Tuesday 12/8/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (10-11) at Nets (5-15)

Date: December 08, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Undeniably helping the Houston Rockets reclaim a place among the NBA's premier offensive teams has been having a healthy and fresh Dwight Howard available.
It's uncertain whether that will be the case when the resurgent Rockets aim for a fourth straight win Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Nets.

Houston (10-11) visits Barclays Center for the first of back-to-back games, a scenario where Howard usually sits one night to rest his surgically repaired back. With a matchup at Washington on tap for Wednesday, it's conceivable the All-Star center could be held out against a Nets team that's been one of the league's worst.

Howard did play consecutive nights for the first time this season last week, but showed some lingering effects as he fouled out with eight points on 2-of-6 shooting Wednesday against New Orleans. After subsequently resting Friday at Dallas, the next night he went 7 of 9 from the field in a superb 22-point, 18-rebound effort that helped the Rockets to a 120-113 win over Sacramento.

'He had bouncy legs, you saw that from him,' interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. 'He was dominant."

The Rockets are 2-4 without Howard in the lineup, though they had him and still lost 106-98 to the Nets in Houston on Nov. 11. That began a stretch of four straight defeats that triggered coach Kevin McHale's firing a week later.

Houston has bounced back strongly under Bickerstaff, whose decision to start Patrick Beverley over the disappointing Ty Lawson at point guard has paid dividends. The Rockets are 5-1 and have averaged 110.8 points since the move.

Beverley's expanded role has particularly impacted Houston's 3-point shooting and defense, two major problem areas during its slow start. He's 11 of 18 from beyond the arc in the past four games, and the Rockets have forced an average of 18.0 turnovers over their last five with Beverley making 11 steals.

'We're playing better, playing as a team,' guard James Harden said. 'Defensively we're playing really good.'

Harden has raised his play as well following the coaching switch, averaging 31.6 points and shooting 35.9 percent on 3s in Houston's 10 games under Bickerstaff. The 2014-15 NBA MVP runner-up was previously at 27.3 points and 26.2 percent. He went 5 of 6 from 3 and had 31 points against Sacramento.

The Rockets have won 11 of their last 12 against Brooklyn (5-15) as the visitor, but the Nets' only loss in their last five home games was Sunday's 114-98 defeat to 22-0 Golden State.

Brooklyn owned a 75-70 lead before the Warriors finished the third quarter on a 17-5 run and dominated the fourth.

"We definitely made it a game for a bit, we've just got to win," Brook Lopez told the team's official website.

The Nets played without two rotation players in Andrea Bargnani (hamstring) and rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (ankle), both of whom are unlikely to return Tuesday. Depth was a factor in the teams' earlier meeting, when Brooklyn's bench outscored the Rockets' reserves 56-15.

Bojan Bogdanovic recorded season highs of 22 points and nine rebounds in the Nov. 11 win, but he hasn't scored in double figures in 11 straight.

The Nets and Rockets have split four meetings since Houston won 14 straight in the series from December 2006 to November 2013.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (12-8) at Grizzlies (12-9)

Date: December 08, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Memphis Grizzlies survived a huge night by Russell Westbrook last month to beat an Oklahoma City Thunder team missing Kevin Durant. Even when not at his best, as has been the case lately, Durant showed again in the Thunder's last game how important his presence can be.

No teams have played each other more over the past five years than Memphis and Oklahoma City, and both are looking to build some momentum following wins on late baskets as they square off Tuesday night in Tennessee.

These Western Conference powers are meeting for the 40th time since the beginning of the 2010-11 season, with the Grizzlies holding a 21-18 edge despite losing two of the teams' three playoff series. Oklahoma City has lost its last three trips to Memphis - all regular-season visits in 2015 - though Durant didn't play in the last two.

The Thunder (12-8) led after three quarters there in the only matchup this season despite missing an injured Durant, but they gave up 43 points in the fourth and lost 122-114 on Nov. 16. Westbrook had 40 points on 13-of-19 shooting and handed out 14 assists, but Memphis posted what remains its highest point total of the season and went 12 of 17 from 3-point range.

The Grizzlies (12-9) are only 13 for 54 (24.1 percent) in the last four games but have won three, and they remain the West's worst 3-point shooting team at 30.8 percent.

Oklahoma City has been struggling in that area as well at 29.6 percent in the last four games, and Westbrook enters in a 3-for-19 funk from beyond the arc.

Durant is 3 for 13 in the last two games while committing 15 turnovers, including 10 on Sunday, but he hit the go-ahead jumper with 23 seconds to go and two free throws with 4.4 seconds left in a 98-95 win over Sacramento.

'That's what your best player does,' Westbrook said. 'He's not going to play perfect every night, but you can see he closed the game for us and did a good job defensively.'

Durant hasn't surpassed 25 points in three consecutive games for the first time since last December, and his 20 points Sunday were his second-fewest of the season. Westbrook had 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as the Thunder improved to 3-0 when he has a triple-double. He's had three against the Grizzlies, all in the postseason.

Memphis' latest win was even more dramatic, with Courtney Lee's inbound pass finding Jeff Green for a dunk with 0.5 seconds left in Sunday's 95-93 victory over Phoenix.

"You don't like being in close games like that, but it's always fun when you pull it out and get the win," Green said.

Coach David Joerger said he felt like this team "didn't play great," and that's been a trend lately at home. The Grizzlies struggled to beat a Suns team which had lost seven of eight, three days after being blown out by 20 against San Antonio. In its final two home games of November, Memphis lost by 15 to Atlanta and needed a fourth-quarter rally to defeat league-worst Philadelphia.

The Thunder, though, have a 3-5 road record which is the worst of any division leader. They're allowing an average of 108.1 points in those games, compared to 98.4 at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (11-9) at Nuggets (8-13)

Date: December 08, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

While others players might have become a distraction or hung their head, Victor Oladipo said he'd embrace his role when he was moved to Orlando's bench last month.

The guard certainly seems comfortable while leading the Magic on their recent surge.

Following the end of a five-game win streak, Oladipo looks to help surprising Orlando regroup Tuesday night and avoid a seventh consecutive road loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Oladipo had been averaging 12.8 points and shooting 37.0 percent during a 6-8 start before coach Scott Skiles decided it was "time to change the lineup" and replaced him in the starting five with Channing Frye.

The third-year pro has been a different player since, averaging 18.5 points on 44.6 percent shooting in his six games as a reserve to help the Magic (11-9) jump out to their best 20-game start since opening 13-7 in 2011.

His recent strong play has helped Orlando average 104.8 points in its past five, a bump of 4.3 per game that may not seem like much until you consider that the Magic have been playing tight games with six of their losses coming by six points or fewer.

Oladipo finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks Saturday but missed a key stretch in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Clippers snapped the Magic's win streak by rallying from a 12-point deficit in a 103-101 home win.

Orlando led by eight with 4:48 left when Oladipo knocked knees with Los Angeles' Jamal Crawford, and the Clippers had taken the lead by the time he returned. Oladipo, who is expected to play, totaled 38 points and shot 15 of 28 in two losses to Denver last season.

"I think we've been playing good basketball," he said. "This is a little bump in the road, but at the end of the day, it's going to happen. We just have to bounce back now."

The Magic will look to improve to 3-1 on a five-game trip, though they've dropped the past five meetings with the Nuggets (8-13) and 12 of their past 13 at the Pepsi Center.

Evan Fournier, acquired from Denver prior to the 2014-15 season, missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer in a 93-90 road loss Jan. 7 in the most recent matchup. Fournier is averaging a team-high 16.3 points this season but just 10.3 over the past six games.

