Wednesday 1/20/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hornets (19-22) at Thunder (31-12)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Kemba Walker has accomplished some rather remarkable feats of late, as has Russell Westbrook.

The premier point guards now go head-to-head as Walker's Hornets visit the formidable Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night looking to build on their star's record-setting performance.

Though Charlotte (19-22) brings a nine-game road losing streak into Chesapeake Energy Arena, where it hasn't won since the Thunder moved from Seattle, it'll at least be entering on a rare recent high after outlasting Utah 124-119 in a double-overtime thriller Monday.

Walker scored a franchise-record 52 points, and the fifth-year pro finished 6 of 11 from 3-point range and 14 of 15 from the foul line in surpassing Glen Rice's 48 points against Boston on March 6, 1997.

'I just tried to make the best plays possible," he said. "When I had my shot, I tried to be aggressive, take them and make them."

Walker has made more than his share of plays during a 12-game stretch in which he's had to carry an offense without two of its top five scorers in Al Jefferson and Jeremy Lamb. He's averaging 24.8 points and produced three games of 32 or more over that span.

Monday's victory was just the second in the last 11 games, and the Hornets are 4-14 since last winning on the road at Memphis on Dec. 11, falling to last place in the Southeast Division.

The Thunder (31-12) have gone in the other direction, winning 20 of 24 since consecutive road defeats to Atlanta and Miami from Nov. 30-Dec. 3 that left them just three games above .500.

Westbrook has been a major reason for the surge and aims for a third consecutive triple-double at home. He fell short of a third straight overall in Tuesday's 110-104 victory in Denver, but still logged 19 of his 27 points in the second half and contributed 12 assists in Oklahoma City's fifth consecutive win.

Kevin Durant added 30 points and 12 rebounds and Enes Kanter had 25 points in 25 minutes off the bench to help the Thunder overcome an off-shooting night. Oklahoma City went 6 of 28 on 3-pointers and shot 42.3 percent overall, its lowest mark since a 105-96 home loss to Chicago on Christmas Day.

The Thunder have averaged 111.2 points in winning 11 of 13 since.

'We got great shots tonight,' Durant said afterward. 'Cameron (Payne) missed four wide-open 3s, Dion (Waiters) missed two or three, I missed a couple, so we got great looks tonight. We can live with those.'

Charlotte has scored 107 or more in three of its last four after averaging 93.7 over six consecutive losses to begin January. That includes a 109-90 home setback to the Thunder on Jan. 2 in which Westbrook was held to 16 points on 4 of 15 shooting, but Durant had 29 and 11 rebounds to counter Walker's 32 points.

The win was the Thunder's 10th straight over the Hornets, and they haven't lost in seven meetings since relocating to Oklahoma City for the 2009-10 season. Charlotte last defeated the Thunder in March 2010 and recorded its most recent road win in the series in Seattle on March 28, 2008.

The Hornets have dropped their last five games in Oklahoma City by an average of 25.8 points, with each loss by at least 17 points.

Lamb has missed three games with a sprained right toe and is questionable to play in his Oklahoma City return. The shooting guard spent his first three seasons with the Thunder before being traded to Charlotte in June.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Timberwolves (13-30) at Mavericks (24-19)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Scoring hasn't been much of a problem at home lately for the Dallas Mavericks, but their defense has slipped partially due to some lengthy games.

Facing the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves for the second time in two weeks could solve that.

The Mavericks go for an eighth win in 10 home games as they try to extend their winning streak over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

Dallas (24-19) is averaging 108.4 points while winning seven of its last nine home games after splitting the first 10 while scoring 99.6 per game.

The Mavericks, however, are surrendering an average of 113.0 points while winning two of their last three games. Each of those games has gone into overtime, including a 117-116 double-OT win over Sacramento on Jan. 5.

Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams prevented Dallas from going that far Monday, combining for 17 of its 20 points in overtime of a 118-113 win over Boston.

"I just dug deep. That was a gutsy win," said Nowitzki, who tied a season high with 31 points - 21 after the third quarter - and had 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.

Williams has been much more productive at home than on the road. He scored 20 points against the Celtics, giving him an average of 19.1 points over his last 10 home games compared to 8.4 in his past seven away.

Williams' struggled on the road at Minnesota on Jan. 10, totaling four points on 2-for-10 shooting. However, Nowitzki practically carried the Mavs to a 93-87 victory, scoring 29 points with seven rebounds while sinking 12 of 22 from the floor - 4 of 7 from 3-point range.

"(Dirk) just makes the game so easy," Williams told the team's official website.

Dallas has won four straight meetings with the Timberwolves (13-30), holding them to 85.3 points per game and 20.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc over the last three.

Minnesota is doing little to inspire confidence it's capable of ending its woes. The Timberwolves are averaging 93.9 points while losing 14 of their last 16 games, and they've dropped a season-high seven straight on the road after a 114-99 defeat at New Orleans on Tuesday.

It's Minnesota's longest road losing streak since a 10-game skid from Nov. 30, 2014-Jan. 9, 2015.

Despite the Timberwolves occupying the Northwest Division cellar, Andrew Wiggins has been a bright spot with 24.3 points per game over the last seven. That includes 21 points with seven rebounds against the Mavs earlier this month after the second-year pro averaged 12.3 and 4.3 over his first three career matchups.

Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns wasn't very effective in his first meeting with Dallas, scoring 10 points with four rebounds. The No. 1 overall pick enters this one after putting up 20 points and pulling down 13 boards against the Pelicans.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (17-23) at Lakers (9-34)

Date: January 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Sacramento Kings' latest win over the Los Angeles Lakers opened a homestand that ended in disappointing fashion. They hope the next meeting will result in a perfect road trip while aiding in their search for consistency.

The Kings seek their third straight win and sixth in a row against the Lakers on Wednesday night in their second game this week at Staples Center.

Sacramento (17-23) has been up and down since winning five of seven in mid- December, starting with a three-game losing streak that was followed by wins in three of four. The final victory of that stretch was a 118-115 victory over the Lakers on Jan. 7.

But that three-game homestand concluded with 12-point losses to Golden State and New Orleans, and the roller coaster continued with Thursday's 103-101 win at Utah and Saturday's 110-103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center.

DeMarcus Cousins finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists against the Clippers, who were missing DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin inside. Cousins has averaged 31.1 points and 13.4 rebounds in his last eight games.

'It's a big win for us,' said Cousins, who had 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the last matchup against the Lakers. 'We're still making a lot of mistakes as a team and still having a lot of ups and downs this season, so we're just trying to find that consistency.'

The Kings are rolling offensively as the second-highest scoring team in the league this month at 114.8 points per game, shy of only Golden State's 115.1. The defense remains the issue. While Sacramento allows the most points in the league at 108.3, Los Angeles isn't far down the list at 106.0 - though that number drops to 101.9 in January.

The Kings won the first meeting this season between the Pacific Division foes, 132-114 on Oct. 30, though that also came in Sacramento. The Lakers (9-34) have won 12 of the last 14 in this series at home.

The tight loss against the Kings earlier this month was the second for Los Angeles during a stretch of seven defeats in eight games.

Kobe Bryant - who scored 28 in his final game in Sacramento - has averaged 27.2 points against the Kings in his career, including 29.3 in three postseason series in the early 2000s. The Lakers have one game remaining against Sacramento on March 15 in Los Angeles.

Bryant played through a sore right Achilles and finished with five points during Sunday's 112-95 loss to Houston that opened a three-game homestand. The 17-time All-Star was held to fewer than 10 points for the fourth straight game, but he did match a season high with nine assists - passing Jerry West for second place on the franchise's all-time list with 6,244 behind Magic Johnson (10,141).

Coach Byron Scott says Bryant "is a go" for Wednesday's game, while calling rookie Larry Nance Jr. doubtful with a sore right knee.

Nance started 22 straight games before sitting out Sunday. If he can't play, Julius Randle will take his place in the starting lineup - where he has averaged 11.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 21 games.

