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Thursday 1-24-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc
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New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NBA Predictions 24th January 2019 by Gracenote
Pelicans vs. Thunder Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 01/24/2019
The Oklahoma City Thunder are back on track after a brief slump as they enter Thursday's home contest against the New Orleans Pelicans. Oklahoma City is seeking its fourth straight victory after dropping five of its previous six games.
The Thunder posted a 123-114 victory over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday and have topped 120 points in six of their past seven contests. "I definitely thought we were clicking more," Oklahoma City star forward Paul George told reporters after scoring 36 points against Portland. "It was better rhythm for everybody. We obviously had a lot more energy." New Orleans will be without star big man Anthony Davis (finger) for the third straight game as it looks to bounce back from Wednesday's 98-94 home loss against the Detroit Pistons. "We have to stop talking about the playoffs," frustrated Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters after his squad fell to four games below .500. "We have to stop talking about getting to .500. We have to worry about the next game ahead of us."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, FS Oklahoma
ABOUT THE PELICANS (22-26): Davis is slated to have his fractured left index finger re-evaluated Friday and there is a strong belief he might be able to return sometime next week. He suffered the injury in last Friday's loss to Portland and there was concern Davis might miss four weeks or longer. Seldom-used center Jahlil Okafor has received significantly increased playing time with Davis sidelined and he averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds while posting back-to-back double-doubles.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (29-18): Point guard Russell Westbrook recorded 29 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for his 14th triple-double of the season in the victory over Portland. Westbrook's shooting has been inconsistent in 11 games this month - he is shooting 39.5 percent - but he has exceeded 20 points nine times while averaging 24 points, 11.8 assists and 10.3 rebounds in January. Oklahoma City racked up 16 steals - five by George - against the Trail Blazers and leads the league in steals (10.4) and turnovers forced (17.1).
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split this season's first two meetings with the home club winning each time.
2. New Orleans PG Jrue Holiday scored 29 points versus Detroit for his fifth 20-point effort in the past six games.
3. Oklahoma City SG Terrance Ferguson is 9-of-13 shooting over the past two games.
PREDICTION: Thunder 120, Pelicans 108
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Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NBA Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
Warriors vs. Wizards Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
The Golden State Warriors have no shortage of ways to hurt opposing teams and are looking like a squad about to pull away from the pack in the Western Conference. The Warriors will try to push their winning streak to nine in a row when they continue a five-game road trip by visiting the Washington Wizards on Thursday.
Golden State is heading east on the road trip after easing past the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers in the first two games and watched All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson make some history on Monday. Thompson knocked down 10-of-11 from 3-point range en route to 44 points in 27 minutes in a 130-111 victory over the Lakers, matching the NBA record both for consecutive made 3-pointers to start a game (10) and for consecutive made 3-pointers within a contest. The Wizards are not playing at quite the same pace as Golden State but are beginning to play better and locked down at the defensive end in a 101-87 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday. "I thought the defense was outstanding on all parts of the game," Washington coach Scott Brooks told reporters. "We got into the ball, we did a great job of pick and rolls. We rebounded the ball. We're really good. ... We give ourselves a chance to win every night if we can win the rebounding game."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (33-14): Thompson is no stranger to explosive scoring streaks and was in a zone on Monday, finishing 17-of-20 from the floor while reaching double figures in made 3-pointers for the second time this season. "Klay does that five or six times a season," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "You guys have seen it. He just got red hot, white hot." Thompson pulled himself out of a lengthy shooting slump and is shooting 52.2 percent from 3-point range over the last 11 games after shooting 30.3 percent from beyond the arc over the previous 14 contests.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (20-26): Veteran small forward Trevor Ariza is proving to be a solid trade acquisition and led the way on Monday with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting and 12 rebounds. "I think (Ariza) has challenged himself to move around a little bit, not just space the floor," Brooks told reporters. "That's sometimes part of the offense, to space in the floor. But he's a rebounder, he's a defender and he's a great locker room guy." Washington is solid at the small forward slot with Ariza starting and Otto Porter Jr., who is averaging 22 points over the last three games, coming off the bench.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Warriors C DeMarcus Cousins is 7-of-20 from the floor in two games since returning from Achilles surgery.
2. Wizards C Thomas Bryant recorded a double-double in two of the last three games.
3. Golden State took the last four in the series, including a 109-101 win at Washington last season.
PREDICTION: Warriors 135, Wizards 115
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Portland Trail Blazers vs. Phoenix Suns Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NBA Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
The Portland Trail Blazers get a chance to come out of a three-game road trip with a winning record when they visit the Phoenix Suns in the finale on Thursday. The Trail Blazers won the opener of the trip at Utah on Monday but could not summon the energy to hang with the Oklahoma City Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back Tuesday.
"I think over the course of the game we were turning the ball over, but especially down the stretch we needed to do a much better job of valuing those possessions, getting up a shot," point guard Damian Lillard told reporters after Tuesday's setback. "I feel like when we were getting shots up, we were getting pretty good looks, having pretty good possessions, but we also had turnovers that turned into points for them and it hurt us." Portland dropped one game behind the Thunder in the battle for third place in the Western Conference with the loss but will play its next two games against teams at the bottom of the standings with the Atlanta Hawks coming in on Saturday after the visit to Phoenix. The Suns own the worst record in the West and are losers of five straight after dropping a 118-91 home decision to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. Star shooting guard Devin Booker was not around to help his team at the end of that loss because he was ejected for an altercation in the third quarter.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS Northwest (Portland), FS Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (29-20): The backcourt duo of shooting guard CJ McCollum and Lillard tried their best to drag Portland past the Thunder as the two combined for 65 points. "I just tried to be aggressive," McCollum, who finished with 31 points on 11-of-23 shooting, told reporters. "Tried to take advantage of pin downs, flares, read the defense, really take advantage of some movement without the ball. They did a good job of setting screens, (Lillard) did a good job of recognizing some of the movement sets that put me in a position to have an advantage." Lillard finished with 34 points and eight assists and is averaging 30.4 points over the last five contests.