The Nuggets open a three-game homestand after winning the last two on a five-game trip. Danilo Gallinari had 24 points and Will Barton 16 in Saturday's 108-105 win at Philadelphia.

"We'll take the win obviously, but there's a lot of things that we have to clean up moving forward," said coach Mike Malone after his team committed 17 turnovers and allowed the 76ers to shoot 50.0 percent from the field and 15 for 31 (48.4) from 3-point range.

Gallinari leads Denver with 17.7 points per game, while Barton has averaged 18.0 over his last three. Gallinari scored 40 and hit six 3-pointers in a 119-100 victory at Orlando on March 22.

Since averaging 81.3 points in the last four of an eight-game losing streak, the Nuggets have put up 107.0 over their last two. Orlando let Los Angeles shoot 45.1 percent from the field Saturday after allowing 91.8 points per game and a 40.1 field-goal percentage during its winning streak.

Gary Harris could return for the Nuggets after missing the past five games with a concussion.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (9-9) at Kings (7-15)

Date: December 08, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

Both the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz are unsure of what to do with their lineups depleted by key big men being out.


The Kings hope that DeMarcus Cousins can get untracked after some recent woes when they open a three-game homestand Tuesday night against the Jazz.

Sacramento (7-15) is without rookie center Willie Cauley-Stein while Utah (9-9) is without center Rudy Gobert. Cauley-Stein has started 14 games for the Kings while Gobert ranks among the NBA leaders with averages of 10.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.

Cousins would be among the leaders with 25.2 points per game if he'd played enough games to qualify, but he's averaging 14.3 points on 24.5 percent shooting in the last three games - all losses. He has played four times after a four-game absence due to a lower back strain, though Sacramento insists he is healthy.

'Nothing that I'm aware of, other than (over) 82 games, it's difficult to be a great player every night,' coach George Karl said. 'That just doesn't happen all the time."

Small forward Omri Casspi has totaled 26 points starting in place of Cauley-Stein in the last two games, though Karl indicated he may re-insert former Utah center Kosta Koufos in the lineup. Koufos, however, has one of the league's worst average plus-minus marks at minus-6.7.

Utah won for the first time in four games without Gobert with Saturday's 122-119 overtime victory over Indiana. Rookie Trey Lyles made his first start since Nov. 13, though it's uncertain if he will be in Tuesday's starting lineup.

'There are no clear answers for our team right now as far as rotations and substitutions go,' coach Quin Snyder said. 'It's all uncharted waters.'

The coach challenged top scorers Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward to perform at a higher level at Friday's practice. Favors scored a career-high 35 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Hayward finished with 22 points, five boards and five assists.

'Terrific, terrific job by both of them,' Snyder said. 'I asked them for that. We needed those two guys to step up. Our two best players."

This contest features teams who play at different tempos, with Sacramento averaging a league-high 102.2 possessions per 48 minutes and Utah last at 95.1.

Cousins and Rajon Rondo, who leads the NBA with 10.9 assists per game, each had poor efforts in Sunday's 98-95 defeat at Oklahoma City. Cousins made 5 of 20 shots for 13 points while Rondo shot 3 of 9 for seven points and had 10 assists.

The Kings have one of the league's top scoring benches at 41.7 points per game, with Darren Collison averaging 13.7 as a reserve. Two other Sacramento players average at least 10 points off the bench, with Marco Belinelli at 12.0 and Casspi at 10.8.

The Jazz's bench features Alec Burks, who averages 15.6 points as a reserve to rank second in the NBA.

Utah has taken five of the last six meetings with Sacramento, though Cousins missed three of them.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Inside the Paint - Tuesday
By Chris David

All eyes will be on Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Tuesday as Golden State (22-0 straight up, 15-7 against the spread) looks to extends its NBA-record start to a season when it meets Indiana (12-7 SU, 12-7 ATS).

Oddsmakers opened the defending champions as 5 ½-point road favorites and NBA expert Tony Mejia believes the Pacers have a legit chance as home underdog to snap the Warriors' 22-game winning streak.

He said, “The Warriors are more than halfway through a seven-game road trip that was expected to deliver their first loss. So far, they’ve enjoyed blowout wins over Charlotte and Brooklyn, covering the number, while surviving close calls at Utah and Toronto. Golden State lost last season’s trip to Indiana 104-98 back in February, but didn’t have Stephen Curry available as he missed his first game of the season due to ankle soreness. The Pacers were without Paul George, who has been brilliant in his return from a horrific compound fracture of both bones in his right leg. George comes off a career-high 48 points in a 122-119 OT loss to Utah, going 8-for-11 from 3-point range. Over the last 14 games, he’s averaged 29.4 points per game and has scored over 30 eight times.”

Saturday’s loss to the Jazz was the second straight for Indiana, who had gone 12 -2 both SU and ATS in its previous 14 games after starting the season 0-3.

Nobody has figured out a blueprint to stop Golden State thus far but Mejia believes Indiana will try to run with the unbeaten club at home and total (214) could go to the high side.

“I expect a fast-paced game as the Warriors have seen the ‘over’ come in six straight times, while Indiana has been involved in games that have gone ‘over’ the posted total in six of eight. George Hill is one of the better defenders at the point, so look for him to be on Curry throughout most of this one. George will likely see a lot of Draymond Green, who has averaged 15.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists on the road trip so far,” said Mejia.

“To pull off the upset, Indiana is going to need a big night from wings Monta Ellis, CJ Miles or Rodney Stuckey. Ellis has been struggling, averaging just 6.0 points per game in three December contests, shooting 7-for-20 from the field. Miles shot 11-for-24 from 3-point range within that same span.”

What’s even more impressive about Golden State is that 12 of its 22 victories have come on the road and they’ve covered 75 percent (9-3) of those games.

Indiana has gone 6-2 both SU and ATS at home this season, which includes a current win streak of six straight from the Fieldhouse but it hasn’t played in front of its fans since Nov. 27. The first game back from a long road trip is never easy for any team, especially traveling back from the West Coast.

NBATV will provide national coverage of this game at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Along with this matchup, bettors have five other games to follow in the Association on Tuesday.

For those keeping track, favorites went 5-0 SU and 3-2 ATS on Sunday and managed to churn out a 5-4 record on Monday but the underdogs produced a 6-3 mark versus the number.

Portland at Cleveland: Betting against the Cavaliers this season (13-7 SU, 7- 13 ATS) has been a winning proposition. Cleveland has only lost once at home (9-1) but it’s only managed to cover 40 percent (4-6 ATS) of those games. They limp into this game with three straight losses, but LeBron James and company should be ready to go after getting two days off and they face a Portland team on zero days rest as the Trail Blazers lost at the Bucks 90-88 on Monday. Including that loss, the Blazers are 4-8 SU and 6-7 ATS on the road. Plus, Portland is 1-4 both SU and ATS in back-to-back spots this season. The home team has won and covered three straight in this series and the Cavs (-9) are heavy favorites for Tuesday’s tilt. The ‘under’ has gone 3-0 during this span.

Houston at Brooklyn: After dropping seven of eight, the Rockets have quietly won five of six and they covered four of those wins. Houston opened as a four-point road favorite and it’s a pedestrian 4-4 both SU and ATS as a visitor this season. The Nets upset the Rockets 106-98 as 11-point road underdogs earlier this season on Nov. 11. That result was very surprising, considering Houston had captured eight of the previous nine encounters. Brooklyn was on an eye-opening 10-1 ATS run (5-6 SU) but it enters this game with two straight losses, both by double digits. The Rockets could sit Dwight Howard since they play at Washington on Wednesday and he’s normally been sitting at least one of the two games in back-to-back situations this season. The team is 2-4 without him in the lineup.