"If (Randle) plays 20-25 minutes, he's almost a walking double-double," Scott told the team's official website. "He has been able to do that all season long."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (25-17) at Trail Blazers (19-25)

Date: January 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Atlanta Hawks can create some breathing room atop the Southeast Division with their closest pursuer banged-up and trudging through an exhausting stretch.

The Hawks, however, need to carry the balance they've shown in their last few home games out on the road beginning with Wednesday night's opener of a four-game trip against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Atlanta (25-17) has been jockeying with Miami for the division lead and carries a slim advantage into this matchup with Portland (19-25). The Heat, already saddled with key injuries, are amid a vicious slate in which only two of 16 games come at home.

One of those contests is Jan. 31 against the Hawks, who don't have it much easier until then with five of their next six away from home.

They've lost four of six outside Atlanta to fall to 10-10 on the road, but a pair of home victories this week showed signs of them regaining the balance they used during last season's 60-win campaign.

After shooting a combined 40.3 percent, including 16 of 55 from 3-point range, in road losses to Charlotte and Milwaukee last week, Atlanta shot the ball well and used its deep rotation in home wins over Brooklyn and Orlando.

The Hawks hit 55.7 percent despite missing 21 of 29 from long range in a 114-86 rout of the Nets on Saturday before having one of their most effective nights from deep with a 9-for-19 effort in Monday's 98-81 victory over the Magic.

The reserves were key in both wins, providing 53 points, 24 rebounds and 18 assists against Brooklyn, and 47 points, 17 rebounds and 19 assists versus Orlando.

"Our bench has been doing great," starting forward Paul Millsap said. "When they get in the game, they push the tempo, they get after it on defense, and when you have the whole team contributing, the whole team out there fighting hard, it makes us a tough team."

The constant stream of fresh legs wreaked havoc on the perimeter, forcing the Nets and Magic to miss 30 of 42 long-range attempts - a welcome sight for a Hawks team that ranked seventh in the NBA last season with a 34.1 defensive 3-point percentage.

"Their defensive energy is fueling everything else, so hopefully we can continue to get the starters to feed off that, too," coach Mike Budenholzer said of his reserves. "It's been good to see that for a few games in a row."

The perimeter focus needs to remain against the Trail Blazers, who rank third in the league with an average of 10.3 3-pointers and fifth with 28.4 attempts per game. The outside defense was clicking in the first meeting against Portland, which missed 19 of 24 from beyond the arc in a 106-97 loss at Atlanta on Dec. 21.

It certainly didn't help that leading scorers Damian Lillard (24.4) and C.J. McCollum (20.5) sat out with injuries. The starting backcourt helped the Blazers roar back from an embarrassing 25-point loss to Philadelphia for a 108-98 win at Washington on Monday in which they shot a season-best 54.8 percent from long range.

Lillard and McCollum combined for 41 points and went 8 of 16 on 3s as the Blazers won for the fourth time in five games.

"Winning three (in a row) and then getting beat by a (76ers) team that only had four wins - the ability to come back and lock in and not dwell on what had happened is big for us," said Meyers Leonard, who scored 18 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game of the Day: Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls

Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls (-6, 215)

Golden State was disappointed with its performance in a loss at Detroit to begin the trip on Saturday, during which it shot a season-low 36 percent from the field. The Warriors picked things up on the offensive end and made a statement with a 132-98 thrashing of the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA Finals rematch on Monday. The Bulls are adjusting to life without Joakim Noah, and Pau Gasol tried to pick up the slack in the middle all by himself with 31 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in a 111-101 win at Detroit on Monday. Chicago shot 52.4 percent from the floor against that same Pistons defense that proved to be so much trouble for Golden State on Saturday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), CSN Chicago

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 5-point road favorites with the total at 215 points. Early action has bet them up to -6. with the total at 215.5.

NBA POWER RANKINGS: Warriors (-17) - Bulls (-4.4) - Home Court (-3.0) = Warriors -9.6

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Golden State comes in off their dominating 34-point win in Cleveland on Monday night. The Warriors will be hard-pressed to match that performance, and more importantly, the intensity they brought into that game. This is a natural letdown spot for Golden State. Chicago gave the Warriors all they wanted back in November, so the Bulls can certainly play with Golden State, especially on their home court." - Steve Merril.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "With Golden State steamrolling the Cavs Monday night, and the Bulls losing four of their last six games, it's likely that no opening line will be too big for the public on Golden State tomorrow night." - Mick Sloan.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - James Michael McAdoo F (Questionable: Toe), Bulls - Kirk Hinrich G (Questionable: Quadricep), Joakim Noah F (Out: Shoulder)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (38-4, 25-16 ATS): Golden State carried a 70-44 lead into the half at Cleveland and kept pulling away in the third quarter as Stephen Curry led the way with 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting. That’s who we know we can be,” Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton told reporters. “As a coaching staff, we are always trying to get our players to play at that level, and they were absolutely phenomenal. … We can’t really ask to play much better than that.” The Warriors will have to keep up that level of play as they close out the three-game trip against Chicago and head home to host Indiana, San Antonio and Dallas.

ABOUT THE BULLS (24-16, 16-24 ATS): Noah had been demoted to a reserve role and fought through various injuries before having his season likely come to an end over the weekend, but the players are still missing him as a leader. “We need him for sure, but we’re professionals,” guard Derrick Rose told reporters. “We know that once someone goes out, someone else has to step in and do their job. And we believe in everybody on this team, and we’re going to see how far this can go.” Rose is one of those players that needs to step up, and his 20 points on Monday marked the second time this month that he reached that plateau.

TRENDS:

- Home team 19-7-1 ATS in last 27 meetings.
- Under 8-3 in last 11 meetings in Chicago.
- Over 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
- Warriors 1-4-1 ATS in last six meetings in Chicago.

CONSENSUS: 82 percent of Consensus is on Golden State. 51 percent is on the Over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Wednesday, January 20 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

If you are a devout NBA fan/bettor like I am, you probably did just what I was planning to do on Monday night: have a few cold ones on the couch while watching the entire NBA Finals rematch between the Warriors and Cavaliers, Golden State's first visit to Cleveland since winning last season's title in Game 6 there. I expected it to be a great game and was leaning Cleveland, which was the first team favored over the Warriors this season. Well, by halftime I was watching "Breaking Bad" reruns as the Warriors utterly destroyed the Cavs to sweep the season series. You don't want to overreact to any regular-season game in the NBA, but wow those clubs looked like they were from different leagues. Here's hoping another potential Finals rematch is much more competitive. Be interesting to see how both teams follow up that result on Wednesday.

76ers at Magic (TBA)

Philadelphia lost 119-113 in double overtime at the Knicks on Monday. The Sixers should have won in regulation but were just 13-for-25 from the free-throw line. Ish Smith had 16 points and 16 assists in the loss. Rookie Jahlil Okafor had 20 points in 26 minutes but didn't play after the third quarter, and he wasn't hurt. Jerami Grant returned after missing two games with a left calf strain. He finished with nine points in 14 minutes. Orlando lost a third in a row Monday, 98-81 in Atlanta. The Magic shot only 34.5 percent from the field. Victor Oladipo missed it with a sprained right knee (why the TBA) and likely won't play here. Orlando won in Philly 105-97 on Nov. 7. Seven Magic players scored in double figures. Philadelphia's Nerlens Noel was ejected with 1:51 left in the third quarter after getting into a scrum with Orlando's Jason Smith.

Key trends: The 76ers are 2-5 against the spread in the past seven trips to Orlando. The "over/under" has gone under on four of the past five meetings there.

Early lean: Magic don't need Oladipo to win this one.

Heat at Wizards (-1.5, 198)

Miami hosted Milwaukee on Tuesday night. Washington lost 108-98 at home to Portland on Monday, the Wizards' second straight home defeat. John Wall scored just nine points on 4-of-17 shooting. Forward Otto Porter Jr. missed the game with a sore right hip and won't play here. The Heat and Wizards have split two meetings this season, each winning easily on the road.

Key trends: Washington is 11-4 ATS in its past 15 vs. the East. The over is 6-1 in the past seven meetings.

Early lean: Heat and under.

