 previous meetings from 2006-13.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (7-3) at Hurricanes (10-1)

Date: December 29, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Immediately after losing at home to an unranked opponent last month, Miami came close to suffering another upset. The four wins that have followed haven't allowed for such excitement.

The 13th-ranked Hurricanes have one last tune-up before heading into ACC play, and it comes Tuesday night seeking a sixth straight win as they host Princeton.

Miami (10-1) fell 78-77 to Northeastern on Nov. 27, then won 77-72 in overtime at Nebraska four days later. It has since won by an average of 26.7 points with last Tuesday's 95-49 win at La Salle as the biggest blowout.

The Hurricanes have shot 50.7 percent overall and 41.7 from 3-point range in that time, which are identical marks to their season averages, so the improvement has come at the other end.

Through the Nebraska contest, Miami had allowed 72.3 points per game with opponents shooting 44.7 percent and 41.4 from long range. In the four since, it has limited teams to 56.8 points with marks of 35.5 and 20.9 percent, which includes a 66-55 home win over Florida in which the Gators went 1 of 12 from 3-point range.

"Coach has been pretty hard on us, because he knows we can do a lot better," said Angel Rodriguez after that victory Dec. 8. "... We've made a lot of improvement, especially guarding the 3-point line."

Offensively against La Salle, Ivan Cruz Uceda had a career-high 20 points in 18 minutes off the bench, while top scorer Sheldon McClellan added 14 in 26 minutes. The guard is averaging 17.3 points in his last three games while shooting 55.2 percent and hitting 5 of 10 from 3-point range.

Home nonconference games have been anything but a sure thing for the Hurricanes with nine wins in their last 12 and losses coming against Wisconsin-Green Bay, Eastern Kentucky and Northeastern dating to Dec. 6, 2014.

Princeton (7-3), however, has lost 23 of its last 24 games against the Top 25, including an 82-61 defeat at then-No. 6 Maryland on Dec. 19. The Tigers followed it up with last Tuesday's 89-77 home win over Bucknell.

Princeton has been a solid offensive team, averaging 76.6 points for its highest mark through 10 games since 1971-72 (83.3).

Against Bucknell, freshman Devin Cannady tied a career high with 17 points, and Spencer Weisz had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Coach Mitch Henderson was happy to have a balanced attack after Henry Caruso had shouldered much of the load with an average of 23.3 points in his previous three games. The junior still scored 13 on 5-of-10 shooting against Bucknell and is hitting 63.6 percent from the field in his last three games.

"We kind of do whatever we need to do in order to get shots," Henderson said. "I think the scoring needs to be balanced for us. ... Henry has been kind of putting us on our back a little bit here lately, but I think even he would acknowledge that we're going to be balanced going forward."

But the level of competition now shifts back more toward Maryland than Bucknell, and Henderson knows a win at Miami could take something particularly efficient. That holds true on the other end of the court, where opponents have hit 55.4 percent overall and 44.8 from 3-point range in the last three games.

"I think going into a little break for us before we head down to Florida, we needed it," Henderson said. "Maryland, there's very little margin for error. I think what we're learning with our group is we're going to need some contribution off the bench and we're going to need everybody to be sort of firing on all cylinders."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Boilermakers (12-1) at Badgers (8-5)

Date: December 29, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Purdue boasts one of the nation's most talented front lines and enters Big Ten play with its best opportunity for a regular-season conference championship since sharing it six seasons ago.

Expectations are a bit more tame for defending champion Wisconsin.

The 14th-ranked Boilermakers begin their quest for that elusive title while looking to end a four-game losing streak against the Badgers on Tuesday night in Madison.

Purdue (12-1) finished under .500 in back-to-back seasons before going 21-13 and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in 2014-15. It was a big step for coach Matt Painter's squad, which received another boost to the program when five-star big man Caleb Swanigan committed this offseason.

Swanigan is averaging 11.3 points and 9.2 rebounds in a starting role alongside 7-foot-2 leading scorer Isaac Haas and forward Vince Edwards. Seven-footer A.J. Hammons started for the majority of his first three seasons, but he's having his most productive year coming off the bench.

Hammons finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds in last Tuesday's 68-55 home win over Vanderbilt, helping the Boilermakers bounce back from a loss to in-state rival Butler on Dec. 19.

It marked his fourth double-double, creating a customary inside presence that offset Purdue going 2 of 19 from 3-point range. Swanigan finished with 13 points.

'The 3-pointers are a big part of our game, and when we make only 2 of 19, guys get frustrated, and you have to find another way," Painter said. "In the second half, A.J. set the tone in the paint on both ends of the court.'

Hammons didn't play in the two preseason games and was benched for the first two in the regular season by Painter, who said in November that Hammons "has to take care of some business internally in our program, especially as a senior."