Oklahoma City at Memphis: Memphis went 3-1 both SU and ATS against Oklahoma City last season and it won the first meeting this season, capturing a 122-114 victory as a 2 ½-point home favorite on Nov. 16. The combined 236 points easily went ‘over’ (197 ½) and that result snapped a four-game ‘under’ streak between the pair. For this game, OKC is listed as a short road favorite (-2.5) and that sets off alarms for me to fade the Grizzlies. Memphis 6-14 SU and 7-12-1 ATS in its last 20 at home when catching points, and that includes a 0-2 mark this season. I wouldn’t bet the whole bankroll on OKC, especially the way it’s played recently (6-5 SU, 2-9 ATS). Not to mention that Billy Donovan's team is 3-5 SU and 2-6 ATS on the road this season.

Orlando at Denver: After losing eight in a row, Mike Malone and the Nuggets closed their five game road trip with a pair of wins albeit they came by a combined four points. Denver now faces a very sound team in Orlando, who just had a five-game winning streak snapped last Saturday at the L.A. Clippers, 103-101. When you see the Magic giving points on the road, you realize the oddsmakers are respecting Scott Skiles and company these days but you could still be hesitant to back them. For what it’s worth, Orlando is 5-1 SU and 3-3 ATS as a ‘chalk’ this season. Also, the Magic have dropped five straight and eight of their last 10 meetings (3-7 ATS) to the Nuggets. Danilo Gallinari (knee) is listed as ‘questionable’ for Denver in this game.

Utah at Sacramento: The Kings are listed as two-point home favorites over the Jazz and if Utah had center Rudy Gobert (knee) available, I believe this line would be flipped the other way. Sacramento has only been favored four times this season and it’s gone 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS in that role. The Kings are 5-7 both SU and ATS at home while the Jazz have produced a 5-5 SU and 7-3 ATS record as visitors. The Jazz took three of four against the Kings last season but were 1-1 in their two road games. The total went 2-2 during this span. The total is hovering around 206 and that’s the highest number the Jazz have seen all season. Utah is 2-0 to the ‘over’ in its last two and has allowed 100-plus in three of the four games that Gobert has missed this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Tuesday, December 8 2015 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Should be a great matchup on Tuesday night in Indianapolis as the Pacers get their crack at handing the incredible Golden State Warriors their first loss of the season. A win would be the Warriors' 27th straight dating to last season, which would tie the 27-game run by LeBron James' 2012-13 Miami Heat as the second-longest of all-time. That Golden State's first loss is Tuesday night is the +240 favorite at sportsbooks. Next on that list at +300 is that the Warriors stay unbeaten the rest of 2015. Boston, which hosts the Warriors on Friday, is +400 to be the team to deliver that first defeat. That Cleveland hands the Warriors their first loss on Christmas Day in a Finals rematch is +600.

Warriors at Pacers (+6.5, 211.5)

Another reason to watch this game: it features probably the two MVP favorites right now. Steph Curry is the clear-cut runaway leader and leads the NBA in scoring, but Indiana's Paul George is having a stellar season after missing most of last year due to a broken leg. Curry had 28 points in Sunday's 114-98 win in Brooklyn, 16 of those in the third quarter when Golden State pulled away. The Warriors outscored the Nets 42-15 from 3-point range. The Dubs remain without small forward Harrison Barnes and he won't even be re-evaluated until Dec. 13. Indiana lost a second straight Saturday in Utah, 122-119 in overtime despite a career-high 48 points from George. At 27.6 points per game, his scoring average is nearly six points higher than it was in 2013-14, his last full season. George is also on pace for career highs in 3-point percentage (.454), rebounds (8.2 per game) and assists (4.2 per game). The Pacers and Warriors split last season. Indiana has won seven of the past eight meetings at home.

Key trends: Indiana is 9-0 against the spread in its past nine vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" is 8-0 in the Warriors' past eight. Golden State has covered only two of its past 14 in Indiana.

Early lean: Pacers and over.

Trail Blazers at Cavaliers (-9.5, 202.5)

Portland was in Milwaukee on Monday. Cleveland lost a third straight Saturday in Miami, and I was pretty shocked that LeBron James didn't play in that game. Sure, he's going to get the occasional second of a back-to-back off but I didn't think it would be in South Florida. Cleveland is only 5-6 since an 8-1 start. But the Cavs are 16-2 in their last 18 regular-season games against Western Conference opponents (2-1 this season), winning by an average of 11.1 points in that span. They have won 33 consecutive games when scoring at least 100 points at home. The Blazers and Cavs split last season, each winning at home. Kyrie Irving, getting closer to making his season debut, had a career-high 55 points in the Cavs' home win in the series.

Key trends: The Blazers are 1-5 ATS in their past six in the second of a back-to-back. The Cavs are 1-7 ATS in their past eight vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 5-1 in the previous six meetings in Cleveland.

Early lean: Cavaliers and over.

Rockets at Nets (+5, 207.5)

Brooklyn has dropped two straight and hasn't reached triple digits since Nov. 22. The team got bad news over the weekend as promising rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is out indefinitely with a non-displaced fracture of the posterior talus in his right ankle. He will have surgery this week. Brooklyn is nine points better per 100 possessions when Hollis-Jefferson is on the floor this season. That injury only helps the Celtics, who own Brooklyn's unprotected 2016 first-round pick. Bojan Bogdanovic will start in his place. Houston won a third straight Saturday, 120-113 vs. Sacramento. Dwight Howard had probably his best game of the year with 22 points and 18 rebounds. Houston's Donatas Motiejunas, who hadn't played since March due to injury, made his season debut in that one. The Rockets beat the visiting Nets 106-98 on Nov. 11.

Key trends: The favorite is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 8-2 in the Nets' past 10 vs. the East.

Early lean: Rockets and under.

Thunder at Grizzlies (+3, 203)

Oklahoma City ended a two-game skid with a 98-95 home win over the Kings on Sunday. Kevin had committed 10 turnovers but hit the go-ahead jumper with 23 seconds left and then two free throws with 4.4 seconds to go. Russell Westbrook recorded his third triple-double of the season, with 19 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds. Memphis is off a 95-93 home win over Phoenix on Sunday, winning on a Jeff Green dunk with 0.5 seconds left. Memphis is now 11-1 when leading at the half this season. The Grizzlies beat the visiting Thunder 122-114 on Nov. 16 behind 29 points from Mario Chalmers. Westbrook had 40 points for the Thunder, who played without Durant.

Key trends: The home team is 6-0 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 4-1 in the past five.

Early lean: Grizzlies and under.

Magic at Nuggets (pick'em, 196)

Denver won in Philadelphia 108-105 on Sunday for its second straight win. Danilo Gallinari had 24 points, including the go-ahead dunk with under a minute left. Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried was back in the lineup after sitting out Thursday because of a left ankle sprain. But guard Gary Harris missed a fifth straight game with a concussion, although it's looking decent for him to play here. Orlando's five-game winning streak ended in a 103-101 loss at the Clippers on Saturday. The Magic had a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter. Denver has won five straight in this series and six in a row at home.

Key trends: The road team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 4-1 in those four.

Early lean: Magic and over.