ABOUT THE SUNS (11-38): Booker, who averages 24.2 points, got in a scuffle with Minnesota forward Gorgui Dieng that led to both players being ejected, and Booker had to be restrained from chasing Dieng down the tunnel. "It's just been a couple of games guys have been frustrated," Phoenix forward Kelly Oubre Jr. told reporters. "At the end of the day, we control our own actions and our own destiny. I'm sure he'll be fine. It's just something that happened and as a man, you don't let somebody (elbow) you in the face and not do anything about it or at least address them. I salute him for that." Small forward Josh Jackson picked up some of the slack after Booker left and finished with season highs of 27 points and 10 rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Suns SF T.J. Warren (ankle) left Tuesday's game and is day-to-day.
2. Trail Blazers C Jusuf Nurkic collected 22 points and 15 rebounds on Tuesday for his fourth double-double in the last five games.
3. Portland took the last eight in the series, including a 108-86 home win on Dec. 6.
PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 116, Suns 109
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Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NBA Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo is a game-time decision for Thursday's home contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rondo missed the past 14 games with a finger injury and said he will likely make a decision during the day on Thursday.
The Lakers could certainly use Rondo on the floor with starter Lonzo Ball (ankle) sidelined but he said he won't play if he isn't ready. "I'm just taking it day by day and I will see how it feels in the morning when I wake up," Rondo said after Wednesday's practice. "I have to come back when I'm healthy ... I can't come back depending on whether guys are out or not." The Timberwolves are coming off back-to-back win over the Phoenix Suns and won six of their past nine games. Center Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists in Tuesday's 118-91 road win over the Suns for his 11th double-double in the past 14 games.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (23-24): Rookie shooting guard Josh Okogie scored a season-best 21 points in 25 minutes on Tuesday while continuing to show he is a key cog per Minnesota's future. Okogie, the 20th overall pick from Georgia Tech, made four 3-pointers for the second time in six games and has scored in double figures in four of the past six outings. "It's a great thing to have a rookie like Josh play as well as he did," Towns told reporters. "He came in and played with a lot of energy and gave us a spark and you can't ask any more from him. He's doing a great job all year."
ABOUT THE LAKERS (25-23): Forward LeBron James (groin) still isn't ready to return but coach Luke Walton indicated on Wednesday that either Sunday against the Phoenix Suns or Tuesday versus the Philadelphia 76ers could be a possibility. Los Angeles is just 5-9 since James was injured on Christmas Day against the Golden State Warriors but the 34-year-old is getting in more drill work and pushing closer to a return. Walton is more confident about Rondo saying, "I think Rondo will play Thursday as long as he continues to move with no setbacks."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Timberwolves are 2-1 against the Lakers this season but dropped a 114-110 decision when the teams met in Los Angeles on Nov. 7.
2. Los Angeles C Ivica Zubac is averaging 20.3 points on 23-of-28 shooting over the past three games.
3. Minnesota PG Jeff Teague (foot) is expected to miss his second straight contest.
PREDICTION: Lakers 112, Timberwolves 107
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Michigan St Spartans vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Michigan State looks to extend its winning streak to 13 when it travels to face Iowa in a Big Ten matchup Thursday. The No. 5 Spartans have won a school-record 20 straight regular-season Big Ten contests and are coming off a 69-55 victory over No. 16 Maryland on Monday while the No. 21 Hawkeyes, winners of five in a row, routed Illinois 95-71 on Sunday.
Michigan State won the first matchup this season 90-68 in December with junior forward Nick Ward, who was shut out in the win over Maryland for the first time in his career, leading the way with a 10-for-10 shooting effort and 26 points. Junior guard Cassius Winston is the leader for coach Tom Izzo, pacing the Spartans in scoring (18 points) and assists (7.3), helping to fill the void of third-leading scorer Joshua Langford's absence with an ankle injury for the last six contests. The Hawkeyes' top two scorers, forwards Tyler Cook (16.5 points, 8.2 rebounds) and Luka Garza (13.9, 4.9), would like a little payback against the Spartans after they combined for 22 points, 17 rebounds and seven fouls compared to Ward and Kenny Goins' combined 45 points and 23 rebounds in the first matchup this season. That could depend on the outside shooting of Joe Wieskamp (11.9 points, 34 3-pointers) and Jordan Bohannon (11.2, 43) against the tough Michigan State defense, which held Iowa to 32.8 percent shooting in the first matchup.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (17-2, 8-0 Big Ten): Every good team needs a "glue guy," the player on the court who does all the little things, but Goins is becoming known for more than just those attributes as he has big game after big game. Iowa knows about that after the senior forward went for 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in the earlier meeting, and Goins is coming off a 14-point, 12-rebound, three-steal and two-block effort in a win over Maryland. Goins' feel for the Spartans' scheme on both ends of the floor gives Izzo yet another leader on the floor who makes plays, big and small, every contest.