His teammates have noticed Hammons taking charge more as the season goes on.

'When he is amped up, ready and engaged, A.J. is the best big man in the country,' Edwards said.

Many believed Frank Kaminsky held that distinction last season as Wisconsin made a second straight run to the Final Four before losing to Duke in the national championship game. But Kaminsky and other major contributors are gone, and the Badgers (8-5) are having trouble adjusting.

They lost the season opener at home to Western Illinois and dropped close games to Milwaukee and Marquette at the Kohl Center. Then, legendary coach Bo Ryan abruptly retired following a win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 15 and handed the reins to longtime assistant Greg Gard.

Wisconsin led by as many as 30 in the second half of Gard's debut Wednesday against Green Bay, but the Badgers barely hung on for an 84-79 home victory.

The near collapse put a damper on any celebration for Gard, who essentially is auditioning for the full-time job.

'There's a lot of things we can learn from that we did really, really well," Gard said. "And there's a lot of things, obviously, that we have to correct.'

Nigel Hayes scored a team-high 24 points, and redshirt freshman Ethan Happ added 16.

'It was embarrassing to our program. It was embarrassing to us. I know it made me sick," Happ said. "I'm sure it made the other guys sick as well. We cannot play like that in the Big Ten season and expect to win at any point in the game.'

Wisconsin extended its winning streak over the Boilermakers to four by outscoring them 41-16 in the second half of a 71-51 victory in last season's Big Ten tournament.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Anteaters (10-4) at Jayhawks (10-1)

Date: December 29, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

Kansas has one final tune-up before its Big 12 schedule begins, and coach Bill Self believes the peak of one of his most important players is arriving just in time.

The second-ranked Jayhawks host UC Irvine on Tuesday night seeking their first 10-game winning streak since an 18-game run in 2012-13, and forward Perry Ellis' next test comes against a team with some unique size.

Kansas (10-1), which begins conference play Saturday at home against Baylor, played its first true road game last Tuesday without much issue in a 70-57 win over San Diego State. Ellis had 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting - numbers that aren't out of the ordinary - but his coach offered plenty of praise.

"This was the best he's been," Self said. "I'll be real candid with you. We've said all along he's been OK. But he hasn't been great by any stretch. But I thought tonight was the most aggressive he'd been all year long. Hopefully that's a big step in the right direction because we're going to have play through him. He's going to have to be a low-post scorer for us."

Ellis had scored all 14 of his first-half points just past the midway point of the period, and a 3-pointer with 8:52 left in the half gave the Jayhawks a 26-13 lead.

Ellis said Self is "always challenging me and that's making me a better player. So I try to come out and attack and good things will happen knocking down some shots."

While Self wants to lean on Ellis inside, the team's perimeter shooting might make that easier on the senior. Kansas is shooting 46.3 percent from 3-point range for the season, which is among the best in the nation.

Wayne Selden Jr. leads that end of the attack with a 55.4 percent mark, giving the junior a team-leading 15.5 points per game to Ellis' 15.2. That's slowed down some in the last two games with Selden connecting on 1 of 6 from long range for 10.5 points.

Defensively, the Jayhawks have only once allowed an overall field-goal percentage higher than their own 3-point mark. That came in a 79-73 neutral-court loss to Michigan State on Nov. 17 (46.7 percent), and the Jayhawks' nine wins since have come by an average of 24.3 points while holding opponents to 38.4 percent.

They've also won their last 13 home games against nonconference opponents by an average of 20.8 points since losing to San Diego State on Jan. 5.

UC Irvine, which gave Louisville a scare as a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season, has lost its last 11 games against the Top 25 by 20.2 points with the margin in the two against the top five being 32.0.

The Anteaters (10-4) are coming off last Tuesday's 80-62 win over Norfolk State in the championship game of the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, Texas. Mamadou Ndiaye tied a career high with 21 points and Luke Nelson added 17 as the Anteaters won their third straight.

Nelson won the tournament MVP while averaging 16.5 points, and the guard has averaged 13.3 in his last six after a three-game stretch in which he was 4 for 27 from the field for 4.7 points.

The 7-foot-6 Ndiaye is Irvine's leading scorer at 12.4 points per game, and he's one of four rotation players of at least 6-10. Even so, it hasn't worked out to a substantial rebounding advantage with Irvine posting a plus-1.5 mark. Kansas is at plus-6.1 with the 6-8 Ellis leading the way at 5.9 per game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spartans (13-0) at Hawkeyes (9-3)

Date: December 29, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

A winter storm heading towards East Lansing forced Michigan State coach Tom Izzo to cancel his weekly press conference and get his team headed to Iowa City ahead of schedule.