Jazz at Kings (-1.5, 203)

Utah beat the Pacers in overtime on Saturday to end a two-game slide. Derrick Favors had a career-high 35 points. He converted a 3-point play to help send the game to overtime. Sacramento lost a third straight Sunday, 98-95 to the Thunder. Sacramento rallied from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to lead 93-86 with 3:06 left but obviously only scored two more points. DeMarcus Cousins was just 5-for-20 from the field and is in a mini-slump. Omri Casspi started for the second straight game in place of rookie Willie Cauley-Stein, who is out for 4-6 weeks due to a dislocated finger. Utah has won five of the last six meetings with Sacramento, but Cousins missed three of them.

Key trends: The underdog has covered eight of the past 13 meetings. The over is 4-1 in the previous five in Sacramento.

Early lean: Kings and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Hot teams
-- 22-0 Warriors are 8-3 as road favorites. Indiana won six of its last eight games (2-1HU).
-- Rockets won five of their last six games (2-1AF).
-- Thunder, Grizzlies both won five of last seven games; Thunder is 1-4 as road favorite, Memphis is 0-2 as a home dog.
-- Orlando won five of its last six games (1-0AF). Denver won its last two games, after losing previous eight (2-5HU).

Cold teams
-- Cleveland lost last three games, by 12-6-15 (5-5HF). Portland lost five of its last eight games (5-4AU).
-- Nets lost six of their last nine games (4-1HU).
-- Utah is 3-4 in its last seven games (5-1AU). Kings lost five of their last six games (2-2HF).

Series records
-- Pacers won six of last nine games with Golden State.
-- Trailblazers won seven of last nine games with Cleveland.
-- Rockets won eight of last ten games with Brooklyn.
-- Thunder lost four of last five games with Memphis.
-- Nuggets won seven of last eight games with Orlando.
-- Jazz won five of last seven games with Sacramento.

Totals
-- Last six Golden State games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Cleveland games stayed under.
-- Four of last six Houston-Brooklyn games stayed under.
-- Last six Oklahoma City games stayed under total.
-- Five of last seven Denver games stayed under.
-- Last three Utah games went over; three of last four King games stayed under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'More history in the making ??'

Curry and company in the midst of a record winning streak (22-0, 15-7 ATS) have a shot at surpasing the 1969-70 New York Knicks for the best-ever NBA road start when they visit Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. Warriors 12-0 (9-3 ATS) in enemy territory outscoring host teams by an average 12.5 points/game do face a tough test. Indiana has been exceptional lately on home court at keeping the ball out of their own basket. The Pacers reeling off six consecutive home victories (5-1 ATS) have surrendered just 91.7 PPG over the span while defeating visitors by 11.8 points/game.

Not suggesting Indiana pulls the outright upset, but given the stinky 'D' along with having two day's rest Pacers could keep this contest within the expected point range. Keep in mind, Pacers have a 6-0 ATS streak this season with two day's rest, 11-0 ATS stretch the past eleven in the situation. Additionally, Pacers have been a money-making 9-0 ATS in their last nine vs a team with a winning record. One final tid-bit, Pacers have cashed 12-of-14 hosting Warriors.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Maryland, UConn meet at MSG

MARYLAND TERRAPINS (7-1) vs. CONNECTICUT HUSKIES (5-2)

Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Tip-off: Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Line: Maryland -1.5

No. 6 Maryland and Connecticut meet in New York for the second time in three years, this time for the Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden.

Coach Mark Turgeon’s Terrapins and coach Kevin Ollie’s Huskies are historically not familiar foes. That said, they will meet just across the bridge from where Ollie got his first NCAA win, a 78-77 defeat of Maryland (Maryland + 5.5) at the Barclays Center to kick off Connecticut’s surprising National Championship season just two years ago.

The previous meeting between these two squads was also in New York, albeit upstate NY (Syracuse, in the 2002 NCAA regional finals – in Maryland’s National Championship season). Both the Terrapins and Huskies have recently lost to former conference rivals, with Maryland dropping their ACC-B1G matchup with North Carolina in Chapel Hill 89-81, barely failing to cover at +7.5, and Connecticut losing to long-time Big East rival Syracuse in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, 79-76 – a game the Huskies were favored in by six points.

Connecticut compounded that loss by dropping the consolation game to nationally ranked Gonzaga, 73-70 (push, UConn +3). Both the Terrapins and Huskies hope that their most recent games, blowout wins over NEC schools St. Francis (PA) and Sacred Heart, respectively, have gotten them back on track.

Maryland and Connecticut ironically both held their respective NEC opponents to 29% FG, season bests defensively for each. In their last seven contests combined (Maryland 5, Connecticut 2) the total has gone OVER in every game. Overall, Maryland is 3-4-1 ATS, 2-0 (1-1 ATS) in neutral sites this season. Connecticut is 2-1-1 ATS, 1-2 (1-1-1) in neutral sites.

Both squads should be well-represented at Madison Square Garden, given reasonable proximity (roughly three hour drive each) and the large graduate base for both schools in New York City.

F Jake Layman (11.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG) was a sophomore who scored 13 points in the loss to Connecticut in 2013. Maryland was a team looking for an identity, then. It must seem like ages ago for Layman, as four players from that roster have since transferred (and are active on different division 1 squads).

With the No. 2 ranking in the country, however, coach Turgeon would seem to be very content with how he’s reshaped this roster. Layman is only taking 7.5 shots per game and is fourth on the squad in scoring, due to all of the new talent on the roster.

That said, the Terrapins star is returning sophomore G Melo Trimble (14.4 PPG, 5.8 APG, 51% FG). Trimble is at his most aggressive offensively when the bright lights are on, as evidenced by 47 points combined against Georgetown and North Carolina.

Of the newcomers that have improved this roster, coach Turgeon must be very pleased with F Robert Carter (13.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 63% FG) and G Rasheed Sulaimon (11.6 PPG, 52% 3PT).

Finally on a roster with surrounding talent, Carter isn’t taking poor shots as he did on Georgia Tech his freshman and sophomore seasons, and his field goal percentage reflects that. Even though in a loss, Sulaimon came alive in Chapel Hill for five threes and 18 points. Both Sulaimon and Carter have bought in defensively for Turgeon as well, as they’re two of four starters who average more than one steal per game.

Freshman C Diamond Stone (9.9 PPG, 60% FG) could be finally getting started for the Terrapins. Stone is 17-25 from the field over his last three games, including 9 points and a season-high 21 minutes against North Carolina. Stone is coming off of 16 points in the blowout win over St. Francis (PA) on Friday. The Terrapins have now made it four straight games shooting 45% or better from beyond the arc after a very slow start to the season, which compliments their outstanding work in general from the field (55%, tied 1st NCAA).

As good as Maryland has been from the field, Connecticut, as they have historically been, is among the nation’s leaders in defense.

Led by C Amida Brimah (8.1 PPG, 3 BPG), who was a freshman when these two teams last met last, Connecticut protects the rim (17th NCAA in blocks) and holds opponents to 36% FG (10th NCAA). Maryland’s multi-faceted offense will be as good of a challenge as the Huskies have seen all season, but Connecticut has at least been tested already by the likes of Syracuse and Gonzaga. While not quite the machine on offense that the Terrapins have been recently, Connecticut is still very solid from the field (48.6%, 38th NCAA) and is scoring 1.18 points per possession (17th NCAA).

Leading the Huskies in scoring is G Rodney Purvis (14.1 PPG, 41% 3PT), who’s finally found his groove on offense after transferring from NC State and failing to live up to considerable hype as an underclassman.

If Brimah is the defensive anchor and Purvis is the go-to scorer, G Daniel Hamilton (12.6 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 6.3 APG) is the glue that holds the Huskies together, and arguably their most indispensable player. Hamilton may not get the national press that stat-sheet-stuffers like wunderkind freshman Ben Simmons, or outstanding seniors Kris Dunn and Denzel Valentine do, but Hamilton is just as much of a threat for a triple-double on any given night as they are.