Cavaliers at Nets (+12, 201)

Cleveland was embarrassed 132-98 against the Warriors on Monday. It could have been plenty worse as only some garbage time points allowed the Cavs to avoid the worst home loss in franchise history. LeBron James was held to 16 points, Kyrie Irving eight and Kevin Love three. J.R. Smith was ejected in the third quarter on a flagrant 2 foul, so there's a chance he could be suspended for this one. Brooklyn lost a third in a row Monday, 112-100 in Toronto. The Nets lost for only the second time this season when shooting at least 50 percent from the field. The Cavs have won five of the last six meetings with the Nets, including a 90-88 home victory Nov. 28.

Key trends: The Nets are 1-8 ATS in their past nine overall. The Cavs are 1-10-1 ATS in their past 12 road games vs. teams with a losing home record. The over is 7-2 in the past nine meetings in Brooklyn.

Early lean: Nets and under.

Jazz at Knicks (TBA)

Utah lost 124-119 in double OT in Charlotte on Monday as the Jazz couldn't stop Kemba Walker. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 36 points. Forward Derrick Favors, the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder, missed a 14th straight game with back problems that originally weren't supposed to be serious. New York beat the 76ers 119-113 in two OTs on Monday. Carmelo Anthony was just 7-for-28 from the field but hit the tying shot in the final seconds of regulation. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis had 16 points and 12 boards but missed the OTs with an injured foot. Obviously monitor that. He's questionable here (why the TBA). The Knicks lost by 21 in Utah on Dec. 9.

Key trends: Utah is 1-9 ATS in its past 10 in New York. The under is 5-1 in the past six meetings.

Early lean: Wait on Porzingis.

Celtics at Raptors (-3, 202.5)

Boston lost 118-113 in OT in Dallas on Monday. The C's were down 17 in the fourth and then actually managed to lead by six. Boston started the game making just one of its first 15 shots. Toronto won its fifth in a row Monday, 112-100 over visiting Brooklyn. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined for 61 points. It was the first time Lowry and DeRozan have each scored at least 30 points in the same game. The Raptors closed the game on a 14-2 run. Toronto won in Boston 113-103 on Oct. 30 in the only meeting this season.

Key trends: The road team is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 7-1 in Toronto's past eight after a win.

Early lean: Raptors and over.

Warriors at Bulls (+5.5, 216)

First of an ESPN doubleheader and should have live betting at sportsbooks. So much for Golden State looking vulnerable after losing two of three entering that Cleveland massacre. Steph Curry had 35 points in three quarters in the rout Monday. Draymond Green added 16 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Warriors, who rested their starters in the fourth. Chicago played its first game Monday since learning Joakim Noah was out for the season and won at Detroit 111-101. Pau Gasol had 31 points and 12 rebounds, and Derrick Rose added 20 points for Chicago, which is 9-2 without Noah this season. The Warriors beat the visiting Bulls 106-94 on Nov. 20.

Key trends: Golden State has covered one of its past six in Chicago. The over is 12-3 in Warriors' last 15 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Early lean: Bulls and over.

Pistons at Rockets (-3, 208)

Here you have the NBA's most physically dominating center in Detroit's Andre Drummond against the guy who used to hold that title in Houston's Dwight Howard. Detroit lost by 10 at home to the Bulls on Monday. Detroit guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had two technicals and was ejected. The Pistons were 5-for-26 from long range. Guard Brandon Jennings was questionable to play but did. Houston lost 140-132 in OT at the Clippers on Monday despite 36 points and a career-high-tying 26 rebounds from Howard for his 10th straight double-double. He was even 14-for-18 from the free-throw line. The Rockets have won nine straight at home vs. the Pistons. Detroit did beat visiting Houston 116-105 on Nov. 30.

Key trends: The Pistons are 3-7 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five.

Early lean: Rockets and over.

Hornets at Thunder (-10.5, 209.5)

Charlotte won 124-119 in two OTs on Monday against Utah behind a franchise-record 52 points from Kemba Walker. He was 16-for-34 from the field and 14-for-15 from the line. The previous team record was 48 by Glen Rice in 1997. Guard Jeremy Lamb missed his third straight game while recovering from a toe strain. Oklahoma City was in Denver on Tuesday likely to extend a four-game winning streak. The Thunder won in Charlotte 109-90 on Jan. 2.

Key trends: Charlotte has failed to cover its past eight in OKC. The over is 6-1 in the Hornets' past seven playing on one day of rest.

Early lean: Hornets and over.

Timberwolves at Mavericks (-9, 202.5)

Minnesota was in New Orleans on Tuesday. Dallas beat the visiting Celtics by five in OT on Monday. Dirk Nowitzki scored 14 in the fourth quarter and seven in OT on the way to 31 points, while Deron Williams had 10 of his 20 points in the extra period. It was Dallas' third straight home game to go to OT, a franchise record. Dallas won the first meeting this season with the Wolves, 93-87 in the Twin Cities. The Mavs have won four straight in the series.

Key trends: The favorite is 8-3 ATS in the past 11 meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five in Big D.

Early lean: Mavericks and over.

Kings at Lakers (+5, 215)

Sacramento won at the Clippers on Saturday, 110-103 for its second straight win and to end L.A.'s 10-game winning streak. DeMarcus Cousins had 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Kings never trailed in the second half. The Lakers dropped a third in a row Sunday, 112-95 at home to Houston. Kobe Bryant, playing through a sore right Achilles, had five points in 24 minutes and tied a season high with nine assists before sitting out the fourth quarter. He moved to second on the Lakers' all-time assists list, passing Jerry West. The Kings have won two very high-scoring games vs. the Lakers this season.

Key trends: The Kings are 4-1-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 7-2-1 in Sacramento's past 10 overall.

Early lean: Kings and over.

Hawks at Trail Blazers (+3.5, 208.5)

Your ESPN nightcap. Atlanta won a second in a row Monday, 98-81 over Orlando. The Hawks never trailed and their bench contributed 47 points, 19 assists and 17 rebounds. Atlanta improved to 9-1 when it has at least 30 assists. Portland won at Washington 108-98 on Monday two nights after getting blasted in Philadelphia. Mason Plumlee filled the stat sheet vs. the Wizards with 10 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Atlanta beat visiting Portland 106-97 on Dec. 21. Neither Damian Lillard nor C.J. McCollum played in that one for the Blazers. Atlanta has won three straight in the series.

Key trends: The road team is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 8-3 in the past 11.

Early lean: Hawks and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Wednesday's hot teams
-- Toronto won its last five games (3-8 last 11HF). Celtics won three of their last four games (1-4 last five AU).
-- Cleveland won eight of last ten games but lost to Golden State by 34 in last game (4-12-1AF).
-- Knicks won six of their last nine games (7-2 last nine HF).
-- Houston won six of its last eight games (6-3 last nine HF).
-- Warriors split last four games, are 8-2 in last 10 (3-4 last 7AF).
-- Thunder won their last five games (4-0 last four HF).
-- Kings won three of last four road games (0-1AF).
-- Hawks won four of their last six games (2-6 last 8AF). Portland won four of its last five games (1-3 last four HU).

Cold teams
-- Orlando lost seven of last eight games (5-2 last sevenHF). 76ers lost five of last six games, but covered the last four.
-- Miami lost five of its last six games (4-6AU). Wizards lost their last five home games (4-7HF).
-- Nets lost eight of last nine games (2-9 last 11HU).
-- Utah lost three of its last four games (1-5 last 6AU).
-- Pistons lost three of last four games (3-6 last nine AU).
-- Chicago lost four of its last six games (1-0HU).
-- Hornets lost eight of their last ten games (7-6AU).
-- Minnesota lost nine of its last ten games (2-6 last 8AU). Dallas lost four of last seven games (8-5HF).
-- Lakers lost seven of last eight games (4-3HU).