He didn't have any time to plan for the unexpected absence of do-it-all star Denzel Valentine either, but Valentine's teammates helped the top-ranked Spartans avert disaster in their first game without him.

Michigan State will play at last two more games until Valentine will be able to return, including Tuesday night's Big Ten opener at Iowa as it looks to win a 10th straight meeting with the Hawkeyes.

Valentine had minor knee surgery last week, and Izzo said before the team departed Monday that the national player of the year candidate hasn't experienced any setbacks but would need another week and a half to recover.

That time frame would keep Valentine out against the Hawkeyes (9-3) and Saturday at Minnesota, with the earliest chance of returning being at home against Illinois on Jan. 7.

The Spartans (13-0) secured the best start in school history with a 99-93 overtime victory over Oakland last Tuesday in Detroit, but it was clear they missed Valentine at times.

Bryn Forbes scored a career-high 32 points and hit 7 of 9 from 3-point range, and West Virginia transfer Eron Harris had his best game as a Spartan with 27 while starting in place of Valentine to help the Spartans survive.

Despite the close call, Michigan State received all but one vote to remain the No. 1 team in the nation for a school-record fourth straight week.

'I'm not really worried about the points I scored,' Harris said. 'That's what I'm supposed to do. I'm just glad I got to be part of the win and making history."

Michigan State hasn't lost to Iowa since Feb. 2, 2011, in Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery's first game against the Spartans. He's since lost all nine meetings, including when Iowa blew an 11-point halftime lead in a 75-61 home defeat in the only meeting last season.

Valentine scored 18 points in that matchup, but the Hawkeyes won't have to contend with him this time as they seek a third consecutive win. Iowa beat Drake by six on Dec. 19 and routed Tennessee Tech 85-63 last Tuesday after blowing a 14-point lead in an 83-82 loss at then-No. 4 Iowa State on Dec. 10.

Peter Jok overcame a shaky start to score 21 points with a career-high five 3-pointers in the last contest after going 2 for 10 from the field and scoring four points against Drake.

'I put him right back in and he just took over the game,' McCaffery said. 'And that's the Peter Jok we need to see. When his game is tight like that, he affects the game at both ends.'

Jok scores 13.3 per game to rank second on the team behind Jarrod Uthoff, who is averaging 18.3 points despite being held to 13 last Tuesday. Uthoff had 12 in last season's meeting with the Spartans as Jok finished with only eight, and McCaffery hopes he'll get better performances from both in this matchup.

"I think any time you enter into conference play, you recognize a challenge and we'll do everything we can to get everybody ready," McCaffery said. "I think we're in a pretty good place."

Michigan State's 15 victories at Iowa are the most of any Hawkeyes opponent in Iowa City.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

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

Tulane (+12) upset Memphis 74-66 here LY, ending 13+-year drought in this series (19+ games); Tigers won rematch 57-55 at Tulane. Memphis is 8-3 vs schedule #334, as they break in lot of new players; they're 7-0 vs teams outside top 200, with six of seven wins by 15+ points. Tulane is 0-2 vs top 100 teams, losing by 8-24 points; they're turning the ball over 20.7% of time (#288), shooting just 30.7% from arc (#287).

Cincinnati won three of last four games with Temple, winning by 11-31 points in two games played here. Bearcats split last six games after a 7-0 start, losing 81-79 at home to Iowa State last week. Cincy is holding its opponents to 38.9% inside arc, has #17 eFG% defense. Temple is 0-5 vs top 100 teams, with three losses by 6 or less points- their only top 200 win was on neutral court over #150 Minnesota.

SMU swept Tulsa LY, 68-57/67-62; Mustangs are 11-0 but cannot play in postseason in March because of NCAA violations. SMU is 4-0 vs top 100 teams, with wins by 15-2-24-4 points; they're making 42.9% from arc, have #6 eFG% in country. Tulsa split its last eight games, is 2-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 8-4-5 points- they force turnovers 21.3% of the time (#49).

Princeton is 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 14-12-21 points; they have zero top 200 wins- their best win is over #203 Rider. Tigers are #273 in experience, have played schedule #265. Miami won its last five games-- three of its last four wins were by 22+ points. Canes are making 41.7% on arc, have #7 eFG% in US- they start ACC play Saturday (Syracuse).

George Washington is 10-2 but had ugly 82-61 loss to DePaul last game; Colonials split pair of AAC games, losing to Cincinnati by 5 on a neutral floor, winning by 6 at South Florida. Central Florida won five of its last six games after a 1-3 start; they lost two top 100 games by total of six points- their only top 200 win was over #148 UMass. UCF opens AAC play Saturday against East Carolina.