In senior F Shonn Miller (12.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG), Ollie was able to pluck arguably the best player in the Ivy League last season (Cornell) and use him as a role player as a graduate transfer. Miller came with a reputation as a two-way player and hasn’t disappointed, recently scoring 19 points in the loss against Gonzaga, while holding season averages of 1 block and just under 1 steal (0.9) per game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mountainers (7-0) at Cavaliers (7-1)

Date: December 08, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Virginia and West Virginia may be neighbors geographically, but their state's flagship basketball programs are worlds apart in terms of philosophy.

Tuesday night's opener of the Jimmy V Classic features two ranked teams and a distinct contrast in styles, with the No. 14 Mountaineers pitting their up-tempo offense against the methodical No. 10 Cavaliers' trademark tight defense.

The schools will be facing one another for the first time in 30 years when they take the court at Madison Square Garden, and that unfamiliarity extends to the approaches each has used to attain its success.

West Virginia (7-0) likes to push the pace and harass opponents with an attacking defense that's forcing 23.4 turnovers per game, tops in Division I. Virginia (7-1) rarely runs and almost never turns it over, with its 7.4 giveaways per game the lowest in the nation.

'I think it's a tempo kind of deal. Who can get who playing the way they want to play,' Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said of the matchup.

The Cavaliers have continued to excel at protecting the ball even with point guard London Perrantes missing the past two games after undergoing an appendectomy on Nov. 29. Virginia committed just 14 turnovers with Tennessee transfer Darius Thompson the primary ball-handler in wins over Ohio State and William & Mary.

Perrantes did take part in warmups prior to Saturday's 67-52 victory over William & Mary, though his status for Tuesday has yet to be determined.

"We are hopeful, and I don't think there have been any setbacks," Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett said.

Thompson has filled in capably, having scored 12 points in three straight and recording six assists in last Tuesday's 64-58 win over the Buckeyes. The sophomore leads the Cavaliers with 11 steals and is one of five players averaging at least eight points on a roster that's shown more offensive versatility than years past.

The 2014-15 Cavaliers posted a second consecutive 30-win season despite averaging 65.4 points per game. They're up to 77.1 this season and sport four players - Perrantes, Thompson and guards Malcolm Brogdon (17.3 points per game) and Marial Shayok - shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range.

Virginia's perimeter prowess will be challenged by a Mountaineers defense that's limited opponents to a 22.0 percent success rate from beyond the arc and also leads Division I in steals (12.4). West Virginia scored 31 points off a season-high 31 turnovers in Saturday's 87-54 rout of overmatched Kennesaw State.

The Mountaineers also have excelled on the boards, with forwards Devin Williams (18.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg) and Jonathan Holton (10.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg) each averaging at least four offensive rebounds per game. Both figure to play key roles in this game, as West Virginia has shot just 28.5 percent on 3-pointers and the Cavaliers have annually fielded one of the top interior defenses under Bennett.

'(Virginia) tries to fortify the paint and make you shoot jump shots. That's what it is," Huggins said. "They double the post. They try to keep you from scoring close. They don't want you to drive it close. They don't want to pass it close. They want you to shoot jump shots.'

Virginia and West Virginia last met in March 1985, a 56-55 Cavaliers' victory in Morgantown in the NIT first round. The schools have split 16 all-time matchups.

The Cavaliers will play their first game at MSG since a 61-59 loss to Michigan State in the 2014 NCAA Tournament regional semifinals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raiders (3-5) at Musketeers (8-0)

Date: December 08, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Xavier's first 9-0 start since 2008-09 is almost a certainty. Beyond that, things become far more unpredictable.

The 12th-ranked Musketeers shouldn't have much trouble at home against Wright State on Tuesday night, but after that a span of Cincinnati, Auburn and Wake Forest figures to better prepare them for Big East play.

Even so, coach Chris Mack maintains the Raiders (3-5) - or anyone for that matter - are capable of causing Xavier (8-0) problems.

"It's a never-ending process, a never-ending struggle," said Mack, whose team has matched its 2011-12 start as its best in his seven seasons at the school. "... Nobody's immune. If you don't bring it on game night, you'll lose."

That must mean the Musketeers brought it in Saturday's 95-64 home win over Western Kentucky, posting their top scoring night of the season and shooting a season-best 57.1 percent. After averaging 77.4 points and shooting 40.6 percent through five games, Xavier has come to life with 90.7 points on 51.9 percent in its last three.

Trevon Bluiett had 21 points and 10 rebounds against the Hilltoppers to match a career high from last season, James Farr had a career-high 18 off the bench and Myles Davis added a season-high 16. Bluiett, who leads the team with 15.1 points per game, is shooting 51.2 percent in his last four after the sophomore hit 40.0 in his first four.

The 6-foot-6 guard is also averaging 7.8 rebounds a season after grabbing 4.2. He and the 6-10 Farr, who averages 8.5 rebounds in 19.5 minutes, pace the team's 13.6 rebounding advantage - one of the biggest margins in the country.

Mack was most impressed with what his team did on defense.

Western Kentucky entered shooting 42.2 percent from 3-point range but went 5 of 22 from beyond the arc. Xavier has held its last two opponents to 23.7 percent from outside, and that could again come into play against a Wright State team that hits 40.3 percent of its 3s.

"Probably the best 3-point shooting team that we had faced so far," said Mack of Western Kentucky. "... That can change a game in a hurry. We really concentrated on trying to make sure that the transition 3 wasn't available."

Xavier has won 20 straight home games against nonconference opponents by an average of 17.6 points, while Wright State has dropped its last 13 against the Top 25 by an average of 16.4.

That includes a 78-63 loss at then-No. 2 Kentucky on Nov. 20, but the Raiders are coming off a far less respected double-digit loss. They fell 59-46 at home to Georgia State on Friday, making 16 field goals and shooting 32.7 percent two games after making 12 and hitting 23.1 percent in a 66-39 loss at George Mason.

They haven't topped 68 points since their 77-69 season-opening win over South Dakota. Inside the arc, Wright State is shooting 39.8 percent for one of the worst marks from the 346 Division I schools.

Against Georgia State, reserve JT Yoho was the only Wright State player in double figures, going 3 of 6 from 3-point range for 15 points while the starting five combined to score just 28.

Yoho averages a team-best 11.4 points while Joe Thomasson is down to 11.1 after being limited to six points in each of his last three games while going 6 of 20.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Gators (6-1) at Hurricanes (7-1)

Date: December 08, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Angel Rodriguez made such a lasting impression on the Florida-Miami rivalry that new Gators coach Mike White has made him a primary focus in the game plan.

Rodriguez hopes to keep giving Florida nightmares as the 17th-ranked Hurricanes seek their second straight win in the series Tuesday night at their sold-out BankUnited Center.

'I think the crowd should starting getting here around 6 o'clock - (the night before),' Miami coach Jim Larranaga joked.

Rodriguez delivered an unforgettable performance in last year's meeting when he poured in 22 of his 24 points in the final nine minutes while also knocking down five 3-pointers in the last seven in a 69-67 win at No. 8 Florida.

The guard hit a difficult, go-ahead 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining as Miami rallied from a 15-point deficit to snap the Gators' 33-game home winning streak.

Rodriguez has been one of the big reasons the Hurricanes (7-1) rank in the nation's top 15 in scoring (87.6), field-goal percentage (51.1) and 3-point percentage (42.5). He averaged 14.3 points and made 11 of 27 (40.7) from beyond the arc over a six-game span before finishing with eight in Saturday's 88-60 home win over Charlotte.