Series records
-- 76ers lost five of last six games against Orlando.
-- Wizards won four of last five games with Miami.
-- Raptors won five of last seven games with Boston.
-- Nets lost five of last six games with Cleveland.
-- Knicks lost their last three games with Utah.
-- Rockets won eight of last ten games with Detroit.
-- Warriors-Bulls split their last ten games.
-- Thunder won last 10 games (9-1 vs spread) with Charlotte.
-- Dallas won its last four games with Minnesota.
-- Lakers lost their last five games with Sacramento.
-- Hawks won their last three games with Portland.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Philly games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Miami-Washington games went over.
-- Five of last six Boston games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Brooklyn games went over total.
-- Five of last six New York games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Houston games went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine Chicago games went over total.
-- Four of last five Thunder games stayed under total.
-- Six of last eight Dallas games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Sacramento-Laker games went over.
-- Under is 3-1 in last four games for both Hawks, Blazers.

Back/backs
-- Miami is 3-3 vs spread if it played the night before.
-- Oklahoma City is 3-4 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Minnesota is 3-3 vs spread if it played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Cleveland Cavaliers at Brooklyn Nets January 20, 7:00 EST

King James and his Cavaliers taken behind the woodshed spanked 132-98 by the Warriors the oddsmakers are expecting Cleveland to make a statement when they take on Nets pegging Caves -12.5 point road favorites. Cleveland may have a chip on their shoulder but you bet Caves at some risk. Cleveland has not responded after a 20 or more point loss since the return of LeBron (1-3 ATS) and they're ridding a horendous 1-10-1 ATS skid on the road vs a team with a losing home record.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Three spot bets the wiseguys are looking to wager this week
By BEN BURNS

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

Letdown spot

The Los Angeles Clippers watched the Golden State Warriors take apart the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday night and smell blood in the water with the schedule taking them to Cleveland Thursday night. After an intense overtime win at Houston Monday, the Clippers have two full days to recover and game plan for LeBron & Co.

That big matchup leaves Los Angeles open to a letdown spot the very next night. Following Thursday’s showdown with the Cavaliers, L.A. heads to the Big Apple to play the New York Knicks Friday. The Knicks also needed overtime to win Monday, edging Philadelphia and host Utah Wednesday before a day off Thursday. With L.A. coming off a huge matchup on short rest, there could be added value on the home side at MSG Friday.

Lookahead spot

The Villanova Wildcats have a Big East Saturday showdown against Providence this week, a battle between two ranked teams that will go a long way in deciding how the conference trickles down. But before the Wildcats host the Friars, they have to make the trip next door to New Jersey Wednesday.

Villanova visits Seton Hall in a possible lookahead spot for Jay Wright’s kids. The Pirates, while not ranked, are no pushovers. Seton Hall is 8-1 at home with a 5-3 ATS record in those lined games. The Pirates have had the Wildcats’ number in recent home dates with Villanova, going 4-1 ATS in their last five against their Big East rivals inside the Prudential Center.

Schedule spot

Sometimes a road trip can be a good thing, especially when it pertains to a team struggling at home. Getting out of town can take some of the pressure off the club, which is something the Minnesota Wild are hoping for with their current four-game road swing, which opened with a 3-0 shutout loss in Nashville Saturday - extending their losing skid to four games.

Since then, the Wild have had some time to refocus and travel to the left side of the country for three games against West Coast teams. Minnesota picks up in Anaheim Wednesday, then faces Los Angeles Thursday, before closing this trek in San Jose Saturday. The Wild opened the season with a similar stretch, playing at Arizona, L.A. and Anaheim in a period of four days, going 1-1-1 in that span.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cornhuskers (11-8) at Spartans (16-3)

Date: January 20, 2016 6:30 PM EDT

Michigan State's usual dominance on defense has disappeared over its last two games, and so have the wins.

Eager to begin a new week, the 11th-ranked Spartans figure to be challenged again Wednesday night against a surging Nebraska team that's rolling offensively during its best stretch of the season.

Among the top 10 nationally in field-goal percentage defense and preventing the 3-point shot, Michigan State has struggled in both areas during its first losing streak of the season. After then-No. 16 Iowa went 10 of 22 from beyond the arc to complete a season sweep with Thursday's 76-59 victory in East Lansing, the Spartans were hurt by 28 fouls in a frustrating 77-76 last-second defeat at Wisconsin on Sunday.

The Badgers' 29-of-36 performance from the free-throw line was the difference in a game where Michigan State outshot Wisconsin and owned a 35-25 rebounding advantage.

"We didn't execute the things we had to do down the stretch," coach Tom Izzo said. "We had some things we wanted to do and we didn't do them. It's not very often that you outshoot a team from the field, from the 3-point line, almost from the free-throw line - of course we didn't have as many - turn the ball over nine times and lose. One of the strangest games I've ever coached in."

Now three games back of first-place Indiana and 2 1/2 behind the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten, Michigan State (16-3, 3-3) is suddenly in a near must-win scenario with a showdown with No. 7 Maryland looming Saturday.

The task may not be easy against improving Nebraska (11-8, 3-3), which has shot 54.2 percent and averaged 84.0 points in consecutive wins over Rutgers, Minnesota and Illinois. The Cornhuskers held those three to an average of 60.7 points and 37.9 percent shooting, including 22.5 on 3-pointers.

Winless on the road in Big Ten play last season, Nebraska earned its second straight by outrebounding Illinois 42-24 and owning a 34-20 advantage in the paint in Saturday's 78-67 victory.

That's been a common theme during the Cornhuskers' streak, as they've outscored opponents 126-66 in the lane and had at least 18 more rebounds in all three wins.

"We're a team of slashers,' coach Tim Miles said. 'It's what we do.'

The trend will be tough to continue, as the Spartans have been outperformed on the glass just twice and are tied for third in Division I with a plus-12.5 rebounding margin. Matt Costello is averaging a league-high 11.0 rebounds in Big Ten play and had 13 along with a career-high 18 points against Wisconsin.

Denzel Valentine added 23 points and seven rebounds in the star senior's best outing in three games since returning from a knee scope.

The Spartans, who last lost three straight conference games Feb. 19-Mar. 3, 2013, won't have point guard Tum Tum Nairn for a second straight game due to plantar fasciitis.

Nebraska seeks to end a 10-game skid against ranked opponents and record its first win over a Top 25 team on the road since a 60-51 victory at No. 9 MSU in February 2014. The Cornhuskers also edged the Spartans 79-77 in Lincoln last Jan. 24, the most points Michigan State allowed in a non-overtime Big Ten game last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Longhorns (11-6) at Mountainers (15-2)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

A tip-in at the buzzer kept West Virginia from one of the best weeks in school history. Still, it took a stride forward in the Top 25 and proved it's a true contender in the Big 12.

The sixth-ranked Mountaineers look to avoid a letdown Wednesday night when they host a Texas team trying to remain in striking distance during a daunting week.

West Virginia (15-2, 4-1) fell just short last week of becoming the first to knock off the nation's top two ranked teams in consecutive games since Kansas topped North Carolina and Memphis in the 2008 Final Four.

After dispatching the then-No. 1 Jayhawks 74-63 to improve to 8-0 at home last Tuesday, the Mountaineers' eight-game winning streak was snapped on a tip-in to close Saturday's 70-68 loss at then-No. 2 Oklahoma - denying West Virginia sole possession of first place in the Big 12.

However, the Mountaineers jumped five spots in the rankings for their first appearance in the top 10 since closing the 2009-10 season at No. 6.

'We play hard,' coach Bob Huggins said. 'We try. I think we compete. They're good guys. They want to win, they try to win.'

Jaysean Paige, the only player in the top 15 in the conference in scoring who hasn't started every game, paced West Virginia in both contests last week, scoring a career-high 26 points against Kansas and 18 against Oklahoma.

Paige, who has come off the bench in all but one game, leads a dynamic group of West Virginia reserves that includes Tarik Phillip (7.6 points and 3.0 assists per game) and Elijah Macon (6.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg).

Huggins said he wouldn't change his rotation as his team tries to break free from a tightly bunched upper half of the conference.

Texas (11-6, 3-2) is not far behind in coach Shaka Smart's first season thanks to consecutive home wins over then-No. 17 Iowa State and Oklahoma State last week. The Longhorns, though, travel to Morgantown before facing No. 3 Kansas on Saturday in the first back-to-back true road games against top-10 teams in program history.