ABOUT IOWA (16-3, 5-3): Wieskamp, a freshman, has caught fire lately, scoring in double figures in nine of the last 10 contests, making Iowa a much more dangerous team to Big Ten foes. The 6-6 guard was perfect against Illinois on Sunday in matching his career high of 24 points, hitting 8-of-8 from the field, including 6-of-6 from 3-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. That kind of accuracy has helped open things up inside for Cook and Garza, as well as make defenders think twice about leaving him to cover Iowa's other shooters, giving coach Fran McCaffrey's team a little more balance than they had earlier in the season.
TIP-INS
1. Michigan State freshman F Aaron Henry scored a career-high 12 points in the win over Maryland.
2. Iowa ranked first in the country in free throws made (395) entering Wednesday.
3. The Spartans have dominated this series in recent years, winning 12 of the last 14 and 17 of the past 20.
PREDICTION: Michigan State 88, Iowa 80
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Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Cincinnati Bearcats Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Cincinnati responded to its first loss in American Athletic Conference play with four straight victories and looks to extend the winning streak to five when Tulsa visits Thursday night. The Bearcats started their run with a 70-65 overtime win at Tulsa on Jan. 10 and continued it Saturday with a 66-55 triumph at Wichita State as American Player of the Week Jarron Cumberland led the way with 18 points.
"Great win for our team," Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin told reporters. "I thought we matched their energy. We've got a lot of guys going through this for the first time. ... We continue to show growth as a team." Cumberland is averaging 21.3 points in league games, tied for second with Connecticut's Jalen Adams entering Wednesday, but the junior guard was held to 14 on 5-of-16 shooting (2-of-8 from 3-point range) with four turnovers against the Golden Hurricane earlier this month. Tulsa's loss to Cincinnati was the first of three in the last four outings and the Golden Hurricane dropped to 1-4 in true road games with a heartbreaking 64-62 setback to Central Florida on Saturday in which they coughed up a double-digit lead. "We played hard," Tulsa coach Frank Haith said in a postgame radio interview. "Our guys competed their butts off. We just didn't make enough plays."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
ABOUT TULSA (12-7, 2-4 American): The Golden Hurricane led by 15 at UCF late in the first half and by nine at intermission before making 7-of-20 from the field and allowing 50 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes. Senior guard DaQuan Jeffries had 15 points and nine rebounds Saturday to push his team-high marks to 13.5 and 5.6, respectively, while junior forward Martins Igbanu (12.1 points, 5.4 boards) is the only other player averaging double figures. Senior guard Sterling Taplin (9.9 points, team-high 4.4 assists) is scoring 11.7 per game in the past three.
ABOUT CINCINNATI (16-3, 5-1): Cumberland was named American Player of the Week for the third time this season after scoring 34 versus South Florida and connecting on 5-of-17 from the field while grabbing seven rebounds in the win at Wichita State. Cumberland leads the team in scoring (17.8) and sophomore guard Keith Williams is the only other player in double figures (11.4), shooting 50.9 percent from the floor. Senior guard Justin Jenifer (8.6 points, team-best 3.6 assists) scored 17 on 4-of-5 shooting at Wichita State and is averaging 13.3 the past three games.
TIP-INS
1. Tulsa sophomore F Jeriah Horne makes 41.9 percent of his 3-point attempts and scored a career-high 27 against UConn on Jan. 16.
2. Cincinnati junior C Nysier Brooks is shooting 61.7 percent from the field overall and averaged 11.7 points the last three contests.
3. The Bearcats have won five straight meetings and seven of the last eight with the only loss coming in overtime (2016).
PREDICTION: Cincinnati 74, Tulsa 64
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Memphis Tigers vs. Temple Owls Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Memphis is off to a strong start in league play and seeks to improve to 5-1 in American Athletic Conference action Thursday when it travels to Temple. The Tigers dominated SMU their last time out, while the Temple is coming off a surprising home to loss to Pennsylvania.
Entering Wednesday's action, Memphis and the Owls were two of the five one-loss teams in league play, putting both squads in solid early position for a postseason berth. The Tigers have won three in a row as they return to the Liacouras Center, where Kareem Brewton Jr. hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to clinch last season's matchup. "That was last year," Brewton told reporters recently. "You don't know what's going to happen this year." Temple was just 3-of-11 from 3-point range and finished with just nine assists on 30 buckets in the loss to Penn.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
ABOUT MEMPHIS (12-6, 4-1 American): The Tigers are led offensively by Kyvon Davenport, who averages 15.2 points on 54.7 percent shooting (41.7 from behind the arc) and 7.4 rebounds. He had shot at least 50 percent from the field in 11 of his previous 13 games before finishing 5-of-13 for 12 points versus SMU. Brewton had a team-high 20 points in that one, while Raynere Thornton contributed 11 points and 14 boards for his first double-double of the campaign.
ABOUT TEMPLE (14-4, 4-1): Shizz Alston Jr. (18.9), Quinton Rose (16.6) and Nate Pierre-Louis (14.1) combine to average nearly 50 points for the Owls, who received only seven bench points against Penn. In fact, the high-scoring trio and starting center Ernest Aflakpui combined to take 59 of the team's 69 shots, 10 of the 11 attempts from 3-point range and eight of the team's nine foul shots. Aflakpui had 21 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for his second straight double-double.
TIP-INS
1. Rose is 3-of-19 from 3-point range over the last five games and is shooting only 19.5 percent from long range overall after connecting at a 34.5 percent rate last season.