Northeastern is only team to beat Miami, FL this year; Huskies are 2-3 in last five games, losing to three teams ranked at #167 or lower (Miami O, Detroit, WMichigan)- they turn ball over 19.9% of time. NC State won its last five games after a 4-3 start; Wolfpack is 1-3 vs top 10 teams; its only top 100 win was in OT over LSU on a neutral floor. NC State has a thin bench (#339 in min played); their team is #306 in experience.

Florida State beat Florida 65-63 LY, snapping five-game skid against the Gators; last two series games were decided by total of three points. FSU is 9-2 vs schedule #301, splitting pair of top 100 games (losing at iowa by 3 in OT, beating VCU by 5 on neutral floor). Florida is 8-3 with all three losses vs top 15 teams; they've got three top 100 wins- best win is over #55 Richmond.

Wisconsin won its last four games with Purdue, all by 6+ points; Boilers lost three of last four visits to Madison- they lost 71-51 to Wisconsin in Big 14 tourney last spring, but now Ryan is gone and Purdue is 12-1, its only loss to Butler on neutral floor. Purdue won by 13 at Pitt in its only true road game. Wisconsin already has three home losses; three of its last four games were decided by 6 or less points.

Wake Forest is #314 in experience but they're 8-3 vs schedule #83, with wins over Indiana/UCLA- they open ACC play at Louisville on Sunday. Deacons are slowly getting roster back healthy. LSU is 7-4, playing the #320 schedule with #331 experienced team. Tigers start SEC play when they visit Vanderbilt Saturday; they're shooting 54.4% inside arc, have #65 eFG%.

8-3 Richmond is #53 in experience; they shoot 38.7% on arc, 55.8% on 2's, have #19 eFG%. Spiders won last four games, are 2-3 vs teams in top 100- its best wins are over Cal/Old Dominion. Texas Tech has won eight in row since 10-point loss to Utah on neutral floor. Red Raiders have the #23 eFG% defense- they're 3-1 vs top 100 teams, are forcing turnovers 20.9% of time, holding teams to 29.2% from arc.

Texas lost bug guy Ridley (foot) in practice this weekend; unsure if they will press more with smaller lineup. Longhorns start Big X play vs Texas Tech Saturday- they won 55-54 at UConn LY, outscoring Huskies 9-3 in last 3:12 of game. UConn is 2-3 vs top 100 teams, with all three losses on neutral floors- this is their first true road game. Huskies open AAC play on Saturday against Tulane.

Michigan State is 13-0 but star Valentine is out for a while; Spartans are 14-1 in last 15 games with Iowa, winning last nine. Hawkeyes lost nine in row here, with seven of nine by 10+ points, but they needed OT to get by Oakland in first game without Valentine.. Iowa is 3-3 vs teams in top 100; they won six of last seven games, with only loss at Iowa State when they blew a 20-point lead.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'College Hoops'

Michigan State (13-0, 8-4 ATS) off to a program best start open Big Ten play on the road against Iowa (9-3, 5-4 ATS). Spartans lead by Denzel Valentine (18.5), Bryn Forbes (14.2) are netting 81.2 while allowing a stingy 59.7 on 35.3% shooting, 26.5% from long range.

Hawkeyes, no slouches at putting the ball through the hoop drop 82.6 with Jarrod Uthoff (18.2), Peter Jok (13.3) the two players in double digit scoring. Defensively, Hawkeyes are ranked 4th in the conference at keeping the ball out of their own basket allowing opponents 67.9 PPG on 39.6% shooting.

Spartans have won nine consecutive in the series (7-2 ATS) and 14 of the past 15 encounters (9-6 ATS) which includes 5-1 SU/ATS here in Iowa City. From a total perspective, the 'Under' has been the right choice in Hawkeyes' home games (2-6 O/U) and when Spartans pay a visit (2-9 O/U).

Sparty not given much respect have opened +3.0 road underdogs.

 

[Kelmaron]

Jack Jones

NCAAF
20* North Carolina -3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tuesday's Top Bowl Action

AIR FORCE FALCONS (8-5) vs. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (7-5)

Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium - Fort Worth, TX
Kickoff: Tuesday, 2:00 p.m. ET
Line: California -7, Total: 68

Two offenses with contrasting styles will clash in Fort Worth on Tuesday with run-oriented Air Force and pass-happy California meeting in the Armed Forces Bowl.

The Falcons carry the football an average of 59 times per game for 322 YPG (3rd in FBS), while the Bears throw the pigskin 43 times per contest for 369 YPG (5th in nation). Although Air Force has a better defense statistically, the team has surrendered 33.0 PPG and 441 total YPG over the past four contests. California's defense is even more suspect, having allowed 40 points on four separate occasions and failing to force a turnover in three straight games. The Falcons are playing in their eighth bowl game in the past nine years, and are 4-2 in the past six bowls, but the Bears haven’t won a postseason game since 2008.