"Playing on the road is fun. It's a time when we really bond,' said junior point guard Isaiah Taylor, who earned Big 12 player of the week honors Monday. Taylor has averaged 22.2 points and sports a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in five Big 12 games.

Texas - which has lost its only two road games in Big 12 play - has shot 41.3 percent in six games since center Cameron Ridley was lost to a broken left foot in mid-December. The Longhorns have relied more heavily on the 3-pointer but are shooting just 28 percent from behind the arc in that span.

West Virginia is allowing a Big 12-low 63.8 points per game while leading the league in 3-point field-goal percentage defense at 27.4.

The Mountaineers held two of the nation's top offensive teams to 37.3 percent from the field combined last week, limiting the Sooners - the best 3-point shooting team in the country - to 7 of 24 from beyond the arc. West Virginia forced 40 turnovers over the two games, but Texas has committed only 19 in its last three contests.

The Longhorns have shot 51.2 percent in their last five in this series, winning the first four before a 71-64 loss at West Virginia on Feb. 24.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Demon Deacons (10-7) at Tar Heels (16-2)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

North Carolina has shown it doesn't need to play its best to continue a unbeaten start in the ACC, but that's in part because it has yet to face the conference's best.

The second-ranked Tar Heels will go at least eight games into league play without seeing a ranked opponent, a stretch that continues Wednesday night against Wake Forest.

Saturday's 67-55 home win over North Carolina State extended UNC's best start in conference play since winning its first 11 in 2000-01. The Tar Heels (16-2, 5-0) hadn't started better than 3-0 since then, and they're in position to win 10 straight overall for the first time since a 12-game run Jan. 26-March 3, 2014.

On the one hand, Carolina shot 37.9 percent after a 51.7 mark over its previous five games. On the other, the Heels won by 12 in spite of that season-low percentage.

"This is not what we expected and a crazy game offensively, but to still win by 12 against a tough ACC team that rebounds as well as State does is a positive thing," said Marcus Paige, who was limited to three points on 1-of-9 shooting.

"Obviously we didn't play as well as we wanted to, but to have our three best scorers play the way we did and to still put them away and not make it a question at the end of the game is still pretty impressive."

Brice Johnson and Justin Jackson were limited to six points each, but Kennedy Meeks matched a conference career high with 23 on 10-of-16 shooting. It was Meeks' second game back after missing seven with a knee injury.

"It just gives me confidence. I can be one of the players on this team," Meeks said. "... That's something about our team, someone is always going to pick it up. Our depth is crazy and it showed today."

There's been no such letdown at the top recently against the Demon Deacons. North Carolina has won the last two meetings by an average of 24.5 points while shooting 58.8 percent, including an 87-71 victory in Winston-Salem on Jan. 21. Johnson has averaged 16.5 on 15-of-20 shooting in those meetings, while Meeks has scored 15.5 on 14 of 18.

Wake Forest (10-7, 1-4) is less than two weeks removed from its own home win over N.C. State, but any lingering positives were swept away by Saturday's 83-55 home loss to Syracuse. The Deacons shot a season-low 32.6 percent, went a season-worst 2 of 20 from 3-point range, committed 18 turnovers and were outrebounded 43-35.

"I don't know any other way to say it: we took a step back tonight," said coach Danny Manning, whose starting five combined for 28 points on 28.0 percent shooting. "All the way around, we took a step back."

Prior to that, a 93-91 loss at Virginia Tech last Wednesday pushed their conference road skid to 16. If they lose in Chapel Hill, the Deacons will have gone over two years since winning in an opposing ACC gym - at Virginia Tech on Jan. 22, 2014.

Any hope of that ending might require Codi Miller-McIntyre to get back to some level of consistency. The senior, who missed the first eight games with a broken foot after leading Wake with 14.5 points per game last season, was 1 for 7 for six points against Syracuse and has been held under that total in four of his eight other games.

He scored 20 points last year against North Carolina.

Current leading scorer Devin Thomas was limited to nine points against Syracuse, but he's averaging 16.0 and 11.4 rebounds in ACC play.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (11-6) at Bears (14-3)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:15 PM EDT

Outstanding bench play continues to play an integral part in Baylor's success.

The reserves could again see ample time Wednesday night when the No. 13 Bears try to match a Ferrell Center record with their 15th consecutive victory and hand Kansas State a 10th straight Big 12 road defeat.

Starting guard Lester Medford's 3-pointer at the buzzer sent Baylor (14-3, 4-1) to its fourth consecutive win, 63-60 at Texas Tech on Saturday. However, coach Scott Drew was more impressed the Bears' 26 bench points, 12 of which came from sophomore forward Terry Maston.

"It's nice to know that any given night you can get a good lift off the bench," said Drew, who whose team missed seven free throws but shot 50 percent from the field.

"You've got to have that depth, because we had a couple guys get in foul trouble (Saturday) ... just pleased with that."

Providing reinforcement to the likes of starters Taurean Prince (14.8 points per game), Rico Gathers (12.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg) and Al Freeman (12.7 ppg), Baylor's reserves average 25.9 points and a league-leading 53.4 percent shooting.

Backup forward Johnathan Motley is fourth on the team with 10.7 points and Maston (7.5) has averaged 14.0 in the last three. The duo had all but four of the Bears' 44 bench points in a 94-89 road win over then-No. 13 Iowa State on Jan. 9.

"That's the great thing about the bench is you look at it and some of our best basketball is played when they're in the game," Drew said.

Baylor got 27 points from its reserves in a 69-42 home rout of Kansas State (11-6, 1-4) on Feb. 21 that began its current run at home. The Bears won an arena-record 15 in a row spanning the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

They've averaged 82.7 points and 49.4 percent shooting while winning their 11 home games this season. Maston scored a career-high 17 and pulled down six rebounds as Baylor shot 63.3 percent and held a 36-19 rebounding advantage in last Wednesday's 82-54 home rout of TCU.

"Try to keep getting wins and protect our home court," Freeman said. "We get excited about our next game."

Baylor's eagerness might not bode well for Kansas State, which has dropped 17 of 19 league games away from home and ranks last in the Big 12 with a field-goal percentage defense of 49.3 in its four road contests.

The Wildcats, second-to-last in the conference at 42.7 percent on their own shots, hit 37.7 percent and went 4 for 21 from 3-point range in Saturday's 76-63 home loss to Iowa State. The Cyclones shot 50.9 percent.

"We cannot panic," said senior guard Justin Edwards, who matched a season high with 19 points. "I know we are going to bounce back and get our wins. We need to be composed and get in the gym and work, get in practice and work. We are going to keep getting better."

Kansas State freshman Barry Brown averaged 17.3 points and 47.1 percent shooting in the first four Big 12 games but missed nine of 10 shots and scored four Saturday.

The Wildcats have yielded averages of 82.3 points and 50.2 percent from the floor while going 0-4 against ranked teams this season.

Prince totaled 34 points and nine steals off the bench as Baylor split last season's two-game series with Kansas State.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (16-2) at Pirates (13-4)

Date: January 20, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Inconsistent outside shooting hasn't stopped Villanova from maintaining its Big East dominance and continuing to rise in the national polls.

The No. 4 Wildcats will likely have to claw out another victory Wednesday night at Seton Hall in a pairing of two of the conference's top defensive teams.

Despite ranking ninth in the 10-team Big East in 3-point shooting at 31.2 percent, Villanova (16-2, 6-0 Big East) keeps on winning by stifling opposing offenses and excelling at the foul line. The Wildcats overcame a 3 of 18 performance from beyond the arc and one field goal over the final 8 1/2 minutes in Saturday's 55-50 victory at Georgetown, their eighth consecutive win and 21st straight against Big East foes including last year's conference tournament.

"That's how you have to win on the road," coach Jay Wright said. "It's just not going to be pretty in this league."