2. Brewton is 11-of-20 from outside the arc in the last four games. Entering that stretch, he was only 7-of-23 from 3-point range on the season.
3. Nobody on Temple has more than eight blocks this season.
PREDICTION: Temple 72, Memphis 70
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Miami-Florida Hurricanes vs. Syracuse Orange Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Fresh off its upset victory over then-No. 2 Duke in overtime, Syracuse rolled past Pittsburgh on Saturday 74-63 to run its record to 10-3 at home and 4-1 in ACC play. The Orange now get set to host an undermanned Miami team on Thursday night, with the Hurricanes limping in following their fourth loss in the last five games after coming up short to North Carolina 85-76.
For Miami, the lack of depth reared its ugly head once again versus North Carolina as the Hurricanes trailed by just two with five minutes remaining but could only sustain their high level of play for so long with a rotation of just seven players. "Our guys played as well as we can but eventually it's a battle of attrition," Miami head coach Jim Larranaga told reporters. "We don't have enough size and girth and manpower to battle the teams in our league on a regular basis. Can we do it for periods of time? Yes. But it's hard over a long period of time." The Hurricanes are having a rough go through their ACC slate but the Orange have picked up their game of late with six wins in their last seven and they continue to frustrate opponents with their 2-3 defense, limiting five of those opponents to less than 65 points. "It's the best conference in the country, hands down," Syracuse forward Elijah Hughes said. "Every game is a dogfight no matter who it is. It doesn't matter what their record is. You just got to be ready to go every game."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Raycom
ABOUT MIAMI (9-8, 1-4 ACC): The Hurricanes can score from long distance, hitting 36.5 percent of their 3-pointers and 8.8 per game, with long-distance marksman DJ Vasiljevic nailing a team-high 48-of-109 (44.0 percent). Vasiljevic has hit at least one trey in 30 straight games and is one of five Hurricanes averaging in double figures, led by sophomore guard Chris Lykes (18.1 ppg), who ranks eighth in the ACC in scoring. With a short bench, the Hurricanes can't afford to get into foul trouble and they have responded by totaling just 14.7 fouls per game, seventh best in the nation.
ABOUT SYRACUSE (13-5, 4-1): The Orange have been inconsistent offensively, but the 95-91 overtime win over Duke proved they can put the ball in the hoop, with junior guard Tyus Battle (18.2 ppg) leading the way with 32 points against the Blue Devils and 22 against the Panthers to earn ACC Player of the Week honors for the third time this season. The Orange have increased their 3-point shooting in the last two games, only the third and fourth times this season that they nailed at least 11 from long distance. Center Paschal Chukwu has stepped it up inside with back-to-back games with double-digit rebounds (18 vs. Duke, 11 vs. Pitt) and three straight games with three blocks.
TIP-INS
1. The Orange own an 18-8 lead over the Hurricanes after defeating them 62-55 last season.
2. Miami has scored at least 73 points in all but two games.
3. Syracuse limited Duke and Pitt to a combined 25.6 percent shooting from long distance.
PREDICTION: Syracuse 77, Miami 73
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NC State Wolfpack vs. Louisville Cardinals Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Two ranked teams do battle on Thursday evening when No. 19 North Carolina State visits No. 24 Louisville. The Wolfpack have alternated wins and losses to begin conference play, while the Cardinals have won three straight and four of five to begin their ACC schedule.
N.C. State rebounded from a loss at Wake Forest with a 77-73 win at Notre Dame on Saturday as Devon Daniels hit four key free throws late to secure the win. "Give Devon a lot of credit -- he made four really good free throws at the end. [The Fighting Irish] are tough. We knew coming in we had to defend all five positions. We knew coming in we had to defend the 3-point line," Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts told reporters after the win. Louisville cruised to its third win in a row with a 79-51 victory over shorthanded Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Cardinals had no mercy for a Yellow Jackets team that was without three regulars, including two of their top three scorers, as they jumped out to a 43-16 cushion at halftime.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ACC Network
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (15-3, 3-2 ACC): Defense fueled Saturday's win over Notre Dame as the Wolfpack held the Irish to just 7-of-28 from the 3-point line and 24-of-49 overall (40.7 percent). Offensively, N.C. State bounced back from its worst shooting game of the season (37 percent from the floor against Wake Forest two games ago) to shoot 43.5 percent from the floor, including 36.8 percent from long range. Junior guard C.J. Bryce scored a game-high 23 in what Keatts called "his best game in an N.C. State uniform," while Daniels chipped in with 15.
ABOUT LOUISVILLE (13-5, 4-1): Sophomore forward Jordan Nwora -- who has improved his scoring average from 5.7 as a freshman to 18.1 this season -- had a game-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting against Georgia Tech while also contributing with eight rebounds, three assists and a steal. Junior center Steven Enoch added 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in just 20 minutes off the bench, while sophomore center Malik Williams added 13 points in only 16 minutes. The Cardinals simply dominated all aspects of the game, outrebounding the Yellow Jackets 43-33 and forcing 17 turnovers while giving it away just 11 times.
TIP-INS
1. Louisville leads the all-time series 11-10, but N.C. State won last season's matchup 76-69 in Raleigh.
2. N.C. State is sixth in the nation in scoring offense at 86.7 points per game but hasn't reached that average in four straight games.
3. Cardinals G Christen Cunningham handed out 11 assists and had no turnovers against Georgia Tech as the Cardinals had a season-high 21 helpers.