Both schools have highly-rated betting trends with Air Force going 6-0 ATS this season after a game where it committed less than two turnovers, and Cal falling in the category of teams going 53-23 ATS (70%) in the past 10 years after gaining 6.25+ yards per play in three straight games, returning 8+ offensive starters against an opponent returning five or less defensive starters.

On the injury front, the Falcons have no new injuries since losing RBs D.J. Johnson (hamstring) and Shayne Davern (knee) for the season in late November. But the Bears will likely be without four players in RB Lonny Powell (personal) and LBs Devante Downs (foot), Michael Barton (knee) and Hamilton Anoa'i (undisclosed), while two others are questionable -- WR Jack Austin (foot) and DB Griffin Piatt (collarbone).

The Air Force offense has been strong this season with 33.6 PPG on 453 total YPG (6.4 yards per play), and has a whopping 7.4 yards per play in the past three contests. The team chooses to run the football 83% of the time, which leads to a hefty 32:26 time of possession and 322 rushing YPG on 5.5 YPC. The air attack produces only 131 YPG, but does so on an eye-popping 11.0 YPA. Senior QB Karson Roberts has 10.8 YPA despite completing only 52% of his throws for 1,446 yards, 9 TD and 10 INT. He is also the team's second-leading rusher with 674 yards on 4.4 YPC with nine touchdowns.

The Falcons top ball carrier is junior RB Jacobi Owens (1,009 rush yds, 5.4 YPC, 6 TD) who has rushed for at least 133 yards in four of the past seven games, including a season-high 156 in the MWC title game loss at San Diego State. Four other Air Force players have rushed for at least four touchdowns this year, as the team has amassed 42 scores on the ground.

Defensively, the Falcons have held opponents to 23.2 PPG on 337 total YPG, but those numbers are way up in the past three games (34.7 PPG, 442 total YPG). They are on the field for only 27:23, which is a big reason why they allow only 147 rushing YPG on 4.2 YPC and 190 passing YPG on 7.1 YPA. Air Force doesn't have a lot of playmakers on the unit, having forced just three turnovers in the past five games combined, and the Bears have committed just three giveaways in the past four contests.

California's offense has racked up 36.5 PPG on 524 total YPG this season and the numbers are through the roof in the past three contests with 41.3 PPG on 645 total YPG. While the team throws the football 56% of the time, resulting in 368 YPG on 8.6 YPA, it also has the ability to run the pigskin with 156 YPG on 4.6 YPC.

Junior QB Jared Goff has completed 64% of his passes for 4,252 yards (8.6 YPA), 37 TD and 13 INT this year, which includes a season-high 542 yards in the last game versus Arizona State. In the past four contests, Goff has thrown 15 TD and only two picks.

While WR Bryce Treggs (813 rec yds, 6 TD) is the only Bears player with 700 receiving yards on the roster, five others have gained at least 460 yards through the air. This includes WR Kenny Lawler (47 rec, 583 yds), who leads the club with 10 touchdown grabs. But Treggs has been the main man lately with 432 receiving yards and 3 TD over his past four games. On the ground, junior RB Khalfani Muhammad (539 rush yds, 6.9 YPC, 1 TD) is the team's rushing leader, but sophomore RB Vic Enwere (486 rush yds, 5.0 YPC) has found the end zone seven times.

The Cal defense allows a beefy 30.2 PPG on 455 total YPG this season, but those numbers have spiked to 36.2 PPG on 508 total YPG in six games away from home where the club is 2-4 (SU and ATS). Neither the front seven, which allows 203 rushing YPG on 4.8 YPC, nor the secondary (252 passing YPG allowed, 7.8 YPA) has played very well this year. Although the Bears have forced only three turnovers in the second half of the season (after 21 takeaways in the first half), the Falcons have six games with multiple giveaways this year, including two of the past three.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tuesday's Bowl Tip Sheet
By Joe Williams

**California vs. Air Force**

-- The California Golden Bears (7-5 SU, 5-7 ATS) will meet the Air Force Falcons (8-5 SU, 9-4 ATS) in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Tex., and each would love to finish their season on a high note after limping to the finish line after hot stretches.

-- Cal kicked off its regular season with five consecutive wins, serving notice that they are back to relevance after a few down seasons. They opened with a pair of conference wins over the Washington schools before road setbacks at Utah and UCLA in the middle of October. That was the start of a four-game losing streak which also included a home loss to USC, and a road setback to Oregon. In the grand scheme of things, losses to four bowl teams is not a huge embarrassment, and they were able to rout Oregon State Nov. 14 to stem the tide of losing and become bowl eligible. Another loss at Stanford in 'The Big Game' set them to 6-5, but they rallied again in a 48-46 win over Arizona State in the season finale to finish on a high note. However, Cal does enter this game just 1-5 ATS in their past six overall, and they have failed to cover in their past three outings away from Berkeley.