Rodriguez is expected to play in the rematch with Florida despite leaving Saturday's game briefly with a wrist injury. White, who was with Louisiana Tech last season before replacing Billy Donovan, said stopping Rodriguez won't be easy after watching last year's game film.

"It starts with knowing where he is at all times," he said. "And that's collectively, not just the guy who is assigned to guard him. We all need to know where Angel is for 40 minutes because he's capable of stepping up and hitting 3s in transition like he did last year."

The Gators (6-1) rank in the nation's top 15 in defensive scoring (58.7). They're also in the top 25 in both defensive field-goal percentage (36.8) and rebounding margin (plus-9.9).

Florida, known for its relentless press, received votes in the latest poll after limiting Richmond to 33.9 percent shooting last Tuesday in its third straight home victory, 76-56.

Sheldon McClellan, who leads Miami with 15.9 points per game, could get more time after he scored eight in 18 minutes while coming off the bench Saturday due to a lower extremity injury.

"It's a huge test for us defensively," White said. "It's, of course, a road game against an ACC opponent that I think will be very competitive in their league. So early on, it's an opportunity for us but also a test to see where we're at and what we need to work on."

Dorian Finney-Smith, who did not play in last season's meeting, leads the Gators with 14.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. One point away from 1,000 for his career, he'll try to get back on track after scoring nine on 3-of-12 shooting against the Spiders.

John Egbunu finished with 17 points and 14 boards, Devin Robinson had 12 and 13 and Finney-Smith added 13 rebounds as Florida owned a 57-36 advantage on the glass.

"They've got, not a good player, but a great player at every position and a very deep and talented bench," Larranaga said. "Their size and length and defensive abilities create a major challenge for any team."

The Gators won 77-67 on Dec. 22, 2005, in the only other meeting at the then-University of Miami Convocation Center.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wolverines (6-2) at Mustangs (6-0)

Date: December 08, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

With a Big Ten opponent waiting in the wings, acting head coach Tim Jankovich wouldn't let SMU overlook its last opponent.

The 19th-ranked Mustangs' largest margin of victory in nearly two decades suggests they're ready to move forward.

With Jankovich's cautioning words of a trap game left behind, SMU can finally look ahead to its biggest test yet when it hosts Michigan on Tuesday night.

SMU (6-0) searches for its best start since opening the 1997-98 season 10-0. The Mustangs have a chance to match that mark if they win the final four of a five-game homestand leading up to their American Athletic Conference opener at Tulsa on Dec. 29.

But one game at a time is the mantra, and SMU didn't take Jankovich's warning lightly Saturday. The Mustangs plastered New Hampshire 98-44 for the program's biggest victory since a 90-34 win over Division III Hardin-Simmons on Nov. 23, 1996.

SMU, which had won its previous three games by a combined 15 points, was led by Keith Frazier's 23 points while freshman Malik Milton broke out with 20 off the bench.

Frazier made 7 of 12 shots and 6 of 10 from 3-point range, matching his career-high point total while grabbing eight rebounds. He bounced back from a scoreless effort in Wednesday's 75-70 victory over TCU.

'It's no secret Keith is an outstanding shooter,' said Jankovich, who is filling in while Larry Brown serves a nine-game suspension. 'One of the worst things you can do is make a big thing of a bad shooting night.'

Frazier is part of a balanced SMU attack that features five players averaging double figures. Reigning AAC Player of the Year Nic Moore has averaged 15.0 points while playing through a broken pinkie finger on his shooting hand.

The Mustangs lead the AAC in 3-point percentage (44.1) and are tied with Houston atop the conference with a 52.4 field-goal percentage.

The defense, though, stood out against New Hampshire. SMU held the Wildcats to 26.7 percent shooting, including 16.7 percent from 3-point range.

'It was without question our best defensive effort,' Jankovich said.

The Mustangs are 4-0 at home and 38-3 in Dallas since the start of the 2013-14 season.

Michigan (6-2) heads into its second true road game having won four straight since a 74-60 loss to then-No. 18 Connecticut on Nov. 25. The Wolverines have lost seven of their last eight games against ranked opponents, the outlier a 64-57 win over No. 24 Ohio State on Feb. 22.

But the Wolverines have taken care of business this month, beating North Carolina State 66-59 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Dec. 1 before routing Houston Baptist 82-57 on Saturday.

Caris LeVert finished with 25 points and eight rebounds against the Huskies while Duncan Robinson added 19 points off the bench. Robinson knocked down 5 of 9 3-pointers against Houston Baptist, and that actually lowered his percentage from deep to a ridiculous 59.5.

'Everyone keeps telling me to keep shooting, even if I'm missing,' he said. 'Today, even the parking-lot attendant reminded me to keep taking my shot.'

LeVert, Robinson, Aubrey Dawkins and Derrick Walton Jr. are shooting a combined 67 of 122 (54.9 percent) from beyond the arc this season. Walton, however, sat out against Houston Baptist with a sprained ankle and is uncertain for Tuesday.

The Wolverines couldn't hit anything inside or outside the arc last Dec. 20 against SMU, shooting 31.5 percent overall and going 8 of 36 from 3-point range in a 62-51 loss in Ann Arbor.

Moore had 17 points for SMU while LeVert finished with four points and five turnovers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (3-3) at Bulldogs (5-2)

Date: December 08, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

For a team that cruised through 2014-15 with the regular season's second best point differential, Gonzaga sure is experiencing a rash of close games.

If Montana's visit to Spokane on Tuesday night lengthens the list, real cause for concern figures to settle in for the 20th-ranked Bulldogs.

That's certainly not the case after Saturday's 68-63 home loss to then-No. 19 Arizona, but it was Gonzaga's fourth straight game decided by single digits. Only six of Gonzaga's regular-season games last year were decided by fewer than 10 points, and the Bulldogs (5-2) have already matched their regular-season loss total.

It's been a difficult span that started with a loss to then-No. 25 Texas A&M before a win over then-No. 18 UConn. Gonzaga won at Washington State before losing to the Wildcats.

"Win or lose, there's a lot to learn from these games," Kyle Wiltjer said. "It's a great team that came in here. Long term-wise, like I said before, just learning what works and what doesn't, what's our kind of go-to plays, and also just improving our defense."

The Bulldogs were the great team in the first half, building a 10-point lead with Wiltjer scoring 20 of his 33 points. It was the second straight game the senior has reached 20 in the first half, and since going 4 for 12 in a win over Mount St. Mary's on Nov. 21, he's shooting 51.2 percent and 42.2 from 3-point range.

Part of the problem recently is Gonzaga hasn't provided him with any perimeter help. In the last four games, Wiltjer has made 14 of the team's 29 3s, including all three against Arizona. The rest of the team is 3 for 20 in the last two games.

Instead, offensive help is coming inside from fellow forward Domantas Sabonis, who is averaging 14.1 points and 10.4 rebounds after posting 18 and 16 against Arizona.

Mark Few's team might lean on those two even more Tuesday if Przemek Karnowski is out. The center has missed the last two games due to back spasms.

Gonzaga has won the last nine meetings by an average of 15.1 points, though the schools haven't played since 2007. That game, however, is part of Montana's eight-game losing streak against the Top 25 - defeats that have been by an average of 18.3 points.

This will be Montana's third straight West Coast Conference opponent following a 69-63 loss at Pepperdine on Nov. 29 and Friday's 82-50 blowout of San Francisco. The Grizzlies had their best offensive game of the season, hitting 54.2 percent and 8 of 21 from outside.