PREDICTION: Louisville 76, N.C. State 75
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Arizona Wildcats vs. Southern California Trojans Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 24th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/24/2019
USC has won 10 of its last 11 home games including all three in Pac-12 play highlighted by last week's 80-67 drubbing of crosstown rival UCLA. But the Trojans face perhaps their stiffest conference test Thursday night when they host defending conference champion Arizona.
The Wildcats, who trail Washington by a half-game in the conference standings, come in off an impressive 82-71 home win over Oregon State on Saturday and have won seven of their last eight games. The southern California trip, which also includes a Saturday-night contest at UCLA, will be a homecoming for freshman guard Brandon Williams who prepped at Crespi High School in nearby Encino. "Going back home in general is cool, but at the end of the day it's a business trip and we're trying to get a road sweep," said Williams, who leads the team in assists with an average of 3.7 per game and is third in scoring with an average of 11.9 points. The Trojans, who begin the week in a three-way tie for fourth place, have lost their last five games against Arizona dating back to a memorable 103-102 four-overtime victory at the Galen Center on Jan. 9, 2016.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
ABOUT ARIZONA (14-5, 5-1 Pac-12): All eyes will be on center Chase Jeter and whether he will play after leaving the win over the Beavers following a nasty spill on his back which caused him to miss the rest of the game as well as practice on Monday and Tuesday. The 6-10 junior transfer from Duke ranks second on the team in scoring (12.6) and leads the team in rebounding (7.2) while also shooting 62.1 percent from the floor. Sophomore guard Brandon Randolph leads the Wildcats in scoring (15.4) but averaged 7.5 points and connected on only 7-of-24 shots (29.2 percent), including 1-of-8 from 3-point range, in last week's home split with the Oregon schools.
ABOUT USC (10-8, 3-2): Forward Nick Rakocevic was named the Pac-12's Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks on Monday after the 6-11 junior scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the win over the Bruins, his eighth double-double of the season. Senior forward Bennie Boatwright, who leads the team in scoring (17.3), also had 21 points, including five 3-pointers, to go with seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks as the Trojans led by as many as 26 points in the second half. Rakocevic is second on the team in scoring (15.2) and leads the Pac-12 in rebounding (9.7) while junior guard Jonah Mathews (12.5) freshman guard Kevin Porter Jr. (10.7) also are averaging in double figures.
TIP-INS
1. Rakocevic has scored 20 or more points in five of USC's last six home games.
2. Arizona leads the Pac-12 in free throw shooting percentage (75.2), scoring margin (plus-8.2) and turnover margin (plus-3.4).
3. Boatwright is averaging 20.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists over the last eight games.
PREDICTION: USC 77, Arizona 72
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Utah Utes vs. Stanford Cardinal Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 24th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/24/2019
After moving into a four-way tie for fourth place in the Pac-12, Utah aims for its third straight win Thursday against host Stanford. The Utes had a week off before facing Colorado last Saturday and took advantage of the rest, posting a nine-point win after cruising to a 41-19 halftime lead.
Freshman forward Timmy Allen is averaging 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.6 steals for Utah in Pac-12 play and recorded his first career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds against Colorado. Senior guard Sedrick Barefield added 22 points for the Utes, who have won two straight since opening Pac-12 play with a 1-2 mark. Utah has lost six consecutive games when playing Stanford at Maples Pavilion and will need a complete effort to get past the Cardinal, which hopes to have leading scorer and rebounder KZ Okpala back in the lineup. The dynamic 6-9 sophomore missed last Saturday's 78-66 win at Washington State due to back spasms but is expected to start Thursday.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
ABOUT UTAH (9-8, 3-2 Pac-12): Coach Larry Krystkowiak raves about the development of Allen, who has led the Utes in total rebounds over the previous three games and emerged as a top contender for Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. The improving frontcourt includes centers Jayce Johnson and Novak Topalovic, who combined for four blocked shots and 12 boards against Colorado but scored a total of four points. Barefield averages a team-high 15.8 points while shooting 83.6 percent from the foul line and has scored in double figures in seven of his past eight contests.
ABOUT STANFORD (9-9, 2-4): Sophomore point guard Daejon Davis scored 15 points with six assists in the win over Washington State while Josh Sharma and Bryce Wills added 13 points and eight rebounds apiece. The Cardinal had five players in double figures to make up for the loss of Okpala, who is averaging 21.2 points and 7.6 rebounds in five conference games while shooting 8-of-19 from 3-point range. Freshman guard Cormac Ryan ranks third on the team in scoring with 10 points per contest but has missed the past two games with an ankle injury and is listed as day-to-day.
TIP-INS
1. Utah holds a 20-13 lead in the series but is 2-9 in Palo Alto.
2. Stanford is one of the top shot-blocking teams in the league, ranking third in the Pac-12 and 30th in the nation with 89 total blocks.
3. Barefield scored 17 points in Utah's 75-60 win over Stanford last season.
PREDICTION: Stanford 77, Utah 74
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Washington Huskies vs. Oregon Ducks Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Washington puts its undefeated Pac-12 record on the line at Oregon on Thursday in a matchup involving the two best scoring defenses in the conference. The Huskies are trying for their first 6-0 start in the Pac-12 since 1983-84, and have outscored their opponents by 100 points during a seven-game winning streak - their longest since starting 11-0 in 2014-15.