The Wildcats - the only ones in the Big East without at least two defeats - haven't lost a league game in over a calendar year, last falling at Georgetown on Jan. 19, 2015. They've done it behind a defense limiting foes to 60.0 points per game and 37.7 percent shooting, both best in the Big East, and hitting a league-high 75.9 percent of their free throws. Ryan Arcidiacono sealed Saturday's win by going 6 of 6 from the line in the final 29 seconds.

"We think this league's the best league in America and if you're winning in this league, you're really good," Wright said. "Talking with the coaches we say that this league is a beast, so anything we do in this league, we take great pride in."

Seton Hall (13-4, 3-2) has put itself in the NCAA Tournament conversation by nearly equaling the Wildcats on the defensive end. The Pirates rank second in the league in scoring defense (65.9), third in opposing field goal percentage (40.0) and have held teams to a conference-low 31.2 percent on 3-pointers.

They've also struggled from long range, having shot 30.1 percent on 3s in Big East play and 27.0 percent over a four-game stretch.

The Pirates haven't matched Villanova's success on free throws, having hit just 65.3 percent to rank ninth in the conference. That wasn't an issue Saturday at then-No. 12 Providence, where Seton Hall went 20 of 24 from the stripe en route to an 81-72 win.

Khadeen Carrington made all 12 of his free throws, finishing with a career-high 22 points, and the Pirates held the Friars to 30.4 percent shooting while owning a 50-36 rebounding advantage.

"I thought if we could rebound, we could run," coach Kevin Willard said. "At times I thought we got a lot of easy buckets and that took some pressure off of us in the half-court.'

Seton Hall is 1-2 thus far on a rigorous five-game sequence in which it'll face four ranked teams, with a visit to No. 5 Xavier set for Saturday. The stretch began with a 72-63 loss at Villanova on Jan. 6 in which, unsurprisingly, neither team shot above 36.2 percent.

The Wildcats were 4 of 22 from 3 but received season highs of 20 points and 18 rebounds from Daniel Ochefu. The senior center posted a career-high 24 rebounds with 19 points in last year's visit to Prudential Center, another defensive slugfest won by the Pirates 66-61 in overtime.

Arcidiacono, 4 of 23 from the 3-point line in five games since going 7 of 14 in a 27-point effort against Xavier on Dec. 21, is 3 of 21 from beyond the arc while averaging 7.2 points in his last five meetings with Seton Hall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (13-3) at Eagles (7-10)

Date: January 20, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Hampered by a struggling point guard, Miami is in danger of starting 0-3 on the road in the ACC for the first time in five years.

However, Angel Rodriguez and the No. 15 Hurricanes have a good chance to get back on track Wednesday night against a Boston College team that's been blown out in every league game and has lost 10 straight in this series.

Miami (13-3, 2-2) opened ACC play by beating Syracuse and Florida State at home by a combined 26 points. The Hurricanes were competitive throughout a 66-58 road defeat to then-No. 13 Virginia last Tuesday, but they were left extremely frustrated after succumbing to a 25-8 run over the final seven minutes of Saturday's 76-65 loss at Clemson.

The Hurricanes haven't dropped their first three ACC road games since opening 0-4 in 2010-11.

'We're going to need to do a heck of a lot better job," said coach Jim Larranaga, whose team allowed the Tigers to shoot 48.2 percent after letting the Cavaliers hit 51.1.

Larranaga's first task might be to make sure Rodriguez regains his confidence.

The senior averaged 12.5 points and shot 44.2 percent in nonconference play but is scoring 7.3 per game on 27 percent shooting - 2 of 22 from 3-point range - in ACC action. He has eight assists and one steal over the last three games after previously averaging 3.9 and 1.8, respectively.

After posting 17 points against Virginia, Rodriguez had three on 1-of-7 shooting Saturday.

'He'd been playing like that and it's a real concern of mine,' Larranaga said. 'My staff and I will talk about that as to how we can help him.'

Miami has shot 42.1 percent in ACC play but could turn things around at Boston College (7-10, 0-4), which has allowed a league-worst 56.1 percent shooting in conference games and an average of 77.3 points. The Eagles have lost each of those four games by at least 17 points.

The Hurricanes last lost to Boston College six years ago this week, but the two meetings last season were decided by a combined seven points and they needed double overtime to win 89-86 in Boston. The Eagles, though, got a combined 51 points from 2014-15 ACC scoring leader Olivier Hanlan in those two games, and he's currently playing in Lithuania.

Eli Carter has tried to fill that hole, averaging 17.6 points with his third school in five years, but he's the only current Boston College player to score at least 20 this season. Second-leading scorer Jerome Robinson (11.2 ppg) has totaled seven points on 3-of-14 shooting in the last two games.

Carter equaled a career high with 31 points Saturday, but the Eagles let then-No. 20 Pittsburgh shoot a season-high 57.9 percent and go 10 of 19 from 3-point range in an 84-61 loss.

"We've been coming (on) strong in a bunch of our ACC games," Carter said. "We just have to get that extra push (as) teams are really fighting back. We have to throw that extra punch.

Miami's Sheldon McClellan (15.9 ppg) had 24 points in last season's win at Boston College, while Rodriguez was held to six before fouling out.

The Eagles have allowed an average of 82.5 points on 53.6 percent shooting while going 0-4 against Top 25 teams this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Seminoles (12-5) at Cardinals (14-3)

Date: January 20, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Chinanu Onuaku has played a key role in helping Louisville become one of the nation's top defensive teams. His rise as a scorer could lead to even bigger things.

As the sophomore big man looks to keep developing offensively, the 17th-ranked Cardinals try to build on one of their best defensive performances and capture a 14th consecutive home win Wednesday night against up-and-coming Florida State.

After suffering its first ACC loss at Clemson on Jan. 10, Louisville improved its defensive field-goal percentage for a fourth consecutive contest Thursday when it limited then-No. 20 Pittsburgh to a season-worst 28.6 percent in a 59-41 home win.

The Cardinals (14-3, 3-1) held the Panthers to 1 of 11 from 3-point range and forced a season high-tying 19 turnovers. Onuaku totaled a career-high 18 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and three blocked shots despite also committing six turnovers.

He's averaging team highs of 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks for Louisville, which leads the nation in scoring defense (57.8) and field-goal percentage defense (35.7) and ranks near the top in rebounding margin (plus-12.5).

After scoring 9.5 points per game over the first 13, Onuaku has averaged 14.0 points and 12.3 boards in the past four.

'If Nanu wants to, he could be the most dominant player in the ACC,' guard Trey Lewis said. 'And he wants to. I'm starting to see that more and more. He demands the ball. He wants the ball inside and he makes great decisions with the ball.'

Onuaku, who shoots underhand free throws at a 53.1 percent clip, will look to stay aggressive offensively while helping the Cardinals control the glass against Florida State. The young Seminoles rank 13th with a minus-4.4 rebounding margin in ACC games.

Florida State (12-5, 2-3), though, has recovered from an 0-3 conference start behind the excellent play of guards Dwayne Bacon and freshman backcourt mate Malik Beasley. Averaging 16.7 and 17.1 points, respectively, they've helped spark the past two victories - the most recent of which was Sunday's 69-62 home win over No. 13 Virginia.

Beasley's 22 points and nine rebounds paced the Seminoles in last Wednesday's 85-78 win at North Carolina State.

"They take you off the bounce as well as anyone in the league," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "They have terrific one-on-one talent and they also have great size."

Florida State has shot a combined 49.5 percent while hitting 15 of 30 from 3-point range in its last two. That kind of accuracy might prove difficult to continue against Louisville, which has won by an average of 28.8 points during its run at home.

The Cardinals limited the Seminoles to 39.6 percent from the field and 1 for 10 from 3-point range in a 81-59 road win Feb. 28, the first meeting between the schools in 24 years.

"We've got to prepare for another nationally-ranked team," said Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton, whose squad hasn't won back-to-back games against ranked opponents since a three-game run in March 2012. "This is a good opportunity for our guys ... a good stretch because you don't have room mentally or emotionally not to be ready for the very best."

Damion Lee, a transfer from Drexel, leads Louisville with 16.7 points per game but has missed all 11 of his 3-point attempts over the past two games.