"Offensive execution was the biggest thing, getting good shots and taking care of the ball," coach Travis DeCuire told the school's official website. "Twelve assists and zero turnovers in the second half is a big reason we're able to score over 50 in the half. If we take care of the ball and execute offensively, we will get good shots and eventually make shots."

That won't be as easy against the Bulldogs, particularly from long range. Gonzaga's countered any 3-point shooting deficiencies by defending the perimeter exceptionally well, limiting opponents to 22.9 percent (36.5 percent overall), and the Grizzlies (3-3) are making just 25.0 percent of their attempts.

They haven't had to rely on the outside shot much with Martin Breuning taking high-percentage shots. The senior forward had 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting against San Francisco and is averaging 26.7 on 81.6 percent shooting in his last three.

Similar to Wiltjer and Gonzaga, though, the rest of the team is lagging at 39.3 percent in that time.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Terrapins (7-1) at Huskies (5-2)

Date: December 08, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

Maryland and Connecticut followed up single-digit losses against top-10 opponents with blowout wins over weak competition.

The Terrapins present the unranked Huskies with another top-10 foe Tuesday night in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden, but sixth-ranked Maryland is also preparing for UConn as more of a North Carolina than a St. Francis.

While Maryland (7-1) is coming off Friday's 96-55 home win over the Red Flash following last Tuesday's 89-81 defeat at the then-No. 9 Tar Heels, UConn (5-2) beat Sacred Heart 82-49 Wednesday at home after a 73-70 loss to then-No. 10 Gonzaga on Nov. 27. That loss concluded a disappointing showing in the Battle 4 Atlantis and was preceded by a 79-76 loss to Syracuse the day before, so the Huskies are eager to see another big program.

"This is a huge opportunity for us," said UConn guard Rodney Purvis, who was 7 of 13 for 19 points in the latest game after shooting 33.3 percent in the losses. "We let two huge wins slip away in the Bahamas, but that is in the past, so we have to move forward. This is one of the biggest games that we are going to play and we can't let these opportunities slip away from us."

It will likely take a better offensive performance to avoid that fate. The Huskies shot 52.5 percent against Sacred Heart, but they hit 42.6 percent and 28.9 from 3-point range in the losses. That doesn't figure to be enough against a Maryland team that shot 67.4 percent against St. Francis and is at 54.5 for the season, which matches UConn's top single-game mark.

Robert Carter Jr. had a season-high 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in 19 minutes of the Terrapins' latest win, and his coach thinks there's more to come.

"He gets a little bit more comfortable each and every game," Mark Turgeon said of the Georgia Tech transfer. "There is a lot more in him that we haven't seen yet."

Fellow forward Jake Layman had 16 points and was 5 of 7 - 4 for 6 from 3-point range - after being limited to 6.7 points on 6 of 15 from the field in his previous three games.

"It wasn't just North Carolina; it was a couple of games in a row actually," Layman said. "... My coaches and teammates did a great job of keeping me grounded and they made sure that my confidence was still there."

The Terrapins, however, were more concerned with what took place at the other end of the floor after allowing North Carolina to shoot 53.2 percent and hit 9 of 13 from 3-point range. They held the Red Flash to 29.0 percent and 8 of 27 from long range.

"All we've talked about since Tuesday night was defending," Turgeon said. "I thought for the most part we continued to concentrate defensively. We were pretty dialed in to what they were doing. I was really pleased with that. It was a step in the right direction for us. I talked about being more consistent in our play and respecting our opponent."

Individually, those threats for UConn figure to be Purvis, who leads the team with 14.1 points per game, and Daniel Hamilton. Hamilton had 14 points and 13 rebounds against Sacred Heart, and the sophomore is averaging 15.5 and 9.0 in his last four games.

The eventual blowout win might have overshadowed the 11-point deficit the Huskies faced before ending the first half on a 27-2 run. It came a game after trailing Gonzaga by 16 at the half.

"The first half and the beginning of the second half we had some lows, and we can't do that against good teams," coach Kevin Ollie said.

The winner of the last two meetings has gone on to win the national championship - UConn in 2013-14 and Maryland in 2001-02.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

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

3-3 Central Florida won three of last four games; its three losses are by total of seven points; Knights have #12 eFG% defense- their best win is over #277 NC-Greensboro. UMass is 5-2 with both losses to teams in top 70; Minutemen won only true road game by 6 at Harvard- they beat Clemson on neutral floor. A-14 underdogs are 12-15 against the spread.

George Washington was 0-8 on arc in 64-51 loss at Penn State LY; GW is 7-1 this year with three top 100 wins- their only loss was to Cincinnati by 5 on a neutral floor. 5-2 Penn State won its last three games; they split two road games, winning at BC, losing by 26 at Duquesne. A-14 favorites are 15-13 vs spread at home. Big 14 road underdogs are 4-5.

West Virginia is 7-0 against the #337 schedule, forcing turnovers 31.3% of time; their best wins are Richmond/San Diego State- they jump way up in class here, vs 7-1 Virginia club that is #2 in country at protecting ball. Cavaliers' only loss was at GW- they've got #34 eFG%. ACC faves are 10-10 vs spread on neutral floors. Big 14 underdogs are 12-9.

St Joe's is 5-2, winning by hoop at Columbia in last game; Hawks lost to Florida/Villanova- their best win was over #87 ODU. 4-1 Princeton lost to Stony Brook Saturday, its first top 200 game this year. Tigers won at Rider, are 1-1 on road. A-14 home favorites are 15-13; Ivy League road underdogs are 5-13. Three of five St Joe's wins are by 1 or 2 points.

Kelvin Sampson has Houston at 5-0 vs easiest schedule in country so far with no road games; Cougars' best win is over #178 Murray State. Rhode Island lost dramatic game to instate rival Providence Saturday; they're 1-3 vs top 200 teams, with best win over #101 TCU- all three of their losses were top 50 games. AAC road underdogs are 6-2 against the spread.

Miami won 69-67 at Florida LY, rallying from down 14 with 9:18 left; Hurricanes are 7-1 this year, with only loss as 16-point home favorite vs Northeastern. Gators are 6-1 after hammering Richmond week ago; their only road win was in opener at Navy. Florida has the #13 eFG% defense. ACC home favorites are 23-16 vs spread; SEC road dogs are 4-3.

5-2 Northern Iowa lost 82-67 at Richmond Saturday when Spiders made 13-25 on arc; UNI's other road game was 46-point win at North Dakota. George Mason is 4-5 with wins over Ole Miss/Oklahoma State but four losses against teams ranked #150 or lower- four of their five losses are by 9+ points. Panthers blew 12-point lead in OT home win vs Mason LY.

Evansville is 7-1 with only loss by 10 to Providence in Fullerton; Purple Aces are #10 in experience- they've got #16 eFG%- they won in OT at Murray State in first road game Saturday. Arkansas is 0-4 vs top 200 teams- their best win was 86-68 in opener over #238 Southern. Hogs are forcing lot of turnovers but still have #280 eFG% defense- not good.

Michigan is 6-2 with 66-59 win at NC State in only road game; they are 2-2 vs top 100 teams, with best win over #48 Texas. Wolverines shoot 44.1% from arc, have #7 eFG%- they won last four games. SMU is 6-0 vs #232 schedule; they won 62-51 at Michigan LY, but Wolverines are an improved team now. Mustangs' best wins are over TCU and Yale.