-- Air Force started out 3-3 SU/ATS this season, beating the teams they should and losing to teams perceived to be better. No real surprises. Then, beginning Oct. 24 they were on a five-game win and cover tear to set them up for a potential run to the Mountain West Championship Game. However, a shocking straight-up loss as an 11-point favorite at New Mexico Nov. 28, and a 27-24 setback at San Diego State humbled them, and that's why they're in Fort Worth rather than playing for bigger prizes. Still, USAFA finished the season 6-1 ATS in their final seven, and they have covered three of their past four away from Colorado Springs.

-- The Falcons continue to find success in the triple-option, and QB Karson Roberts did enough with his arm to keep defenses somewhat honest, too. He threw for 1,446 yards with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions while also running for 674 yards (4.4 yards per attempt) and a team-high tying nine scores. RB D.J. Johnson (ankle) suffered an ankle injury in November, and he appears unlikely to suit up. He posted 425 yards with six touchdowns. But RB Jacobi Owens starred for the Falcs, posting 1,013 yards on the ground with six touchdowns to more than fill the void. RB Timothy McVey has also stepped up, tying Roberts with nine rushing touchdowns while running for 9.1 yards per attempt. Even RBs Shayne Davern and Benton Washington found the end zone four times, so the Falcons have so many interchangeable parts.

-- While Cal also has a strong offense, it is a contrast in styles. It all starts and stops with QB Jared Goff and the passing game. Goff threw for 4,247 yards with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 64.2 percent of his attempts. Goff will not be confused with Roberts, or any other dual-threat QB, as he amassed eight yards rushing on the season with no scores. It's strictly all pass, all the time. His biggest weapons are WR Kenny Lawler, who led the team with 10 touchdowns on 583 yards receiving, and WR Bryce Troggs with a team-best 813 receiving yards, 19.8 yards per catch and six scores. WRs Maurice Harris and Darius Powe each chipped in with six touchdowns, too, so needless to say Cal is deep and can go to four- or five-receiver sets without missing much.

-- Cal is looking to turn things around after setbacks in each of their past two bowl games, both in San Diego. They lost to Texas in their last appearance in 2011 in the Holiday Bowl, 21-10, and they were dumped in the 2009 Poinsettia Bowl by Utah, 37-27. Their last appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl was a 42-36, and it came against Air Force back on Dec. 31, 2007. NFLers Justin Forsett and DeSean Jackson starred for the Bears that day. Who will step up this year?

-- Air Force has a rich football history, and they have been a frequent bowler, too. Troy Calhoun has led the Falcons to a bowl game in eight of his first nine seasons in the Springs, making like legendary coach Fisher DeBerry. While the Falcons haven't finished in the AP Top 25 since 1998, they have been competitive and a tough assignment in bowl games. They have won three of their past five bowl appearances, including a win over Western Michigan in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl last season. However, they are just 1-3 in their past four Armed Forces Bowls, with their only win coming in 2009 against Houston.

-- Cal enters as a touchdown favorite, or 6 1/2 points, depending on your shop. Cal is 0-5 ATS in their past five against teams with a winning record, and they're 0-4 ATS in their past four neutral-site games and 2-5 ATS in their past seven bowl games. The Bears are also just 4-14 ATS in their past 18 games on grass.

-- Air Force steams in 6-1 ATS in their past seven non-conference tilts, and they're 4-1 ATS in their past five bowl games. They're also 8-2 ATS in their past 10 against teams with a winning record, and 8-2 ATS in their past 10 on a grass surface.

-- The 'under' is 7-2 in Cal's past nine, but the 'over' is 7-2 in their past nine neutral-site battles and 6-2 in their past eight bowl games. For USAFA, the 'under' is 12-5 in their past 17 non-conference tilts, but 4-0 in their past four overall and 4-0 in their past four against teams with a winning overall record.

-- ESPN will have the telecast at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.

**North Carolina vs. Baylor**

-- North Carolina (11-2 SU, 8-5 ATS) heads to the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando, Fla. looking to secure its first 12-win season in school history. They're just happy the game isn't being played in Charlotte, as they're 0-2 SU/ATS at Bank of America Stadium this season, and 11-0 SU/8-3 ATS elsewhere.

-- Baylor (9-3 SU, 5-6 ATS) started the season as one of the top teams in the nation with designs on a national title. However, injuries really hurt the Bears down the stretch, especially at key positions, and now they simply will have to settle for a 10-win season if they can be successful in their bowl game.