The Cardinals have gone 4 for 34 on 3s in those contests, while Florida State has allowed 29.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc in its last six.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Jan. 20 Opening Lines
by Alan Matthews

The top spot in the polls is back up for grabs in college basketball. I n the Jan. 19 Opening Line report , I wrote that I expected No. 1 Oklahoma to lose at Iowa State on Monday night. The Sooners did, 82-77, so their first week at No. 1 since 1990 will last just the one week. Those top teams really need to avoid the state of Iowa as three No. 1s have gone down there, with North Carolina losing at Northern Iowa and Michigan State falling at the University of Iowa. Those Tar Heels, the preseason No. 1 in both polls, now are first in line to return to the top spot.


Nebraska at No. 11 Michigan State (-13.5)

Tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network. The Cornhuskers (11-8, 3-3) have followed a three-game losing streak with a three-game winning run. But those wins were also against three of the Big Ten's worst teams in Rutgers, Minnesota and Illinois. Still, all three were by double digits. In the 78-67 win over the Illini, Andrew White III had 21 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman Glynn Watson Jr., whom Nebraska was able to lure out of the state of Illinois even though he's the younger brother of former Illini star Demetri McCamey, who is No. 6 on Illinois' all-time scoring list, added a career-high 17 points. Illinois never offered Watson a scholarship. Nebraska shot 53.6 percent, outrebounded Illinois 42-24 and owned a 34-20 edge in points in the paint. It was the Huskers' first win in Champaign since 1921.

Michigan State (16-3, 3-3) is on a two-game losing streak. The Spartans were smacked around at home by No. 16 Iowa last Thursday and then lost 77-76 at unranked Wisconsin on Sunday on an Ethan Happ basket with 10 seconds left. The Spartans had a chance to win, but star Denzel Valentine missed a 3-pointer and Matt Costello's follow-up jumper bounced off the rim. The Spartans shot a higher percentage than Wisconsin from the field, 3-point range and easily won the rebounding battle yet lost. Why? UW was 29-for-36 from the line and MSU 12-for-16. That's some home cooking from the refs. Michigan State played at Nebraska last year in the only meeting and lost 79-77.

Key trends: The Huskers are 4-0 against the spread in their past four. They are 4-1 ATS in their past five road games. MSU is 2-6 ATS in its past eight Big Ten games.

I'm leaning: Sparty could be caught looking ahead to Saturday's big home game vs. No. 7 Maryland. Take the points.

Wake Forest at No. 2 North Carolina (-19)

A 7 p.m. ET tip on ESPN2 for this ACC game. Wake Forest (10-7, 1-4) is probably the second-worst team in the ACC after Boston College, although NC State actually sits in the conference basement at 0-5 (entering Tuesday). The Demon Deacons come off their worst loss of the season, 83-55 at home on Saturday to Syracuse. Wake had just one player in double-figure points: freshman Doral Moore with a career-high 10. The Deacons were limited to a season-low 32.6 shooting percentage from the field, including 10 percent (2-for-20) from behind the arc. They also turned it over 18 times. On the bright side, Wake now has had 11 different players score in double figures this season, the highest number in the ACC.

North Carolina (16-2, 5-0) does look like the nation's best team now that big man Kennedy Meeks has returned from missing seven games with a knee injury. He was the Heels' best player in Saturday's 67-55 home win over NC State. In Meeks' second game back, he had 23 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Otherwise, UNC didn't play all that well, shooting a season-low 37.9 percent from the field. The Tar Heels' top three scorers -- Brice Johnson, Marcus Paige and Justin Jackson -- combined for 15 points on 6-for-24 shooting. Carolina had scored at least 80 points in 13 straight games. UNC is 5-0 in the ACC for the first time since starting 11-0 in 2000-01 under Coach Matt Doherty. The Heels have won 10 of the past 13 vs. Wake and three straight in Chapel Hill. This game is almost 30 years to the date of the opening of the Smith Center. That was Jan. 18, 1986, when No. 1 UNC beat No. 3 Duke.

Key trends: Wake is 3-7 ATS in its past 10. The Deacons are 2-6 ATS in their past eight ACC games. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings.

I'm leaning: UNC.

UCLA at Oregon State (-4)

The latest tipoff of the night at 11 p.m. ET and on ESPNU. UCLA (11-7, 2-3) is maddening because just when you think the talented Bruins have figured things out, they go and play a lousy game. That's just what happened last Wednesday when UCLA was beaten by 14 at home to USC after the Bruins had impressively swept the two Arizona schools in their previous two games. The Bruins were totally flat against the Trojans, who took an 18-point first-half lead and didn't look back. Senior Tony Parker led UCLA, which had won six straight in the series, with 27 points and 12 rebounds.

Oregon State (11-5, 2-3) is in the news this week for all the wrong reasons as the school has suspended senior forward Jarmal Reid at least four games after he blatantly and clearly intentionally tripped a referee in Sunday's 59-53 loss at Utah after not getting what he thought should have been a foul call. Guy should have gotten more games if not the season. Not a huge loss on the court as Reid averages 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. That play, on which Red was called for a technical and ejected, spurred Utah's rally. The Utes outscored OSU 7-1 after that to pull away from a 52-52 tie. OSU outscored the Utes 48-41 from the field, but Utah was 18-for-24 from the free-throw line while the Beavers had just 10 attempts. OSU and UCLA have split the past six meetings. They each won at home last year.

Key trends: OSU is 5-13 ATS in its past 18 vs. the Pac-12. Beavers are 0-7 ATS in their past seven on Wednesday. The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings.

I'm leaning: UCLA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Notes for Wednesday's games..........

Michigan State lost its last two games, allowing 76-77 points after 16-1 start to season; Spartans' three Big 14 wins are by 8-25-27 points. State lost last two games with Nebraska, 60-51/79-77. Huskers lost two of three at MSU in Big 14 play, losing by 10-28 points. Nebraska scored 84 ppg in winning its last three games after 0-3 start; their Big 14 losses are by 9-10-11. Big 14 double digit home favorites are 9-4 vs spread.

Texas is 0-2 on Big X road, losing by 8 at Texas Tech, 1 at TCU; their only true road win was by hoop at Stanford. Longhorns won four of last five games with West Virginia; they're 4-3 in series since WV joined Big X, with all three losses by 7 or less points. Mountaineers won both Big 14 home games, by 17 over Okla State, 11 over Kansas. Big X double digit home favorites are 3-3 vs spread.

Virginia Tech is 4-1 in ACC, with all four wins by 1 or 2 points or in OT; Hokies lost the two ACC games with Notre Dame by 7-25 points, with Tech losing 70-63 last visit here. Irish beat Duke in last game; they are 8-0 vs teams outside top 100, with seven wins by 8+ points. ACC double digit home favorites are 4-4 vs spread. Notre Dame shoots 39.3% on arc, has #11 eFG% in country.

Southern Illinois is 16-3 this year, after going 48-80 last four years; SIU is 3-10 in last 13 games with Indiana State, losing last four by 3-3-3-20 points. Salukis are 5-1 in Valley; three of their last four wins are by 5 or less points. Sycamores had won four in row before losing at Wichita by 20 last game; ISU's other Valley loss was by 8 at Evansville. MVC home favorites of 6 or less points are 2-6 vs spread.

Home side won six of last seven Wichita-Northern Iowa games; Shockers lost two of last three visits here, with win 82-73 two years ago. UNI is having down year, losing four of last five games, including home loss to Loyola as 12-point favorites last game. Panthers are 5-8 in their last 13 games after starting season 5-1. MVC hme underdogs are 3-9 vs spread. Wichita won first three MVC road games, by 27-25-16 points.

Baylor is 5-3 vs top 100 teams, winning first two Big X home games by 17-28 points; Bears are 3-4 in last seven games with Kansas State, losing three of last four visits played here. Big X home favorites of 6+ points are 4-8 vs spread. K-State is 0-2 on Big X road, losing by 3 at Texas, by 10 at Oklahoma; only other true road game was 68-66 win at Georgia. Wildcats are shooting 28.7% on arc (#338).