"The only thing I think our standing in the Pac-12 and our record so far in conference does is just we're getting everyone's best shot and it makes people want to beat us even more,'' Washington senior guard Matisse Thybulle told reporters after the Huskies' 71-52 victory versus California on Saturday. "That means we have to play even better. We're accepting the challenge and we're going to take it head on, and it's exciting." The Ducks are coming off a 78-64 loss at Arizona State on Saturday after starting the trip with a 59-54 victory at Arizona on Jan. 17. "We got to continue to develop our team. Offensively, we're going to have to execute better,'' Oregon coach Dana Altman told reporters after his club's scoring average dropped to 72.1 - second-lowest in the Pac-12 with Washington just ahead 72.6. The Ducks have won six straight in the series - their longest since winning seven in a row from 1937-39 - by an average of 13 points after last season's 72-64 victory in Seattle behind 14 points from junior guard Payton Pritchard, and hasn't lost at home to the Huskies since 2010.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
ABOUT WASHINGTON (14-4, 5-0 Pac-12): Sophomore guard Jaylen Nowell (team highs of 16.7 points and 3.4 assists per game, 5.4 rebounds) recorded 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists versus Cal after scoring 19 or more in four of his previous five games, and is averaging 7.6 boards in conference games. Thybulle was eighth nationally in steals (2.72) and 20th in blocks (2.33) entering Thursday - the only player ranked in the top 20 in both categories and one of two in the top 100 (Duke's Zion Williamson). Senior forward Noah Dickerson (13.2 points, club-high 6.7 rebounds) recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds Saturday for his third double-double of the season while senior guard David Crisp (11.2 points) is scoring 15.6 per contest and has connected on 15-for-26 from the 3-point range in Pac-12 games.
ABOUT OREGON (11-7, 2-3): Pritchard (team highs of 11.9 points and 4.5 assists), whose 20 points Saturday were his most since scoring 22 in the season opener, needs seven assists to become the sixth player in program history with 1,000 points and 400 assists. Freshman forward Louis King (10.4 points, 5.3 rebounds) is averaging 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds in Pac-12 games, including a pair of double-doubles and recording 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists versus USC on Jan. 13. Senior forward Paul White (10.8 points) has reached double figures in six straight games, averaging 15.6 in the Pac-12 while grabbing at least four rebounds in each of the last six contests.
TIP-INS
1. The Ducks lead the Pac-12 at 64.9 points allowed per game with the Huskies at 65.0 while Washington and Oregon are 1-2 in field goal percentage defense at 39.5 and 39.6, respectively.
2. Thybulle (254 career steals) is five away from moving past Arizona State's Eddie House (1996-2000) and into third all-time in Pac-12 annals with Oregon State's Gary Payton (321 from 1986-90) and Stanford's Brevin Knight (298, 1993-97) leading the way.
3. Ducks senior G Ehab Amin (6.2 points) is one of two active players with 1,000 points (1,175), 500 rebounds (502), 200 assists (212) and 200 steals (249). Fort Wayne's John Konchar is the other.
PREDICTION: Oregon 65, Washington 64
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Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Santa Clara Broncos Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Fourth-ranked Gonzaga looks to record its 10th consecutive victory when it visits Santa Clara in West Coast Conference play on Thursday. The Bulldogs have won by an average of 33.7 points during their nine-game winning streak with only two contests being decided by fewer than 20.
Gonzaga has won the past 18 meetings against the Broncos, including a 91-48 home romp on Jan. 5. Junior forward Rui Hachimura scored 25 in that easy victory as one of 12 times this season he has tallied 20 or more points. The Bulldogs cruised to an 89-66 victory over host Portland in their last outing and enjoy a one-game lead over San Francisco and Saint Mary's in the conference race. Santa Clara recorded a 69-57 road victory over Pacific on Saturday and has limited five opponents to fewer than 60 points this season.
TV: 11 p.m. ET, ROOT, NBCS California
ABOUT GONZAGA (18-2, 5-0 WCC): Hachimura (20.1 points per game) and fellow junior forwards Brandon Clarke (16.5 points, 7.8 rebounds) and Killian Tillie (8.0 points) were all on the court at times during the win over Portland and figure to share the floor more often in upcoming weeks. Tillie missed the first 15 games of the season after ankle surgery while Clarke moved into the starting lineup and has been force both offensively (69.8 percent shooting) and defensively (64 blocked shots). "It's just three players that have a good feel for the game," Clarke told reporters after the win over Portland. "It's not hard at all. The three of us can guard the (forwards and center) so it makes defense pretty easy, too."
ABOUT SANTA CLARA (11-9, 3-3): Despite their longstanding losing ways against Gonzaga, the Broncos are optimistic they can muster up a better showing in the rematch. "They're a good team," sophomore forward Josip Vrankic said on the school website. "Top five in the country. They're big, they can shoot the ball. They play well together. But if we just stick to our game plan and do what we're supposed to do, I think we'll be alright." Vrankic ranks second on the squad in scoring with a 13.2 average behind sophomore guard Tahj Eaddy (16.3).
TIP-INS
1. Gonzaga has won 17 of its last 18 visits to Santa Clara.
2. The Bulldogs have won 26 consecutive conference road games, the nation's longest active streak.
3. Eaddy drained four 3-pointers against Pacific for his seventh outing of four of more this season, and he has made a team-best 51.