Maryland is 7-1 with loss at North Carolina; their best wins are against URI/Georgetown; Terps are shooting 63.7% inside arc, have #3 eFG% in country- they're making 39.6% on arc. UConn lost two of three down on Atlantis; their best win is over #32 Michigan. Huskies have #16 eFG% defense. AAC home teams are 15-10 against the spread.

Washington has 6th-least experienced team in country but its better team than they had; Huskies have #5 eFG% defense- they're grabbing 41.7% of own misses. U-Dub lost to Gonzaga/Texas on Atlantis- best win was its opener over Texas in China. TCU lost three of last five games, all against top 100 teams- their best win was over #172 Illinois State.

Iona scored 101 ppg in winning first two MAAC games but is 0-2 in its non-league road games, losing 25 at Valpo, 20 at Oregon State. Gaels are playing #11 tempo; they're mkaing 40.5% on arc. Tulsa got upset in last game by Oral Roberts after they upset Oklahoma State; Hurricane is #1 in country in experience- they've lost three of last four games overall.

Minnesota is 5-3 vs schedule #239; they split pair of games with Summit teams, beating Omaha by 3, losing to South Dakota Saturday in two OTs. Gophers allowed 81+ points in last four games. South Dakota State won seven of eight games but lost last road game at UMKC; their best win is over #101 TCU. Summit League road teams are 24-13 against spread.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: CL Best Bets - Tuesday
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

Matchday 6

The last matchday of the Champions League group stages is usually a chance for the heavy favourites to rest a few players ahead of more important league games.

And so it is this time: Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have all won their group with a game to spare. At the moment Bayern and Barça at 5/2 are well ahead of Real who are 6/1 in the future odds.

After that come Manchester City at 12/1, then Chelsea at a surprisingly short price of 20/1, followed by 22/1 Atletico Madrid, 28/1 Manchester United and Juventus, Arsenal 33/1, Zenit St Petersburg 66/1 and the rest are 80/1 or longer.


The Banker: Real Madrid to win to nil against Malmo at 8/11

Real Madrid’s season has started to unravel in the last few weeks. A 4-0 home defeat against Barcelona piled the pressure on manager Rafael Benitez, and then the selection of the ineligible Denis Cheryshev saw Spain’s biggest club suffer the ignominy of disqualification from the Copa del Rey. However at 8/11 they can be trusted to see off Malmo without conceding when they face the Swedish champions on Tuesday night.

Malmo have scored just once in five group stage games, and that was in their easiest game - at home to Shakhtar Donetsk. Real have conceded just three, and all of them were in a mad 11 minute spell in their last game, also against Shakhtar Donetsk. Real were 4-0 up but were pegged back to 4-3. That can probably be put down partly to luck and partly to a general lack of confidence at the club. After back-to-back league wins, Real are unlikely to have a good season, but the worst is surely behind them.

The Solid Bet: PSV Eindhoven to beat CSKA Moscow at 4/5

PSV Eindhoven put in the perfect defensive performance to draw 0-0 at Manchester United on matchday 5, leaving them only needing a win from their last game. It is the perfect scenario as their opponents, CSKA Moscow, are out of contention for qualification and so have far less to play for. Group B has been the tightest group of the tournament so far, with just five points separating four fairly evenly-matched teams.

But PSV fully merited their point at Old Trafford, and had enough chances to suggest that they can hurt CSKA at the Phillips Stadion. They have won five and drawn one of their home league games so far, scoring 14 in the process. CSKA, meanwhile, have inexplicably hit a dreadful run of form after a great start to their season. They have taken just two points from their last four league games. At 4/5 PSV look good value.

The Outsider: Manchester United to win at Wolfsburg at 23/10

Despite decent results on paper there is an air of discontent around Manchester United at the moment. Most of that is because they have scored just seven goals in their last ten games in all competitions. This is a huge cause of concern: Wayne Rooney has been out of form for so long that many are suggesting he is not a very good player anymore, while Anthony Martial has failed to kick on from his early season form. But there is another stat: in those ten games, United have conceded just three times.

And in important European away matches it is defence that tends to be more important than attack. United need to win qualify, and provided they can keep yet another clean sheet it is worth taking the 23/10 on them winning the match.

The First Goalscorer: Antoine Griezmann for Atletico Madrid at Benfica at 15/4

Antoine Griezmann scored a wonderful goal in Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 win at Granada in their last league game, and after a slow start to the season the French winger has suddenly come alive. He has scored four in his last three games, including a crucial brace in his team’s 2-0 win over Galatasaray on Matchday 5. Atletico need to beat Benfica away from home to win Group C. They have the best away record in La Liga this year, and they should win at Lisbon. At 15/4 Griezmann looks good value to give them the start they need.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Pompano Park

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


Race 7 - Post: 9:18 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 81 - Purse:$6500 - FILLIES AND MARES NW $3,451 LAST 5 STARTS OR $601 PER START IN 2015. ALSO ELIGIBLE: FM OPTIONAL CLAIMING $10,000 OR NW 6 EXTENDED PARI-MUTUEL RACES LIFETIME. BYRON PICKED 2 OVER 9


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 6 DE VALERIA 8/1



# 9 SHORTEST DISTANCE 15/1



# 2 DIAMONDS PRINCESS 5/2



All signs point to DE VALERIA for the selection especially at such a decent 8/1. Could very well be the finest in the race here, showing very nice markings of late. Average speed is a solid 82. Has to be given a look based on the competitive speed rating earned in the last outing. SHORTEST DISTANCE - Has a bang-up shot in this one, if she can repeat her back racing class. Hennessey is racking up the wins lately. Top notch win statistic makes this harness racer our selection. DIAMONDS PRINCESS - The consortium noted a strong effort out of this contender last time. Looking for a duplicate of that to dominate.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Rosecroft Raceway

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


Race 7 - Post: 8:22 - 1 mile. TROT - Class Rating: 80 - Purse:$6400 - MARYLAND PREFERRED NW $5,000


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 8 EVERYONE'S TALKIN 9/2



# 9 CALLMEMZA 2/1



# 3 SEMPER FIT 4/1



EVERYONE'S TALKIN sure does look ready to win. Positive thought - racing well enough to contend in this affair. Enters this outing with really good TrackMaster class numbers as compared to the group of horses - worth a look. Could clearly defeat this race given the 80 speed fig achieved in his most recent contest. CALLMEMZA - Don't let a fine animal with such a strong winning percentage like this be forgotten. She's battling in good form, recording sharp TrackMaster Speed Ratings. An excellent pick. SEMPER FIT - Has the look of a profitable play, averaging a nifty 80 speed rating. Horoscope said take a chance today, this standardbred is as good as any to take a shot with.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Mahoning Valley Race Course

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


Race 9 - Claiming - 6.0f on the Dirt. Purse: $7700 Class Rating: 72

FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NOT WON TWO RACES SINCE DECEMBER 8. THREE YEAR OLDS, 123 LBS.; OLDER, 124 LBS. NON-WINNERS OF A RACE SINCE NOVEMBER 8 ALLOWED 2 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $4,000 OHIO REGISTERED FOALS PREFERRED).



RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 5 COBRA KISS 10/1


# 10 PERFECT LIL DEMON 8/1


# 6 DISTINCTIVE HUMOR 10/1


COBRA KISS supports the bet in here and is a very good value bet given the line at 10/1. Has the looks of a profitable play. Sound average Equibase Speed Figs in dirt sprint races make this racer a definite contender. PERFECT LIL DEMON - Has a sharp shot in this race if you like back class. Boasts solid Equibase speed figs on average overall when compared with the rest of this field. DISTINCTIVE HUMOR - Looks competitive to be on the lead at the first call.