-- The Bears lost QB Seth Russell (neck) to a season-ending neck injury in late October. QB Jarrett Stidham (ankle) stepped in and had a win in his initial start, but he too was lost to an ankle injury which leaves him doubtful for the bowl game. That means QB Chris Johnson (concussion), who was also knocked out down the stretch, will need to lead this team. He is probable to play Tuesday. If he does play, he will be without WR Corey Coleman, who is out with a sports hernia. The good news for the Bears is that top rushing threat RB Shock Linwood (ankle) is expected to be ready.

-- Johnson and Lynx Hawthorne are the signal callers left standing, and neither was particularly impressive when given the chance. Johnson completed just 15 of his 38 pass attempts for 220 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, while Hawthorne tosses 10 times on 22 attempts for just 64 yards, no scores and two picks. The lack of a polished passing game might mean more leaning on Linwood, who rambled for 1,329 yards and 10 scores, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt. RB Johnny Jefferson also stepped up with 701 rushing yards and five scores, while change-of-pace Devin Chafin punched eight in for score. The team misses Russell, who had six rushing touchdowns in addition to his heroics in the pass game, but they have plenty of other ball carriers.

-- For the Tar Heels, QB Marquise Williams really established himself as a leader this season, posting 2,825 yards passing with 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions while also running for 867 yards and 11 scores. If he falters, backup QB MitchTrubisky is more than capable. WR Mack Hollins led the team with 711 receiving yards and eight scores, and WR Ryan Switzer managed 664 yards with 51 grabs and six touchdowns. WR Quinshad Davis is also a threat, posting 11.8 yards per catch with four scores. They can go four-deep with WR Bug Howard, too, as he posted 17.2 yards per grab with 446 yards and three scores.

-- The Tar Heels posted 26 or more points in each of their past 12 games, and they averaged 47.4 points per game in their final five outings. They needed the points, as their defense reverted back to their 2014 form, allowing an average of 31.6 points per game during the five-game span. That's not good news against a Baylor offense which scores like a video game.

-- UNC hasn't had great success in bowl games lately, going just 2-5 in their past seven postseason showings dating back to 2001. For what it's worth, the Tar Heels are 6-2 all-time in bowl games in the state of Florida, although their last postseason appearance in the Sunshine State was back in the 1998 Gator Bowl.

-- Baylor hasn't had nearly as long of a bowl history as some, but they've made up for lost time in recent seasons. Tuesday will mark their sixth consecutive bowl, by far the longest in school history. They have lost each of their past two outings, suffering a 52-42 setback to UCF in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, and a 42-41 heartbreaker against Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl last season. On a positive note, Baylor has scored 41 or more points in four straight bowl appearances, but they have also allowed 44.0 points on defense. In other words, if you like points you'll want to want the Russell Athletic Bowl.

-- UNC is 6-1 ATS in their past seven against teams with a winning record, but 1-4 ATS in their past five neutral-site games. Baylor is 16-7 ATS in their past 23 against teams with a winning record, and 8-3 ATS in their past 11 non-conference tilts. The Bears are 1-5 ATS in their past six overall.

-- The 'over' is 4-0 in UNC's past four against teams with a winning overall record, and 4-1 in their past five overall. The 'under' is 4-1 in their past five non-conference tilts, however. For Baylor, the 'over' is a perfect 5-0 in their past five neutral-site games, and 21-8 in their past 29 non-conference tilts. The 'over' is 27-10-1 in their past 38 against teams with a winning overall mark.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**Nevada vs. Colorado State**

-- Nevada (6-6 SU, 7-4-1 ATS) heads to the Arizona Bowl looking to put the brakes on a two-game losing skid and topple a red-hot Colorado State (7-5 SU, 6-5-1 ATS) team also from the Mountain West Conference.

-- The Wolf Pack started the season 3-4 SU/ATS through the first season games and it appeared to be a lost season. However, a three-game winning streak from Oct. 24-Nov. 14 kickoff off a 4-0-1 ATS run in the final five games to make Nevada a friend of the bettor.

The Rams got off to an equally tough start, opening 2-4 SU and 2-3-1 ATS. But they were close, as two of those setbacks were against Minnesota and rival Colorado, games which were unable to be decided in regulation. After a 41-10 setback to Boise State Oct. 10, the Rams picked up a win against fellow bowl team Air Force before finishing the regular season 5-1 SU/4-2 ATS in the final six.