PREDICTION: Gonzaga 87, Santa Clara 70
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Arizona State Sun Devils vs. UCLA Bruins Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 24th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/24/2019
The honeymoon period is over for UCLA interim coach Murry Bartow, whose team has lost two in row following three straight victories. Bartow hopes to return to the win column Thursday when the Bruins face visiting Arizona State, which dominated the second half in last Saturday's impressive 78-64 victory over Oregon.
Sophomore guard Kris Wilkes is averaging a team-high 16 points in Pac-12 play for the Bruins, who need to bounce back from a dismal outing after shooting 5-of-22 from 3-point range and committing 20 turnovers in last Saturday's 80-67 loss to crosstown rival USC. The Bruins averaged 92 points in wins over Stanford, California and Oregon but slowed down dramatically in losses to Oregon State and USC, averaging just 66.5 points. Bartow needs more consistency from 7-1 freshman Moses Brown, who averages 11.3 points and 8.9 rebounds but was a non-factor against USC, finishing with two points in 20 minutes. Brown faces another strong test against Arizona State, which boasts one of the league's most versatile players in senior forward Zylan Cheatham, who had 17 points and nine rebounds in the win over Oregon.
TV: 11 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (13-5, 4-2 Pac-12): Five players scored in double figures in the win over the Ducks - including freshman forward Taeshon Cherry, who had 15 points on five 3-pointers. "He has one of the best strokes I've seen," coach Bobby Hurley told reporters. "He's got so much upside as far as where he can take his game if he keeps developing and getting better." Junior guard Rob Edwards is averaging 12.2 points while shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc over the past nine games, while freshman Luguentz Dort is averaging 13 points in league play.
ABOUT UCLA (10-8, 3-2): Point guard Jaylen Hands averages a league-high 6.4 assists for the Bruins, who have lost six of their last nine games and are shooting a Pac-12-worst 61.1 percent from the foul line. Forward Chris Smith has cooled off considerably since averaging 9.7 points and six rebounds during the team's first three conference games, and Bartow said Cody Riley and Jalen Hill could see more playing time in his place this week. One bright spot has been the play of guard Prince Ali, who is shooting 51 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range in five Pac-12 contests.
TIP-INS
1. UCLA has won seven of the last nine games against Arizona State and owns a 68-20 lead in the series.
2. Arizona State leads the Pac-12 in scoring (79.1 points per game) while UCLA is third (78).
3. UCLA is 103-12 when leading at halftime since the start of the 2013-14 season.
PREDICTION: UCLA 88, Arizona State 85
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Washington St. Cougars vs. Oregon St. Beavers Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Oregon State's 3-0 Pac-12 start was dampened by a 0-2 road trip to Arizona last week. The Beavers will now try to get back on track with a pair of home games, beginning with Thursday night's date with Washington State.
In its two losses in the desert, Oregon State was outrebounded by a combined 82-63, including 33-17 on the offensive glass. It was particularly damaging Saturday night as the host Wildcats finished with a 21-9 offensive rebounding edge, leading to 28 second-chance points in an 82-71 victory. "They were driving us, and we had to help, so you're not by your guy to box out," Beavers coach Wayne Tinkle said in his post-game news conference. "So (there) was penetration, No. 1, and we didn't play nearly physical enough." Washington State, meanwhile, has been facing a number of the same issues and then some while dropping seven of its last eight, including a 1-4 Pac-12 start.
TV: 11 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (8-10, 1-4 Pac-12): Senior forward Robert Franks, the conference's leading scorer at 21.5 points per game, returned last week after missing the previous four contests with a hip contusion and had 24 points and eight rebounds in 31 minutes in an 82-59 win over California on Thursday. Franks, though, had only 12 points and six points on 4-of-14 shooting in Saturday's 78-66 home loss to Stanford. Freshman forward C.J. Elleby (15.8 points) is the only other player averaging double figures for the Cougars, who rank second in the Pac-12 with 78.6 points per game but are giving up nearly as many on the other end with 77.3 allowed per outing.
ABOUT OREGON STATE (11-6, 3-2): Ranking right behind Franks on the conference scoring list is Beavers junior forward Tres Tinkle who's averaging 20.4 points and a team-leading 8.4 rebounds. Brothers Stephen Thompson Jr. (14.8 points) and Ethan Thompson (13.4) also average double digits and that trio has combined to account for 182 of the team's 268 assists. The Beavers rank second in the conference in overall field-goal percentage (46.6) but are shooting a Pac-12-worst 32.2 percent from 3-point range after a 4-of-17 showing in the loss to Arizona.
TIP-INS
1. Oregon State has won eight of the last nine meetings, including four consecutive home wins.
2. Washington State has lost all eight of its road/neutral-site contests this season, and its three Pac-12 road losses (all without Franks) were decided by an average of 22.7 points.
3. The Beavers are averaging 5.8 blocked shots per game, which ranks second in the Pac-12 and seventh nationally.
PREDICTION: Oregon State 82, Washington State 70
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Colorado Buffaloes vs. California Golden Bears Preview and Predictions 2019-01-24
NCAAB Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019
Colorado guard McKinley Wright, the team's scoring and assists leader, says he's ready to return to the Buffaloes' lineup. The sophomore point guard missed his first collegiate game Sunday with a shoulder injury, but plans to take the floor Thursday night when Colorado visits California.