Colorado State won its last eight games with Air Force, winning four in row here, by 10-3-12-5 points. Rams are 2-3 in Mountain West; four of five games were decided by 4 or less points- both their MW wins are by one point. Air Force lost last four games, all by 12+ points- they lost to Nevada by 23 in only home game of those four. MW home underdogs of 4 or less points are 0-5 against the spread.

Tennessee won six of last eight games with Vanderbilt, which won here LY, its first win in last five visits to Knoxville. Vols are 5-7 in last seven games after starting season 4-1; they play fastest tempo in SEC but do not defend arc well- Vandy is hitting 40.9% on arc (#12 in US). Vandy is won its last two games after losing seven of ten before that; they lost both SEC road games. SEC home underdogs of 4 or less points are 2-5.

Home side won six of last seven Villanova-Seton Hall games; Wildcats are 4-3 in last seven meetings, after Villanova had won 10 in row in row before that. Villanova lost two of last three visits here; their last three series wins are all by 16+ points. Pirates lost 72-63 at Villanova couple weeks ago, despite Wildcats going 4-22 on arc. Seton Hall is 3-3 against top 100 teams. Big East home underdogs are 3-6 vs spread.

Louisville is quiet 14-3 this year, allowing 49 ppg while winning its first two ACC home games by 8-18 points; Cardinals won 81-59 at Florida State LY in first ACC meeting between two schools, who were Metro Conference rivals long time ago. Seminoles beat NC State/Virginia in last two games after losing three in row before that; Louisville has blocked 15.4% of foes' shots in ACC tilts. ACC single digit home faves are 7-9.

Colorado-Washington split last six meetings; five of the six games were decided by 10+ points. Huskies are 4-1 in Pac-12, with three home wins by 4 or less points, two in OT, after losing at home to Oakland/UCSB around holidays. Colorado won three of last four games; they split two road games, losing by 14 at Cal. Pac-12 underdogs are 12-5 vs spread in games where spread was less than 5 points.

UCSB won three of last four games with Long Beach, which lost its last two visits to Thunderdome by 13-15 points. Gauchos are 1-2 in league games, beating Cal Poly by 3; at 7-9, shooting 46.4% inside arc, could be down year for them. 49ers got swept by Irvine/Cal Poly last week, the Poly loss in two OTs; they're 5-11 in last sixteen games. Big West single digit home favorites are 1-7 vs spread so far this season.

UCLA is 4-3 in last seven games with Oregon State, but lost two of last three visits to Corvallis, with line win by a hoop. Bruins got swept up in Washington to open Pac-12 play; they won at Gonzaga in only other true road game. Beavers lost three of last four games; they're 2-1 at home in PAc-12, beating Oregon/Cal. Pac-12 home favorites of less than five points are 3-5 against the spread.

 

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'College Hoops'

North Carolina (16-2, 8-91 ATS) riding a nine game winning streak (5-4 ATS) and 5-0 (3-2 ATS) record in conference play look to remain undefeated on Dean E. Smith Center hardwood when they host Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-7, 6-9 ATS) Wednesday evening. Tar Heels finally healthy and at full strength with six players in double digits netting a nation second best 86.4 points/game should have little trouble vs Deacs who seem to have trouble keeping the ball out of their own basket allowing opponents 79.0 points/game on 44.9% from the field, 34.9% from long range.

Bettors love-affair with North Carolina continues as Tar Heels are a whopping -17.0 point favorites for this ACC tilt in Chapel Hill. Laying that many points in this spot usually ratchets up tension for Tar Heel basketball sports bettors. That's because, Tar Heels have a habit of not responding against the betting line on home court in conference play. Tar Heels already 0-3 ATS in front of the frenzied crowd this season facing an ACC opponent are a horrendous 1-7-1 ATS last nine hosting a conference rival. Two other telling NCAA basketball betting stats that should give UNC backers pause, the Tar Heels are on a 2-7-1 ATS skid laying double digits and for whatever reason have a habit of faltering when hosting Deacs during the months of December/January going 0-4 record against the betting line.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Northfield: Wednesday 1/20 Analysis
By Jeremey Day

DRF HARNESS

Race 8 - $10,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Best Bet: ROSE RUN QUASAR (2nd)

Spot Play: PRINTSONTHEBEACH (4th)


Race 1

(7) ART RAIDER had some sneaky late pace last week against slightly better and will offer a big price. (8) SIMPLY ROCKIN will need a good setup but could pick up the pieces in the right scenario. (3) ROYAL FINALE has been competitive against similar and gets the best post of the contenders.

Race 2

(7) ROSE RUN QUASAR lightly raced trotter has some ability and owns a recent win at this level. (6) POWER STICK hit the ticket at a price last time out and probably needed the start. (8) CHAMBORO AS is starting to blossom and will look to make it three wins in four starts in this class.

Race 3

(4) CEANA'S STAR takes a huge drop down ad will be driven aggressively; threat. (2) MARKET REBOUND veteran trotter has just been racing evenly; command a price. (Note: top choice HIS DREAM GIRL was scratched.)

Race 4

(4) PRINTSONTHEBEACH showed a good burst of speed last week before tiring late. The pacer should offer another big price and could use a smooth trip. (7) FLUKY'S GIRL has been improving and will also offer good value. (3) BEAUTIFUL RED had no excuse last week off of soft fractions and had nothing to offer late; use underneath.

Race 5

(8) BUZZEN GARLAND gelding gets a tough starting post but if the trotter is ready to roll off a three week layoff he has a big shot. (4) ERISTER HANOVER gets sent out for capable connections off some nice efforts against similar. (3) STUDENT NURSE owns a good burst of speed when timed right but is just 1 for 26 lifetime.

Race 6

(2) LIMA RITCH has room to improve third start back off a long layoff and will offer a big price. (7) FIERCE DESIRE takes a big drop in class but looks dreadful on paper; command a price. (3) AUTO PILOT rarely wins but could be in line for a decent trip up close.

Race 7

(5) MONARCH BLUECHIP owns a nice win at this level and has been on a roll. (4) GREEN ACRELOLLYPOP was disappointing last out and should have had more pop; use underneath. (3) JAXTELLER gelding is prone to miscues but can hit the ticket if he minds his manners.

Race 8

(4) WIT AND WISDOM has been knocking on the door against similar and gets a good post with options. (9) IDBEGOODATTHAT scored first start off a long layoff and has room to improve. (3) BET ON ART showed good closing ability the start prior at this level.

Race 9

(5) ZORGWIJK HEAVENLY got shuffled back last week before showing a good burst of speed late. (3) ROSE RUN NELLIE couldn't parlay a perfect trip last week. (2) HOME TOWNE JEFF was given a very lackluster drive in his last start. The trotter is capable at a price.

Race 10

(5) DANNYS ATTHEDANCE gets sent out for the top trainer against a weak bunch. (9) J J NITRO needed his last start and has room to improve second start off the bench. (1) EXPRESSO FORTE gets the best post but is best used underneath.

Race 11

(5) HUSTLINHANNAH drops in class with the top driver. (2) ZOLENA despite not having a win last year the trotting mare has been racing gamely in two straight. (1) SPICEY VICTOR gets the best post with a nice recent win at the track.

Race 12

(2) STRONG PLAYIN KING has been really good in five straight; fires early. (9) DOUBLESHOTOFCROWN owns a win over the top choice but starts from the second tier which could hamper his chances. (8) DREAM FELLA gets a tough starting post but will look to make it four straight wins; threat.

Race 13

(1) UNADORNED HANOVER will be used aggressively from the best post. (2) CELESTIAL DREAMS has not been as sharp for a new barn but does get a good post. (9) RUST BELT looks terrible on paper but has been competitive against better.

Race 14

(1) PERSPECTIVE gets sent out for a hot barn with the top driver. (9) REAL FUTURE fits in this class nicely and should be much closer turning for home. (3) RIVER CITY came up empty last week but needed the start and should offer a fair price.

Race 15

(2) SACHERTORTE drops down to the bottom level for a top driver. (5) DONTU GET LONELY just missed in this class last week. (7) JP ORAZIO takes a huge drop down in class but needs to find a way into the race.