-- QB Nick Stevens had a decent year for CSU, completing 61.8 percent of his passes for 2,368 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He isn't a threat to run, but he did run for two scores. The Rams lead the running to RB Dalyn Dawkins, who led the team with 805 yards and two scores on 5.2 yards per tote. RB Jasen Oden is also shifty, posting 695 yards with five scores. RB Izzy Matthews is also capable, posting 5.9 yards per carry while hitting paydirt five times. In the receiving game it's all about WR Rashard Higgins, who was by far the most impressive with 932 yards and eight scores. WR Joe Hansley had six scores, while TE Kivon Cartwright managed 15.5 yards per grab and two scores.

-- Wolf Pack QB Tyler Stewart had big shoes to fill for the departed Cody Fajardo, but he did a more than adequate job. He threw for 2,064 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions while also running for 293 yards and four scores. The Pack had a pair of 1,000-yard runners in James Butler (184-1,156-8) and Don Jackson (220-1,026-8). WRs Hassan Henderson (50-709-4) and Jerico Richardson (64-707-5) have dependable hands, and TE Jarred Gipson is a big red zone threat with five scores this season.

-- Nevada is 3-0-1 ATS in their past four against teams with a winning record, and 4-0-1 ATS in their past five overall. However, they're 1-5-1 ATS in their past seven bowl games and 1-4-1 ATS in their past six neutral-site battles. The favorite is 5-1 ATS in their past six meetings in this series, and the 'under' has cashed in five straight battles between these two Mountain West clubs.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern streaming on CampusInsiders.com.

**Louisiana State vs. Texas Tech**

-- Louisiana State (8-3 SU, 5-6 ATS) heads to the Advocare V100 Texas Bowl against Texas Tech (7-5 SU, 7-4-1 ATS) in a potentially high-scoring game. The Tigers had some uncertainty down the stretch on whether head coach Les Miles would continue on, but he was not fired and that drama appears to be a thing of the past and the team can concentrate 100 percent on the on-field issues again.

-- LSU had a down year by their standards. They opened 7-0 SU (4-3 ATS), but they had a three-game losing streak from Nov. 7-21 with losses at Alabama, home to Arkansas and at Mississippi. All three of those games are bowling, and they wrapped up with a 19-7 win over Texas A&M. The Tigers were also 1-3 ATS in their final four games, too, and they were 1-4 ATS in their five forays away from Baton Rouge this season.

-- The season was one of peaks and valleys for the Red Raiders. They opened 3-0, lost two straight to Texas Christian and Baylor at home, won two in a row, lost three in a row and then won their final two. All five of their setbacks came against bowl teams, so there were no embarrassing or shocking setbacks, and they had a nice win at Arkansas earlier in the season, as well as a 48-45 shootout win at Texas to exorcise some historic demons.

-- The Red Raiders are led by QB Patrick Mahomes II, son of former MLB pitcher Pat Mahomes. The QB threw for 4,283 yards, 32 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while completing 65.0 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 484 yards and 10 touchdowns to serve as a true dual-threat option. WR Jakeem Grant is his favorite target, as he finished the regular season with 1,143 yards with seven touchdowns. WR Devin Lauderdale was good for 43 grabs, 639 yards and four touchdowns, but he was suspended indefinitely and will not play in the Texas Bowl. While that's a big missing target, WR Reginald Davis had seven scores and RB Justin Stockton hauled in six balls for score and they will look to fill the void.

-- LSU's offense is RB Leonard Fournette, who was putting up mind-boggling numbers early in the season before settling down. He still finished with 1,741 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 209 receiving yards. RBs Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams found the end zone three times. QB Brandon Harris continues his on-the-job training. He showed glimpses of brilliance, but is a work in progress. He completed 53.1 percent of his pass attempts for just 1,904 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. He ran 64 times for 185 yards and three scores, but will need to play much better if the Tigers hope to keep pace with Texas Tech's high-octane offense. WRs Malachi Dupre (39-602-6) and Travin Dural (28-533-3) are big-play options just looking for more opportunity.

-- LSU will be making a bowl appearance for the 16th consecutive season. They're just 2-4 in their past six bowl games, including a 31-28 setback to Notre Dame in the Music City bowl last season. The good news is that LSU has scored at least 20 points in 14 of their past 16 bowl games, so the offense tends to show up when bowling.

-- Texas Tech has enjoyed great success in the postseason in recent seasons. Since a win in the 2002 Tangerine Bowl, the Red Raiders are 9-2 in their past 11 bowl games, and they enter on a four-game bowl win streak. Texas Tech did not go bowling in 2014.

-- The Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their past four bowl games, but 3-0-1 ATS in their past four against Big 12 opponents.

-- Texas Tech has been hot winning bowl games, but they're just 2-6 ATS in their past eight bowl outings and 2-6 ATS in their past eight neutral-site games, too. However, they are 10-4-1 ATS in their past 15 overall and 5-2 ATS in their past seven following a straight-up win.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.