Wright is averaging 12.9 points, 5.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds and sat out the Buffaloes' 78-69 loss Sunday at Utah - their fourth setback in their last five games. "I'm feeling good," Wright told the Boulder Daily Camera on Tuesday. "At Utah I didn't want to rush coming back, so I decided to take a couple more days to help my body get back healthy. ... I just try to take care of this injury. It's not a small injury. It's something I have to pay attention to. I'm feeling good and ready to go for Cal (on) Thursday." Wright and the Buffs will encounter a California team mired in a tailspin. At 5-13 overall and 0-6 in the Pac-12, the Golden Bears are the only winless team in the conference, and their last victory came prior to Christmas when they outlasted visiting San Jose State (88-80) on Dec. 21.
TV: 11 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
ABOUT COLORADO (10-7, 1-4 Pac-12): The Buffaloes scored only 19 first-half points to trail by 22 at the break against Utah and couldn't recover to avoid their seventh straight loss in Salt Lake City. Guard Shane Gatling got the start for Wright and scored a season-high 21 points to pace Colorado but hit only 6-of-18 shots. Aside from Wright, forward Lucas Siewert (11.5 points) and guard Tyler Bey (11.4) are the other Colorado players averaging in double figures for the Buffaloes, who rank among the Pac-12's bottom three in scoring (69.6) and field-goal percentage (42.0) in conference play after entering the league slate averaging 79.7 points.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA (5-13, 0-6): After getting swept on the road by the Washington schools last week, the Bears have lost 11 straight Pac-12 games - a skid which began with a 68-64 loss at Colorado last Feb. 7. Cal is averaging a conference-worst 70.8 points after averaging 55.5 in the two losses last week and also brings up the rear in the league with a 43.6 field-goal percentage. Sophomore forward Justice Sueing is averaging a team-best 14.1 points and 6.3 rebounds while guards Paris Austin (13.1 points), Darius McNeill (11.7) and Matt Bradley (10.3) also boast double-figure scoring averages.
TIP-INS
1. The series is deadlocked at 15 wins apiece, but each team has dominated at home with Cal holding a 12-1 advantage in Berkeley.
2. After playing four of their first six Pac-12 games on the road, the Bears have three straight and five of their next seven at home.
3. Colorado ranks third in the conference with a 5.3 average rebounding margin while Cal owns a Pac-12-worst minus-5.9 margin on the glass.
PREDICTION: Colorado 76, California 72
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Handicapped by Rick Needham at Aqueduct
RACE #5 - 2:54 PM
6.0 FURLONGS DIRT FOUR YEARS OLD AND UPWARD $10,000.00 CLAIMING $20,000.00 PURSE
#2 T LOVES A FIGHT
#6 HAUDENOSAUNEE
#7 OLD UPSTART
#5 READYHEARTANDSOUL
#2 T LOVES A FIGHT takes a class drop (-7), is the overall speed leader sprinting at today's distance of 6.0 furlongs on the dirt, and has turned in a trio of "POWER RUNS" in his last four starts, including a "POWER RUN WIN," facing better company (+5) in his 2nd race back. Jockey Manuel Franco and Trainer Linda Rice send him to the post ... they've hit the board with 59% of their last 75 entries saddled as a team to date. The 8-1 shot, #6 HAUDENOSAUNEE has produced a trio of "POWER RUNS" in his last five starts, hitting the board in a pair.
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Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts
Bar
Charles Town - Race #2 - Post: 7:29pm - Claiming - 8.5 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $10,000 Class Rating: 70
Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar
#1 PRIMO PENTIMENTO (ML=5/1)
#7 QUALITY TIME (ML=6/1)
PRIMO PENTIMENTO - Gelding hasn't won in his last three starts, but his last win came on Sep 6th at today's class and distance. Have to give this gelding a shot. Ran a solid contest last time around the track within the last thirty days. QUALITY TIME - Took a big class drop last out, and I think he may have needed it. Bass enters him at a similar class today. I'd expect an improved performance.
Vulnerable Contenders: #2 SET'EM UP JOE (ML=7/5), #4 EDIFY (ML=5/2), #6 NORTH DUBAI (ML=8/1),
SET'EM UP JOE - I don't normally play a morning-line favorite that hasn't been to the track in the last three weeks. This horse finished out of the money on Dec 6th and wasn't even close last time around the track either. EDIFY - I'm forecasting a lackluster effort out of him today. NORTH DUBAI - The fifth place result in the last race was not the best.
STRAIGHT WAGERS:
Play #1 PRIMO PENTIMENTO to win if you can get odds of 5/2 or more
EXACTA WAGERS:
Box [1,7]
TRIFECTA WAGERS:
None
SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
Pass
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Handicapped by The Walker Group at Delta Downs
Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.
Race 4 - Claiming - 5.0f on the Dirt. Purse: $14500 Class Rating: 76
FOR FILLIES AND MARES FOUR YEARS OLD AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NOT WON TWO RACES SINCE JULY 24, 2018. WEIGHT, 123 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $4,000.
RECOMMENDED CHOICES
The Walker Group Picks
# 6 LIKE A HAINT 5/2
# 3 OUR GOLDEN GIRL 4/1
# 4 ELLE LES YU 6/1
I've got to go with LIKE A HAINT. She has been moving soundly recently while recording strong speed figures. Trainer has solid win rate (30 percent) at this distance and surface. Will make a good showing versus this group. OUR GOLDEN GIRL - Could provide positive returns based on solid recent Equibase Speed Figures with an average of 67. Well above average win clip at this distance/surface. ELLE LES YU - It's a good signal that Ramirez is using Saenz on this entrant. Conditioner boasts strong win figs at this distance and surface.
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